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WATCH: Daniel Cormier Submit Derrick Lewis in the Second Round of UFC 230

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Tonight, the double-belt holder and the number one ranked pound-for-pound fighter in the entire UFC, Daniel Cormier (21–1–0 & 1NC), took on the one-man wrecking crew that is Derrick Lewis (21-5-0 & 1NC) for the UFC World Heavyweight Championship belt.

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With both combatants known for their striking ability, this fight was destined to be one of the most entertaining professional MMA fights of the year but, sadly, the result of the fight was rather underwhelming for fight enthusiasts. Without further ado, check out the submission clip above that helped Daniel Cormier retain his UFC Heavyweight Championship belt.

First Round: Cormier vs Lewis

Cormier wasted no time taking Lewis to the ground and forcing him to work against the cage in order to regain a full-stance. Cormier took him down instantaneously for the second time just moments later and took a brutal pounding before getting back up dangerously exposing his back to Cormier before the round ended.

Second Round: Cormier vs Lewis

In the second round, Derrick Lewis started the round off well, delivering a combination of kicks and strikes that forced Cormier to retreat and restructure his strategy. Unfortunately, Lewis wasn’t able to maintain standing after Cormier took Lewis down with a one-leg takedown. The rest of the fight maintained on the ground as Cormier was able to gain position on Lewis’ back where he submitted the ‘The Black Beast’ with a rear-naked chokehold.
Cormier retains his UFC World Heavyweight title as well as his UFC Light Heavyweight Championship status.

Prior To UFC 230: Cormier vs Lewis

Prior to the result of the Cormier/Lewis bout, fight analysts had Cormier coming out the victor due to his versatility in the ring. Cormier has a superior overall ground game, submission technique, and conditioning. While Derrick Lewis is extremely limited and reliant on his punching power that has helped him rise in rank over the past year as a title contender. And this accurate analysis was a direct reflection of what took place in the octagon tonight.
Even though Cormier hadn’t been in the octagon and experienced in-ring exhaustion since his first-round knockout of Stipe Miocic in July, it didn’t stop him from dominating his opposition in Derrick Lewis who secured a victory in the final seconds of his match against the beastly, Alexander Volkov less than a month ago.

The Future for Derrick Lewis & Daniel Cormier

This was an eye-opening experience for the highly entertaining Derrick Lewis. In the past, he was able to dominate his competition in the octagon through sheer brutality. Just because he lost this title fight to the two-belt holding Cormier doesn’t mean that he still can’t be a force in the realm of MMA. He’ll have to work vehemently on his conditioning and develop a ground defense and arsenal of wrestling weapons if he ever wants to become a title holder in the UFC.

As for Daniel Cormier, he took the opportunity to call out former MMA fighter and WWE wrestler, Brock Lesnar, in his post-fight interview. He also mentioned that Lesnar should bring his WWE Title belt to the octagon as an all-in UFC/WWE World Championship matchup.

With Daniel Cormier still the UFC World Heavyweight Champion and Light Heavyweight Champion of the world, he’s proving himself to be one of the greatest to ever enter the cage. As for Lewis, with determination and a developed ground game, he could be the recipient of a lot of prosperous moments in the heavyweight division.

READ NEXT: WATCH: Khabib Nurmagomedov Submits Conor McGregor Then Nearly Incites A Riot

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UFC 230: Cormier vs Lewis took place in New York, NY & it did not disappoint. Watch Cormier submit Lewis in the second round of the main event right here.