Derrick Lewis Set for Quick Turnaround Against Matt Mitrione on Sept. 5

Derrick Lewis got the fight he was looking for. | Dave Mandel/Sherdog.com

The tilt will be part of the UFC Fight Night on Sept. 5 at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Ledyard, Conn. The event will also house a middleweight duel featuring Gegard Mousasi and Ronaldo Souza, as well as the freshly announced Alistair Overeem-Ben Rothwell heavyweight bout.

Lewis is currently riding a wave of momentum into his showdown with Mitrione. Aside from the nasty knockout of “Guto Inocente,” the Houston native has finished 10 of his 11 victories by way of knockout or TKO. The Mitrione matchup was requested by “The Black Beast” on Sunday, citing a desire to fight as often as possible in pursuit of the title currently held by Cain Velasquez.

Mitrione was supposed to have fought Stefan Struve at UFC 175 last Saturday, but due to an incident backstage that involved “The Skyscraper” nearly collapsing, the bout was called off. The 35-year-old former NFL player has accrued a 7-3 record since fighting Marcus Jones at “The Ultimate Fighter 10” finale. Much like Lewis, Mitrione has an affinity for finishing a fight with his hands, winning six of seven by way of knockout.