When two UFC heavyweight strikers compete, the bouts never last that long. That was exactly the case with Derrick Lewis and Guto Inocente at The Ultimate Fighter 19 Finale in Las Vegas on Sunday as Lewis crushed Inocente with ferocious ground and pound in the first round of their bout.
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The two spent much of the first minute feeling each other out with Inocente largely, but not exclusively controlling the middle. The first bit of action was Lewis securing double underhooks and dropping for a single, but Inocente managed to scramble free. Lewis again tried to pressure Inocente to the cage and managed to land a huge overhand right and body shot, but Inocente seemed not much worse for the wear. Lewis eventually followed Inocente to the ground from a slip off of a leg kick and the bout ended close from there. Lewis was able to get in a modified leg drag position and where Inocente opened up to reclaim guard, Lewis crushed him with a bruising series of punches that forced referee Herb Dean to stop the action.
“I set some goals for myself,” Lewis said. “I really want to run through this whole heavyweight division.”
The end came officially at 3:30 of round 1. Lewis’ record climbs to 11-2 with 1 no-contest. Inocente drops to 6-3.