Derrick Lewis vows to beat Josh Hokit at UFC White House: ‘I don’t want to make the President look bad’

Derrick Lewis is preparing to face Josh Hokit on the UFC's White House card this weekend, brushing off his opponent's attention-grabbing antics at the pre-fight press conference. The bout was added to the event at the direct request of U.S. President Donald Trump, a noted Lewis fan, making it one of the most high-profile undercard fights of the card.

Hokit's inflammatory comments at the White House press conference have dominated headlines, but Lewis says the theatrics are water off a duck's back. "I really don't care," Lewis said of Hokit's outbursts. "I believe that guys do stuff like that just because it ain't nothing else we can go after." The veteran fighter, who has been competing at the elite level for years, has seen every trick in the book and knows that trash-talk rarely translates to octagon success.

Lewis is more focused on erasing the memory of his last outing, a disappointing TKO loss to Waldo Cortes-Acosta at UFC 324 in January. He attributed that poor performance to a back injury, which he says has since healed. Now, with his health restored and his conditioning better than ever, Lewis is determined to put on a dominant display. "I don't want to make the President look bad," Lewis said. "I want to go out there and perform. Show everybody the reason why I'm one of his favorite fighters."

Lewis holds the UFC record with 16 knockouts and is known for his wild post-fight celebrations, which often involve removing his pants in the octagon. However, competing at the White House calls for a change in decorum. "I'm going to be more professional, so I'm just going to throw my cup in the audience," Lewis joked, acknowledging the unique setting while maintaining his signature style.