UFC Fight Night 218: Lewis vs. Spivac | Event Profile, Full Results & Legacy
- Roe Jogan
- May 22
- 5 min read
Introduction
UFC Fight Night 218: Lewis vs. Spivac took place on February 4, 2023 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas — UFC Vegas 68. The heavyweight main event was a rematch of a fight that never happened: Derrick Lewis vs. Serghei Spivac was originally scheduled to headline FN 215 in November 2022, but Lewis was hospitalized on fight day. He later confirmed the illness was COVID-19. The event was also originally targeted for Seoul, South Korea before being moved to the Apex.
Spivac dominated from start to finish, taking Lewis down early, dragging him around the cage, and finishing with an arm-triangle choke at 3:05 of round one. The card also featured the Road to UFC Season 2 finals, with tournament winners Anshul Jubli, Rinya Nakamura, and Tatsuro Taira all earning Performance of the Night bonuses.
Contents
Quick Stats
📅 Date: Saturday, February 4, 2023
📍 Venue: UFC Apex, Enterprise, Nevada, USA (UFC Vegas 68) | Originally targeted Seoul, South Korea
📺 Broadcast: ESPN+ (UFC on ESPN+ 76)
🏆 Main Event: Derrick Lewis vs. Serghei Spivac — Heavyweight (5 rounds) | Rebooked from FN 215
✅ Result: Serghei Spivac def. Derrick Lewis via Submission (Arm-Triangle Choke) (Round 1, 3:05)
⭐ Notable: Lewis’ struggles continue (lost 4 of last 5) | Road to UFC Season 2 finals | Doo Ho Choi vs. Kyle Nelson majority draw | Spivac calls out Jon Jones | 4 PoN, no FotN
The Build-Up
This fight had a long and complicated road to the cage. Lewis vs. Spivac was originally booked as the main event of FN 215 in November 2022, but Lewis was hospitalized on fight day. He later confirmed the illness was COVID-19. The bout was rebooked for February 2023, and the UFC originally planned to hold the event in Seoul, South Korea, but ultimately moved it to the Apex.
The card featured the Road to UFC Season 2 tournament finals — showcasing the best Asian MMA prospects fighting for UFC contracts. Doo Ho Choi, the beloved ‘Korean Super Boy,’ also returned on the card against Kyle Nelson.
Main Event: Lewis vs. Spivac
Spivac wasted no time. ‘The Polar Bear’ scored an early takedown and immediately began imposing his grappling on Lewis, who has always been vulnerable on the ground. Spivac landed significant strikes from top position while Lewis struggled to create space.
Lewis briefly got back to his feet but Spivac dragged him back down, threw him around the cage, and sank in an arm-triangle choke that forced the tap at 3:05. It was a dominant, lopsided performance. Post-fight, Spivac called out Jon Jones. For Lewis, the loss extended a painful run: he had now lost four of his last five fights, and post-event facts highlighted his continued struggles at the top of the heavyweight division.
Co-Main & Undercard Highlights
Devin Clark defeated Da Un Jung by unanimous decision (30-27 x3) in the co-main event. Marcin Tybura outpointed Blagoy Ivanov by UD. Doo Ho Choi — ‘Korean Super Boy’ — fought Kyle Nelson to a closely contested majority draw (29-27, 28-28, 28-28) in a featherweight bout that split opinion.
The Road to UFC Season 2 finals delivered exciting action. Anshul Jubli won the lightweight tournament final by stopping Jeka Saragih via TKO in round two (PoN). Rinya Nakamura and Tatsuro Taira both earned PoN bonuses for their tournament final victories, showcasing the depth of talent emerging from Asia.
Full Results
Main Card
Serghei Spivac def. Derrick Lewis — Submission (Arm-Triangle Choke) (Round 1, 3:05) — PoN | Lewis lost 4 of last 5
Devin Clark def. Da Un Jung — Decision (Unanimous) (Round 3) | 30-27 x3
Marcin Tybura def. Blagoy Ivanov — Decision (Unanimous) (Round 3) | 30-27, 29-28, 29-28
Doo Ho Choi vs. Kyle Nelson — Majority Draw (Round 3) | 29-27, 28-28, 28-28
Adam Fugitt def. Yusaku Kinoshita — TKO (Elbows) (Round 1, 4:36)
Road to UFC Season 2 Finals & Prelims
Anshul Jubli def. Jeka Saragih — TKO R2 (PoN, LW Final); Rinya Nakamura won BW Final (PoN); Tatsuro Taira won FW Final (PoN); Jeong Yeong Lee def. Zha Yi — SD (FW Final)
Bonuses & Awards
🥊 Fight of the Night: No bonus awarded
🏆 Performance of the Night: Serghei Spivac ($50,000) — Sub (Arm-Triangle) of Derrick Lewis R1
🏆 Performance of the Night: Anshul Jubli ($50,000) — TKO in Road to UFC LW Final
🏆 Performance of the Night: Rinya Nakamura ($50,000) — Road to UFC BW Final winner
🏆 Performance of the Night: Tatsuro Taira ($50,000) — Road to UFC FLW Final winner
Records & Milestones
🥊 Derrick Lewis’ loss extended his slide to four defeats in his last five fights. Once one of the most feared knockout artists in UFC history, Lewis was increasingly exposed against grapplers who could neutralise his power on the ground.
🥊 The Road to UFC Season 2 finals showcased the next generation of Asian MMA talent. Tatsuro Taira in particular went on to become one of the most exciting flyweight prospects in the UFC, while Anshul Jubli became one of India’s first UFC fighters.
Legacy & Impact
FN 218 marked a turning point for both men. Spivac used the win as a springboard into the heavyweight top ten, while Lewis’ decline became impossible to ignore. The Road to UFC tournament finals added international flavour and introduced fighters who would go on to make significant impacts in the UFC’s flyweight and bantamweight divisions.
FAQ
Why was this fight rebooked from FN 215?
Lewis vs. Spivac was originally the main event of FN 215 on November 19, 2022, but Lewis was hospitalized on fight day. He later confirmed the illness was COVID-19. The bout was rebooked for FN 218 in February 2023.
What is Road to UFC?
Road to UFC is a tournament-style series designed to identify and develop top MMA prospects from across Asia. The Season 2 finals were held on the FN 218 card, with winners earning UFC contracts. Anshul Jubli, Rinya Nakamura, and Tatsuro Taira all won their respective finals and earned PoN bonuses.
Why was the event moved from Seoul to Las Vegas?
The UFC originally planned to hold this event in Seoul, South Korea as part of its international expansion strategy. The event was ultimately relocated to the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, though the exact reasons for the venue change were not publicly detailed.
References
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