Tomorrow night in the main event of UFC Vegas 45, we will see a big time showdown in the heavyweight division. Former two-time title challenger Derrick Lewis (25-8) returns as he takes on the surging Chris Daukaus (12-3).
This is a massive step up in competition for Daukaus who is getting his first taste of a UFC main event. The last time we saw Daukaus was back in September when he took on Shamil Abdurakhimov.
Daukaus scored a second round knockout. That win moved him to 4-0 in the UFC and all four of those wins have come via knockout. Now, he’s taking on the greatest knockout artist in heavyweight history.
The record holder for the most knockouts in UFC history is ‘The Black Beast’. Derrick Lewis has ungodly one-punch knockout power and that power has made him a star with the promotion.
Well, that power and his personality. The last time we saw Lewis was at UFC 265 when he had a shot at the interim heavyweight champion against Ciryl Gane. He came up short that night, but he’s hoping to turn things around at UFC Vegas 45.
UFC Vegas 45 Prediction
If you want someone who can give Derrick Lewis problems, you want someone who is really fast and slick on the feet. Someone like a Ciryl Gane who was able to really expose Lewis when they fought.
Chris Daukaus possesses a lot of those qualities which will make him a challenge for Lewis at UFC Vegas 45. Daukaus is very quick on the feet and he does a great job of throwing combinations.
Not too mention he’s also very good on the ground, we just haven’t seen that part of his game. Daukaus is more technical and slick on the feet. That said, Derrick Lewis can win any fight he’s in due to his power alone.
It doesn’t matter how good Daukaus looks, Lewis can turn the lights off with one shot and we’ve seen Daukaus finished before. That power has really made the UFC Vegas 45 main event so intriguing.
I really like Daukaus as a prospect for the heavyweight division. However, I don’t think I can pick against Lewis here. The odds of him landing one bomb are decent and I’m not sure Daukaus will be standing after it lands.
Prediction: Derrick Lewis by KO – Round 2