Boxing and MMA commentator Teddy Atlas has given a detailed breakdown of what led up to Tai Tuivasa’s knockout of Derrick Lewis at UFC 271.
Tuivasa has been on a roll in the UFC’s heavyweight division over the past year. He has won five straight overall by knockout and has demonstrated the ability to end a fight with a single punch. Tuivasa also earned a post-fight performance check for his finish at UFC 271.
The most stunning moment of Tuivasa’s career to this point was his finish of Lewis at UFC 271. After surviving an early barrage from Lewis, “Bam Bam” found his range on the feet and had Lewis up against the cage. He would land a solid lead elbow that slept Lewis directly after impact.
During a recent segment on his The Fight podcast, Atlas explained what led to Tuivasa’s KO of the Year candidate at UFC 271.
“His toughness got him there, no doubt about it, but his intelligence won it for him,” Atlas said of Tuivasa. “Because what did he do? He made an adjustment. A lot of people might not have noticed, (they just) saw two big guys slugging it out. Not quite. Tuivasa started countering in between the big shots of Lewis—in between his reckless aggression. I’ll say it again: his reckless aggression. And he was catching him in between. And that’s how he hurt him. And then, he goes and hits him with an elbow—a clean elbow—that puts the lights out for Lewis.”
Tuivasa is now a Top-3 heavyweight contender in the UFC following his win over Lewis. He could potentially get a No. 1 contender fight next after just recently catapulting into the rankings.
UFC wildman Tai Tuivasa may just have a goal besides beer-swelling and indiscriminate banging after all.
Tai Tuivasa isn’t your conventional fighter. In fact, the man just plain isn’t your conventional human being.
Tai “Bam Bam” Tuivasa, Ladies & Gentlemen, Image Credit: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
Indeed, there is only one “Bam Bam,” and he is the embodiment of the phrase, “I’m here for a good time, not a long time.”
As someone who exudes such a lax outlook on life, he hasn’t been one to care much about things most fighters tend to, such as rankings or titles. Instead, his priorities have been on shoey drinking, walk-out-song mastery, and banging it out with whoever is placed in front of him, damn the results and torpedoes.
After his latest KO, which came at the expense of the KO king Derrick Lewis at UC 271, Tuivasa reinforced his carefree attitude when it comes to the world title picture. Now weeks later, “Bam Bam” seems willing to squeeze in title-chasing to his list of high-level priorities.
Our Andrew Starc posed the question if Tuivasa is a legitimate title contender or the UFC’s joker. Turns out, the answer may very well be both.
“I’ll be walking around with it (the belt) on my waist like a clown. I’ll be that old clown at the pub telling everyone how great he was when I was young. It’s going to happen. It will happen,” Tuivasa told ABC News.
“As long as you have a crack, what’s the worst that can happen? You might lose. That’s it.”
As Tuivasa has always said, he’s willing to “bang on” with anyone, and yes, that includes the man often referred to as the scariest man in UFC history and current heavyweight titleholder, Francis Ngannou.
“That’s why I do this stuff, the challenge. Obviously, I do it to get paid, but I love the challenge, that aspect of fighting,” Tuivasa said. “It’s happened to me, I’ve lost as well, and the person you lose to always has that feather in their hat. It’s something you go after – or I do, anyway.”
Dana White has confirmed that he considers Tai Tuivasa to be in the world title picture. It would be difficult not to when the Aussie now finds himself ranked #3 in the division.
That said, Tuivasa might be one more win away from the banger of his life: a must-see scrap against Francis Ngannou or whoever the champion may be that’s standing in the way between “Bam Bam” and a championship shoey.
Can you imagine Tai Tuivasa becoming YOUR UFC heavyweight champion of the world??
It wasn’t long ago, on the night of 6 October 2019, that Tai Tuivasa looked to be on his way out of the UFC. Stretched out flat on the canvas, with his face bloodied to a pulp and the arm-triangle of Sergey Spivac pressing into his neck, ‘Bam Bam’ was at a low point of his fledgling MMA career.
Losing consciousness seconds later, it was the third straight loss for the Australian and a glaring example of what happens when a self-styled street brawler like Tuivasa enters the cage with a submission specialist like Spivac. Repeatedly taken down to the canvas with ease, and once there, not knowing what to do, Tai looked gravely out of his depth. Making it all the worse, the drubbing came in front of a home crowd in Melbourne, Australia.
Fast forward to 2022, and Tai Tuivasa is a different, revitalized fighter. At UFC 271 earlier this month, the Australian’s head displayed an otherworldly ability to absorb Derrick Lewis’ best shots, before his elbow sent the American slumping face-first to the canvas. ‘Bam Bam’ is now not only a potential future title contender, but thanks to his larger-than-life personality, fast becoming one of the UFC’s most popular stars.
The night it all went wrong for Tai Tuivasa against Sergey Spivac at UFC 243 in Melbourne, Australia. PHOTO: USA TODAY Sports
“I’m A Banger From Western Sydney”
A Tai Tuivasa fight reliably delivers all those ingredients that make for an entertaining spectacle; a blistering KO, quickly followed by the swilling of beer from shoe and a post-fight interview that evokes plenty of chuckles, typically punctuated by his catch cry of “Eshay” resounding through the arena.
