Tai Tuivasa is heading into his next fight with his future hanging in the balance.
Tuivasa is scheduled to face Louie Sutherland in a heavyweight clash at UFC Perth this Saturday, competing in front of his home crowd at the RAC Arena in Perth, Western Australia. The 33-year-old Australian was initially set to fight Sean Sharaf, but the bout was canceled when Sharaf withdrew from the card due to a broken nose.
“Bam Bam” enters this fight at the most challenging point of his career, currently on a six-fight losing streak and facing a crucial must-win situation.
Tai Tuivasa Acknowledges Career Pressure Before UFC Perth
During the UFC Perth media day, Tai Tuivasa spoke openly about his recent difficulties, acknowledging the significance of the upcoming match while expressing confidence in his ability to turn things around.
“Definitely, my fu*king ass is on the line,” Tuivasa stated. “It’s probably been on the line a lot of the time, but I fu*king put asses in the seats, so it is what it is. I feel good, and I’m going to go out there and do what ‘Bam Bam’ does — in ‘Bam Bam’ style. And not fu*king lose, d*ckheads.”
“Bam Bam” also admitted that enduring such a long losing streak has been difficult to cope with.
“It gets sh*tter the more you lose, that is for sure. When you get beat six times, come on — I mean, I’m competing at the top level, but it is still a sh*t feeling. I laid my grave, and I have to lie in it. It is what it is. I’ve put the work in, and I’ve got to go out and do my thing.”
Tai Tuivasa’s last appearance was at UFC 325, where he lost a unanimous decision to Tallison Teixeira. The last time he secured a victory was at UFC 271 in February 2022, when he knocked out Derrick Lewis in the first round.
Since that win, the Australian heavyweight has experienced a six-fight losing streak, bringing his UFC record to 8-9 and his overall record to 15-9. His previous wins include victories over Greg Hardy, Augusto Sakai, and Stefan Struve.