Daniel Cormier Believes Derrick Lewis Trains Harder Than He Claims

Daniel Cormier says he isn’t fooled by Derrick Lewis’ seemingly lackadaisical approach to mixed martial arts.

Cormier will defend his UFC heavyweight title against Lewis this Saturday night (Nov. 3). The title clash will headline UFC 230. This will be the only bout Cormier enters as the two-division champion regardless of the outcome, as he’ll be stripped of his light heavyweight gold next month.

Despite Lewis’ carefree attitude and humorous personality, “The Black Beast” knows how to seal the deal when his back is against the wall. Cormier told reporters that he doesn’t believe Lewis when he says he spends little time training for fights:

“I believe he trains a lot harder than [he says]. I believe he’s not really as hurt as he pretends to be when he’s against the side of the Octagon. Derrick is a little smarter than you guys think. But the problem is he’s smart in a way that you learn when you grow up in urban areas. He’s kind of got a little more street smarts. But I grew up in those same places. I can see through his facade. He’s not a dummy. This guy knows what he’s doing. He’s trying to trick us all, but don’t think that Derrick Lewis is some ignorant guy.”

The co-main event of UFC 230 will feature a middleweight clash with potential title implications. Former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman will clash with Jacare Souza. Also on the card will be another 185-pound scrap between Israel Adesanya and Derek Brunson.