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I like the way (Tallison) Teixeira looks, I just need to see more of him – said Tom Aspinall in early May, answering a question about the most promising heavyweight on the UFC roster.
The Brazilian, who stands 203 cm tall, making him the tallest fighter in the organization, was undefeated at the time, with a record of 8-0. He finished his only UFC fight up to that point in just 35 seconds against Justin Tafa. Although he was just starting out, he showed enough to be matched up with a more serious opponent.
The next challenge was a real test – Derrick Lewis. The experienced American is the fighter with the most knockout wins in UFC history (16), and he entered the match as the ninth on the challenger list. Opposite him, the Brazilian wore the number 13. It was an opportunity to break into the top 10, but things did not go according to plan.
Controversial finish and Lewis's show celebration
The young heavyweight's second appearance lasted the same as the first – 35 seconds. But this time, it ended badly for him. After hitting Lewis, he accidentally shot the American in the eye with his thumb while pulling his hand back. Although it was obvious that it was a jab, the fight was not stopped. A wild exchange followed, and "The Black Beast" found space in the chaos for a brutal left hook.
The Brazilian fighter fell, and Lewis continued to strike on the floor. Although he managed to get up, he did so by grabbing the fence, which is against the rules. Referee Jason Herzog decided to stop the fight at that moment and awarded the victory to the American by technical knockout. This caused outrage from the defeated fighter who seemed capable of continuing.
Lewis celebrated as usual – theatrically. He simulated shooting an arrow, took off his shorts, and even pretended to urinate in the direction of his opponent. - He talked a lot of crap during the week - he explained later, in a conversation with Daniel Cormier.
This was the veteran's 29th professional victory, 24th by knockout. The UFC still uses it as a test for new talent, and this time the young Brazilian failed that test.
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