Tai Tuivasa targets Bam Bam style in Perth after six losses
Tai Tuivasa heads into Saturday night at RAC Arena trying to stop a six-fight losing streak and bring back the old Bam Bam. The 33-year-old heavyweight has not had his hand raised in the octagon for more than four years, and he says this bout against Louie Sutherland is the chance to change that in front of a home Australian crowd.
Tuivasa’s Perth reset
Five weeks before the bout, Tuivasa left his home in Dubai and temporarily relocated to Perth because of uncertainty created by the war in the Middle East. That move turned fight camp into a scramble for flights and short-term stays, but he said the switch has left him feeling better than he has in years.
“It was a bit stressful at the start. I had to get flights, Air BnBs,” Tuivasa said of the relocation. He added: “I feel good, probably the best I’ve felt in the past few years. I am not just saying that, my outside life is falling into place, and everything is going well. I just need one more win, get on a run, and I’ll be sweet. I’ll be back in there.”
Sutherland waits at RAC Arena
The opponent is not arriving as a stepping stone. Sutherland is 10-5 and is also looking for his first UFC win after two consecutive losses, which puts both heavyweights in a similar spot when the cage door closes in Perth.
Tuivasa said he wants to answer that pressure the old way. “It’s just losing that’s s... because winners are grinners. It’s the ones who do not give up, I don’t want to go out like this. I want to make an example and show everyone I’m meant to be here,” he said.
The numbers behind his comeback bid point to the style that made him a threat in the first place. Tuivasa said 13 of his 14 victories came from finishes, and he wants this one done the same way.
Scrappy MMA work in Perth
He has been training at Scrappy MMA in Perth alongside Jack Della Maddalena, who headlines the same card on Saturday night against Carlos Prates. Tuivasa called the camp a good one and said the shared environment has helped keep the work simple.
“I’ve had a good time at Scrappy. The boys have been taking us on, and we’ve got some good training in,” he said. He added: “I love the Dellas. They’re good boys. When everyone gets along and everyone is cool, it makes a better workspace.”
That setup leads straight back to the fight itself. Tuivasa wants to win in “Bam Bam style” and finish with “a big shoey at the end,” and Saturday night gives him the chance to put a four-year skid behind him without leaving Perth empty-handed.
