UFC heavyweight contender Alexey Oleynik issued a quick statement after he was knocked out by Derrick Lewis in the main event of UFC Vegas 6 on Saturday night.
Oleynik had his moments in the first round of his fight with Lewis, but chowed down on a Lewis right hook early in the second round. After a few followup ground strikes, referee Herb Dean waved the fight off.
Despite this disappointing loss, Oleynik seems to be in good spirits.
In quick statement posted to Instagram, the Russian heavyweight looked to the future.
“There are always 2 ways: forward and back,” Oleynik wrote on Instagram. “I choose the first one.”
Oleynik also issued a short video statement in his native Russian. Fans that speak the language can watch that below.
Prior to his loss to Lewis, Alexey Oleynik was riding high on a submission win over Maurice Greene, and a split decision win over former UFC heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum. The 43-year-old will now have to return to the drawing board as he continues on his quest for UFC gold.
Derrick Lewis, on the other hand, is now on a three-fight win-streak, having recently beaten Blagoy Ivanov and Ilir Latifi, both by decision. All signs point to his being matched up with Curtis Blaydes next.
What do you think the future holds for Oleynik and Lewis after their heavyweight battle at UFC Vegas 6?