Pig Latin for “sesh,” the phrase is a nod to Australian-lad subculture to which Tuivasa proudly belongs. And that along with his social housing upbringing in the gritty, working-class suburbs of Western Sydney, Australia, are partly what makes ‘Bam Bam’ the uncouth-yet-highly likable personality we see in the UFC.
“I said it before and I say it again, I’m a banger from Western Sydney,” declared Tuivasa after his victory over Lewis. “I’ll bang on with anyone and will bang on till the day I die.”
“I don’t mind being the guy who drinks piss out of shoes and this and that. I suppose everyone focuses on all that, but at the end of the day, I’m knocking the best in the world out.”
Tai Tuivasa dressed in the traditional ‘Eshay’ uniform of Nautica shirt, Nike sneakers, and a fanny pack. PHOTO: Instagram/bambamtuivasa
Evolving His Game in the United States
But behind Tuivasa’s larrikin persona lies a serious athlete who’s been putting in the work to evolve as a mixed martial artist.
Disillusioned with the sport following his loss to Spivac, Tai spent a soul-searching year on the sidelines, during which time he uprooted from Australia and joined the ranks of American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) in San Jose, California. There, under the tutelage of Daniel Cormier and Javier Mendez, Tuivasa says he made significant improvements to his game, particularly with regard to wrestling.
“The wrestling side of things I haven’t stopped working on since I’ve been to America,” Tuivasa told 7News in Australia last year. “I feel I’m getting a lot better at wrestling and I haven’t even got to spend a lot of time in America.”
All that work seemed to have paid off, when in October 2020, Tai returned to the Octagon with a first-round KO of Stefan Struve. That win kicked off what is now a five-fight win-streak—all knockouts—culminating with that of Derrick Lewis earlier this month, which saw Tai’s heavyweight ranking catapult from #11 to #3.
Tuivasa now faces the prospect of fighting the division’s elite. But is he ready for it?
Tai Tuivasa with Daniel Cormier and UFC middleweight Deron Winn at AKA. PHOTO: Instagram/bambamtuivasa
Tai Tuivasa’s Title Prospects
According to Daniel Cormier, who mentored Tuivasa during his stint at AKA, there are plenty of questions to be answered in ‘Bam Bam’s’ next fight.
“So the question now becomes, is Tai Tuivasa ready for the level of competition that he’s going to fight?” said Cormier on ESPN. “Because Sergey Spivac wrestled him to death, but when you get into the top five, getting wrestled to death is not just getting taken down—it’s getting pummelled into the ground by a guy like Curtis Blaydes. It’s him standing in front of a former champion like Stipe Miocic. Now the competition level skyrockets.”
Cormier further points out that, of those five KO’s Tuivasa has amassed in his last five fights, none came against a wrestler.
“One of the things that Tai has had the luck of having over the course of his win-streak is; Stefan Struve’s a striker. Greg Hardy’s a striker. Augusto Sakai is a striker. Derek Lewis is a striker. So he’s had strikers. Ultimately, he’s going to have to prove that he can stand in front of these wrestlers and defend takedowns enough to make them fight his fight. It’s a daunting task for a guy that, when you look back to the Spivac fight, had a massive hole in his game, and no one’s been able to fight him and exploit that to this point. But trust me, the next guy will have that ability,” said Cormier.
So, has Tai sufficiently plastered up the holes in his ground game to take on the likes of Blaydes and Miocic? Given their wrestling nous and that a title fight against Ngannou is unlikely, perhaps the bout that makes the most sense from Tuivasa’s perspective is Ciryl Gane. Not only for the relatively lesser threat he poses on the ground, but for the spectacle it promises: that of a clean-cut, technically sound Frenchman with an Adonis-like physique against a beer-from-shoe-swilling, love-handled Australian brawler.
But for Tuivasa, it doesn’t seem like he even cares who comes next. He just wants to punch on.
“Brah, to be honest I don’t even know whothe fuck’s in the top five,” he toldpress after his victory over Lewis. “I don’t even watch fighting, brah. Like I said, I heard there’s the Stipe’s, the Cyril Gane’s and all of that and everyone up there. But this is my job. I rock up, I prepare with my team, and we fuckin’ punch on.”
How do you thinkTai Tuivasa will fare against the heavyweight elite?
UFC President Dana White has assessed where heavyweight contender Tai Tuivasa sits in the division following his knockout victory over Derrick Lewis.
At UFC 271 this past weekend, two of the UFC’s hardest hitters and most prolific KO artists collided. On one side was “The Black Beast” Lewis, the promotion’s KO record holder, who was coming off a main event finish against Chris Daukaus in December. Opposite him was the rising “Bam Bam” Tuivasa, who was coming off four consecutive stoppage wins.
