Derrick Lewis could face a maximum sentence of a month in jail due to reckless driving arrest - next court date announced

It recently came to light that Derrick Lewis was arrested on charges of reckless driving in Houston last week, just days before his fight against Jailton Almeida at UFC Sao Paulo. 'The Black Beast' allegedly drove a red Lamborghini at 136 miles per hour in a 50 mph zone.

Considering that reckless driving counts as a misdemeanor offense, Lewis was released from custody on the same day after he paid a $100 "personal recognizance" bond. While the UFC's most proficient knockout artist isn't in custody, he has been handed a court date for next month.

According to a recent tweet by MMA journalist Marc Raimondi, Derrick Lewis is expected to stand before a judge on December 27. The New Orleans native could be given a 30-day prison sentence and a $200 fine if convicted. Raimondi wrote:

"The next court date for Derrick Lewis is Dec. 27 following his reckless driving arrest. The maximum sentence if convicted is 30 days in jail and a $200 fine. But most of these cases result in the defendant just going to a driver’s safety course, per the Harris County DA’s office."

Despite facing legal issues, Derrick Lewis had no trouble flying to Sao Paulo, Brazil, for his upcoming fight against Jailton Almeida this weekend. The No.10-ranked heavyweight contender last defeated Marcos Rogerio de Lima at UFC 291 in July and stopped a three-fight losing streak.

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Derrick Lewis addresses reckless driving charge and recent arrest with a hilarious reaction

Derrick Lewis is undoubtedly one of the most well-known heavyweight contenders in the UFC today and is widely known for his offbeat sense of humor. As mentioned, 'The Black Beast' is already in Brazil gearing up to face his next challenge and recently spoke to the media about his arrest.

During a recent pre-fight media day presser, Lewis was asked for his comments on the news of his arrest. In typical fashion, he joked about the arrest being a case of mistaken identity and denied being involved in any sort of reckless driving. He said:

"Nah, I don’t even think that was me. That guy had hair. You seen the picture? I don’t got no hair. That ain’t me."

Watch the full interview below:

While Jailton Almeida was initially slated to fight Curtis Blaydes at UFC Sao Paulo this weekend, 'Razor' was forced to pull out of the bout due to injury. He was later replaced by Lewis, who accepted the fight on short notice.