Curtis Blaydes releases statement on UFC Vegas 19 decline to Derrick Lewis: ‘Sometimes you are the nail’

Curtis Blaydes is holding his head up following a brutal knockout reduction to Derrick Lewis in the primary occasion of UFC Vegas 19.

The UFC heavyweight was optimistic in a statement introduced Tuesday on his Instagram tale, creating “sometimes you are the hammer and often you’re the nail.”

“This recreation has a razor thin margin for error and I just bought caught it occurs. Props to Derrick. No shame in it my heads [sic] continue to held higher.”

Lewis hoped to seize a title shot with a fifth straight acquire this earlier Saturday at UFC APEX in Las Vegas. Early on, it appeared he was on his way to dismantling Lewis with excellent placing and motion. But in the second spherical, his takedown endeavor was picked off beautifully with an uppercut that sent him crashing to the canvas.

As Blaydes laid on the canvas, Lewis followed with two additional punches as referee Herb Dean intervened. Lewis then imitated a professional-wrestling diss, a D-Era “crotch chop,” and blamed Dean for not stopping the bout sooner as Blaydes’ corners protested.

The further punches were coverage versus a chance recovery, reported Lewis, who tied Vitor Belfort for most knockout wins in the UFC and prolonged his present profitable streak to four bouts. Veteran formal John McCarthy indicated Lewis built a alternative to land the blows, but stated they had been component of the video game.

The loss marked Blaydes 3rd stoppage by way of KO or TKO. Lewis picked up his seventh UFC efficiency bonus.