Inside Houston’s Toyota Center, it was the younger and more durable Tuivasa who had his hand raised. After surviving an onslaught against the cage and firing back with his own bombs, the Australian hurt Lewis in the second round before knocking him out with a brutal elbow.
White Expects Tuivasa To Be “Mixing It Up” With The Best
Entering 2020, Tuivasa was on a three-fight losing skid following consecutive defeats to Junior dos Santos, Blagoy Ivanov, and Sergey Spivak, and his place in the promotion looked insecure.
That’s a sentiment that was shared by Dana White at the UFC 271 press conference. When asked where the Aussie’s latest win puts him in the division, the UFC President said he expects Tuivasa to experience a heavy rise up the heavyweight ladder come the next rankings update.
“Well, you guys are gonna rank him. But yeah, I mean, he should be top three, top five,” said White. “So wherever he shakes out in the rankings, yeah, he’ll be mixing it up with those guys.”
Indeed, yesterday it was confirmed that Tuivasa is ranked #3 in the heavyweight division. When assessing how the title picture now shapes up, White placed Tuivasa alongside reigning champion Francis Ngannou, consensus heavyweight GOAT Stipe Miocic, and former two-time light heavyweight king Jon Jones.
“We’ll see here pretty soon how this all plays out: Jones, Stipe, Francis, and Tai now, too.”
But if his latest win shows the rest of the division anything, it’s that he’s not just an entertainer who likes a beer, he’s a bona fide title contender on the hunt for gold.
Who would you like to see Tai Tuivasa share the Octagon with next?
The UFC rankings have been updated following UFC 271, and we’ve got the full report for you below!
Men’s Pound for Pound: After defeating Robert Whittaker via unanimous decision at UFC 271, Israel Adesanya moves ahead of Alexander Volkanovski to the #2 spot, sending Volkanovski down to #3. Additionally, Max Holloway (#6) moves ahead of Jon Jones (#7), and Glover Teixeira is no longer tied with Stipe Miocic at #10, with Miocic now ranked at #11.
Women’s Pound for Pound: No Changes
Strawweight: No Changes
Women’s Flyweight: “King” Casey O’Neill moves up to #12 after defeating Roxanne Modafferi at UFC 271. Additionally, Manon Fiorot (#13) and Maycee Barber (#14) swap positions this week, and Erin Blanchfield appears in the rankings down at #15.
Women’s Bantamweight: No Changes
Women’s Featherweight: N/A
Flyweight: Sumudaerji (#12) and Tim Elliot (#13) swap places.
Bantamweight: No Changes
Featherweight: No Changes
Lightweight: Gregor Gillespie moves up one spot to be tied with Conor McGregor at #9.
Welterweight: No Changes
Middleweight: Following his big win over Derek Brunson at UFC 271, Jared Cannonier moves up one spot to #3, sending Marvin Vettori down to #4. Another change in the top 5 this week sees Sean Strickland move up one spot to #5 to be tied with Paulo Costa. Brunson remains at #4.
Light Heavyweight: No Changes
Heavyweight: Tai Tuivasa’s fifth consecutive KO shook up the heavyweight rankings. After knocking out Derrick Lewis at UFC 271, “Bam Bam” Tuivasa now finds himself ranked at #3, and Lewis drops two spots down to #5. This shakeup has caused the following fighters to drop in this week’s rankings: Alexander Volkov (#6), Jairzinho Rozenstruik (#7), Chris Daukaus (#8), Shamil Abdurakhimov (#10), and Tom Aspinall (#11).
It happened, you guys: Dana White did a Shoeyvasa.
Now, before you get too excited, there is one important distinction to be made. Dana White did not do a traditional shoey. Meaning, he did not chug beer out of a worn shoe. But he did successfully complete a Shoeyvasa, a makeshift container specifically designed to fill your beer-chugging needs.
At the UFC 271 pre-fight press conference, Tuivasa gifted White, Israel Adesanya, Robert Whittaker, and his slated opponent Derrick Lewis their own Shoeyvasas. Upon being gifted this treasure, White publicly stated that he’d be willing to complete a Shoeyvasa.
Despite the fans in attendance egging White on to do it right then and there, the UFC bossman was hoping that the matter would drop.
Tai Tuivasa Doesn’t Let Dana White Off The Hook
During the UFC 271 post-fight press conference, the topic of his agreed Shoeyvasa was raised again when Tuivasa refused to let his boss off the hook. No, there was only one acceptable conclusion here. Dana White would have to take off his figurative (and literal) suit in order to be a man of his word and complete his mandated Shoeyvasa.
Peep out White’s Shoeyvasa below along with Tuivasa guiding his pupil through the process.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ8BGTEui6A/
Unfortunately, the video ends rather abruptly. Perhaps the UFC boss decided to use his veto powers to block Tuivasa or any witness from sharing an embarrassing uncut version. Whatever the reason, viewers will have to use their imaginations for how well White did.
Tuivasa is currently riding a five-fight win streak after knocking out Derrick Lewis in what was the biggest victory of his career at UFC 271. Indeed, when “Bam Bam” Tuivasa isn’t chugging beer, he’s winning fights. