A pair of hard-hitting heavyweights will meet in Los Angeles.
Promising knockout artist Derrick Lewis takes on Ruan Potts at UFC 184 on Feb. 28 at Staples Center, the UFC announced Tuesday. Lewis was on quite the run before being knocked out by Matt Mitrione in September.
Lewis (11-3, 1 NC) has still won two of his three UFC bouts by knockout, beating Jack May and Guto Inocente. The giant slugger’s last loss before Mitrione came back in 2011, an unbeaten stretch of eight fights. The 29-year-old “Black Beast” still remains somewhat of a prospect in the wide-open heavyweight division.
Potts (8-3) could be fighting for his UFC life in this bout. He has lost his first two fights in the organization, falling to Anthony Hamilton and Soa Palelei. Before that, the South African had won three straight in the EFC promotion in his home country. At 36 years old, Potts’ window is rapidly closing.
UFC 184 is headlined by a middleweight title fight between champion Chris Weidman and Vitor Belfort. In the co-main event, Ronda Rousey defends her UFC women’s bantamweight title against Cat Zingano. It will be the UFC’s first trip to Los Angeles since 2013. UFC 176, also set for Staples Center, was canceled in August.