Derrick Lewis is flattered by being one of Donald Trump’s favorite fighters and hopes a win at UFC 324 will lead to a chance to compete on the White House lawn, possibly for a UFC title.
Derrick Lewis is thrilled to be one of President Donald Trump’s favorite fighters. If he scores a big win at UFC 324, he dreams of fighting on the White House lawn, maybe even for a UFC title.
Facing Waldo Cortes-Acosta, a rising heavyweight contender, Lewis is ready for the main card at UFC 324. This event, held at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, marks the UFC’s debut on Paramount+ in the U.S.
A victory on Saturday could see Lewis competing in June, right in front of Trump. “Yeah, for sure,” Lewis mentioned, adding a touch of humor about finding opponents from Russia, Venezuela, or even Greenland.
The idea of a UFC White House card is buzzing. UFC CEO Dana White plans to jump into action with matchmakers right after UFC 324 wraps up.
Lewis might face big names like Jon Jones or Alex Pereira, both eager to join the card. An interim heavyweight title fight could be in the cards while Tom Aspinall recovers from his eye injury.
“The Black Beast” believes the spectacle will outshine the card itself. “Anything that sells,” Lewis explained, emphasizing the unique nature of a White House event.
“No other president is going to allow something like this,” Lewis said. He’s excited about the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and hopes to be part of it, if not, he’ll watch.
Cortes-Acosta is coming off a successful 2025, with five fights and four wins, including two knockouts. He’s on a roll.
Lewis, with consecutive knockout victories, is also in top form. In July, he took down Tallison Teixeira in the first round at UFC Nashville.
Despite being an outsider for Aspinall’s title defense, Lewis didn’t feel worthy at the time. But a win over “Salsa Boy” could change that, making him a strong contender for the belt.
“I wasn’t thinking about a title shot,” Lewis admitted, feeling unworthy after his last fight. Heavyweight division dynamics are unpredictable.
However, Lewis believes a win at UFC 324 could earn him a title shot, given Cortes-Acosta’s ranking.