5 biggest winners from UFC Fight Night: Derrick Lewis vs. Chris Daukaus

#2. Belal Muhammad – defeated Stephen Thompson in a UFC welterweight bout

Belal Muhammad's win over Stephen Thompson should make him a contender for the UFC welterweight title

The UFC fighter who was able to move up the ladder the most last night was undoubtedly Belal Muhammad. He produced the performance of his career to thoroughly dominate perennial contender Stephen Thompson. Muhammad should now be considered a genuine contender for the UFC welterweight title.

Despite some high points for ‘Wonderboy’ early on in the fight, once Muhammad began to take him down, it was clear this clash was only going one way.

Sure enough, ‘Remember The Name’ nearly finished Thompson with ground-and-pound late in the first round. He continued to batter Thompson for the remainder of the fight, closing the distance, consistently dragging the kickboxer down and punishing him on the ground.

It’s arguable that Thompson might be past his prime now. He lost to Gilbert Burns in the same way earlier in 2021. So that might put a caveat next to Muhammad’s win for some. However, the truth is that we’re only a year removed from ‘Wonderboy’ smacking Geoff Neal around.

Simply put, Muhammad should be considered at least a top-five fighter in the 170 lb division now. A big fight with someone like Burns or Colby Covington should now beckon. Who knows? If he can beat one of them - a fight with Kamaru Usman could lie in wait for him in the near future.

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#1. Derrick Lewis – defeated Chris Daukaus in a UFC heavyweight bout

Chris Daukaus was Derrick Lewis' 13th knockout victim in the UFC.

The biggest winner at last night’s event was undoubtedly Derrick Lewis, who turned the lights out on Chris Daukaus in the headline bout.

Does the win move Lewis back into contention for the UFC heavyweight title? The truth is, probably not. ‘The Black Beast’ was thoroughly dominated by interim champion Ciryl Gane in his last bout. It’s unlikely he’d provide a true test to the Frenchman or Francis Ngannou should they meet again.

However, Lewis had to win here to ensure that his status as the division’s most dangerous gatekeeper would remain intact. He did just that, taking out a tricky foe in impressive fashion.

Daukaus had reeled off four wins in a row in the UFC by TKO before this fight. However, he simply looked out of his depth the moment he attempted to trade punches with Lewis.

‘The Black Beast’ naturally obliged, turning Daukaus’ lights out inside the first round with a truly brutal combination. In the process, he broke a UFC record for the most knockouts in the promotion’s history.

Quite where Lewis goes from here is anyone’s guess, as he’s already fought most of the division’s top talent. However, fights with Tom Aspinall or Tai Tuivasa could be fun, and would definitely make for fireworks.

Overall, Lewis is undoubtedly one of the UFC’s cult favorites, and he was the big winner last night.