UFC 324 took a major hit when it lost a highly-anticipated co-main event between Kayla Harrison and Amanda Nunes<\/a>, but the card still features plenty of high-profile fights and will see Lewis try to secure his third win in a row when he takes on Waldo Cortes-Acosta. <\/p>\n Jeff Novitzky Clarifies Derrick Lewis’ Comments Before UFC 324<\/p>\n The UFC\u2019s drug testing policy featured prominently in MMA headlines the last few days after Mohammed Usman was handed a 30-month suspension<\/a> for a positive test from last year, and Lewis raised more than a few eyebrows ahead of UFC 324 when he claimed that the UFC has been providing him with \u201cgreat peptides\u201d. <\/p>\n Derrick Lewis (red gloves) fights Tallison Teixeira (blue gloves) in a heavyweight bout during UFC Fight Night at Bridgestone Arena. | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images<\/p>\n READ MORE: UFC legend Jon Jones offers stunning prediction before next Gable Steveson MMA fight<\/a><\/p>\n Responding to a post from Home of Fight<\/a>, Novitzky made sure to clarify Lewis\u2019 statements and explain that the UFC has provided him with certified \u201cinjectable compounds\u201d and not peptides, as the UFC\u2019s all-time knockout leader claimed. <\/p>\n UFC did NOT provide Derrick Lewis with peptides. Peptides are prohibited at all times under UFC and athletic commissions\u2019 rules. Derrick is referring to injectable compounds that are 3rd party tested and certified as ALLOWED AT ALL TIMES by https:\/\/t.co\/ogprOsBA7H<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Jeff Novitzky (@JeffNovitzkyUFC) January 19, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cUFC did NOT provide Derrick Lewis with peptides. Peptides are prohibited at all times under UFC and athletic commission\u2019 rules. Derrick is referring to injectable compounds that are 3rd part tested and certified as ALOWED AT ALL TIMES by [TruShield Certified].\u201d<\/p>\n Another Heavyweight Title Run For “The Black Beast?”<\/p>\n Fueled by whatever the UFC has deemed necessary for Lewis at this late stage of his career<\/a>, the 41-year-old has a chance to potentially make one last heavyweight title run if he\u2019s able to get his hand raised at UFC 324. <\/p>\n READ MORE: UFC play-by-play commentator Jon Anik predicts massive UFC White House headliners<\/a><\/p>\n Currently sitting at #8 in the UFC\u2019s official heavyweight rankings, Lewis added to his already record-number of knockouts last year when he stopped the previously-undefeated Tallison Teixeira in just 35 seconds when the pair met in the main event of UFC Nashville. The result gave Lewis his first back-to-back wins in several years, as he also stopped Rodrigo Nascimento in the third round of his lone outing in 2024. <\/p>\n Waldo Cortes-Acosta (blue gloves) reacts after defeating Serghei Spivac (red gloves) during UFC 316 at Prudential Center. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images<\/p>\n Cortes-Acosta had a five-fight win streak halted by halted by Sergei Pavlovich in August, but \u201cSalsa Boy\u201d rebounded with a pair of first-round finishes<\/a> in his fourth and fifth fights of 2025 and is ranked as the UFC\u2019s #5 heavyweight contender heading into UFC 324. <\/p>\n More MMA Knockout News<\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0UFC’s Paramount+ partnership prominently featured during NFL playoffs before UFC 324<\/a><\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0UFC play-by-play commentator Jon Anik predicts massive UFC White House headliners<\/a><\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0MMA fighter returns from two-year layoff to flatten opponent with must-see KO<\/a><\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0UFC loses another huge fight as UFC 325 fighter reveals devastating injury<\/a><\/p>\n Stick with\u00a0MMAKnockout<\/a>\u00a0for more FREE coverage of the UFC and MMA.<\/p>\n Follow MMAKnockout on\u00a0Facebook<\/a>,\u00a0Twitter<\/a>, and\u00a0Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"Derrick](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/01kfdxk87z0p6ewzj9ps.jpg\" "\\"Derrick")
<\/p>\n![\"Waldo](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/01kfdxm9sgw4x64kyxpq.jpg\" "\\"Waldo")
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