On a night tarnished by the ugly scenes following Khabib Nurmagomedov’s win over Conor McGregor, UFC heavyweight Derrick Lewis provided a lighter moment after his dramatic win over Alexander Volkov.
The events of UFC 229 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas will largely be remembered for the shocking post-fight brawl sparked when lightweight champ Nurmagomedov scaled the fence to attack a member of McGregor’s team, following his dominant fourth-round win against the Irishman.
But the earlier card saw some equally stunning action – although purely confined to the cage – including when US heavyweight Lewis sensationally knocked out Russian Volkov with just 15 seconds remaining in their fight.
READ MORE: UFC 229: Derrick Lewis stuns Alexander Volkov with late KO
Despite appearing out on his feet for much of the fight and destined for a comprehensive decision defeat, Lewis detonated a stunning right hand in the closing stages to flip the fight on its head and KO Volkov.
The man nicknamed ‘The Black Beast’ whipped off his shorts before the post-fight interview with Joe Rogan, and had a hilarious response when asked why he had done so.
“Because my balls were hot,” the 33-year-old heavyweight said curtly - to the amusement of the thousands at the T-Mobile Arena and millions watching at home.
Lewis' frank assessment won the hearts of many online too, with some calling it "the feel good moment of the year" - and others saying it shouldn't be overshadowed by the chaos that followed in the main event.
On a more serious note, Lewis also admitted he needed to do some major cardio work after looking badly fatigued for much of the fight with the giant Russian, before landing the devastating KO.
The number two-ranked Lewis moved his record to 21-5 with the win, while Volkov suffered his first UFC defeat, slipping to 30-7.