Everyone has their own celebration rituals, but what Derrick Lewis did after this big win Saturday night is… different.
To say Derrick Lewis was excited after his knockout victory over Rodrigo Nascimanrto on Saturday night in St. Louis would be a massive understatement. After performing his signature knockout move, Lewis took his trunks off, used them to fan his vanquished opponent, swung them around his head, mooned the crowd, and threw his cup at a reporter.
The shorts are off
— UFC (@ufc) May 12, 2024
We repeat, the shorts are OFF‼️#UFCStLouis | @TheBeast_UFC pic.twitter.com/bvSkQCdxq6
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) May 12, 2024
“I appreciate St. Louis for letting me show my naked ass tonight,” Lewis said in his post-fight interview.
It doesn’t seem as though St. Louis was asked for their consent prior to being mooned, but the crowd seemed generally appreciative of Lewis’ celebratory efforts.
“I couldn’t let no taxicab driver from Brazil beat me,” Lewis said during his post-fight interview in the Enterprise Center’s octagon, while later adding that he feels he’s still in the prime of his career. “It was my first time ever hearing of that guy.”
Dana gonna give Derrick Lewis $50K just for throwing his cup at the media section.pic.twitter.com/5vvtbnXPJp
— Jed I. Goodman © (@jedigoodman) May 12, 2024
After initially declining the reporter’s request to sign the cup, UFC President Dana White eventually relented and signed the protective piece.
The victory propelled Lewis to a 28-12 record for his MMA career. 23 of his 28 wins have come via knockout.