Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Heavyweight bruisers Derrick Lewis and Shamil Abdurakhimov collided last night (Dec 10, 2016) at UFC Fight Night 102 inside Times Union Center in Albany, New York.
Last night was the first main event slot for either man. Lewis earned the opportunity by putting together four straight wins, and “Black Beast” has generally been smashing his opponents. Still, this was a different type of challenge for Lewis, as he’s never really squared off with a technical kickboxer.
Meanwhile, Abdurakhimov hasn’t competed in the Octagon many times, but has won his last two bouts. This was a major step up in competition and exposure for the Russian, but he had an opportunity to become a player in the Heavyweight division last night.