UFC knockout king claims heavyweight kickboxing champion passed on UFC 324 fight

Originally posted on MMA on SI | By Drew Beaupre | Last updated Dec 24, 2025 9:37 AM ET

UFC star Derrick Lewis claims there was an unexpected option on the table for his next fight before his current booking at UFC 324.

The UFC’s all-time leader in knockouts, Lewis added another stoppage-win to his UFC record when he finished the formerly-undefeated Tallison Teixeira in just 35 seconds in the main event of UFC Nashville last year.

“The Black Beast” is now scheduled to meet fellow top-ranked heavyweight contender Waldo Cortes-Acosta at UFC 324, but Lewis recently said that he was nearly matched up with former GLORY Kickboxing Heavyweight Champion Rico Verhoeven.

Derrick Lewis Claims Rico Verhoeven Turned Down UFC Fight

Speaking on The Beast and the Cowboy, Lewis explained that he was hoping for a significantly quicker turnaround after making short work of Teixeira in Nashville.

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“I’ve been trying to get a fight damn near every month since July,” Lewis explained (h/t MMA Fighting). “The fight ended in [35] seconds. I thought they were gonna give me something quick…'We’ve got something big for you. Don’t worry, just sit and wait.’ I’ve been waiting, and nothing happened!”

Lewis went on to claim that the UFC was trying to get something big lined up for him in the form of former kickboxing star Verhoeven, but apparently that plan fell through.

“They were talking about against who. First, it was supposed to be some dude from GLORY Kickboxing…Rico Verhoeven. It was supposed to be against him, then he turned it down.”

Verhoeven Vacated His GLORY Kickboxing Title In November

Regarded as one of the greatest heavyweight kickboxers of all-time, Verhoeven made headlines last month when he announced that he was not renewing his contract with GLORY and would vacate the promotion’s heavyweight title.

The 36-year-old first debuted with GLORY in 2012 before he claimed the promotion’s vacant heavyweight belt in 2014 by taking a unanimous decision over Daniel Ghita. Verhoeven went on to defend his GLORY title 13 times during an incredible title reign that lasted 11 years, and he holds the records for most title defenses, wins, and fights in GLORY history.

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It’s unclear what exactly Verhoeven has in mind for the next stage of his combat sports career, but it would be no surprise if the UFC has in fact shown interest in signing the decorated kickboxer. MMA fans unfortunately won’t get to see him square off with Lewis, but “The Black Beast” will have the chance to win three fights in a row when he and Cortes-Acosta meet on a UFC 324 card that officially kicks off the UFC’s new deal with Paramount on January 24.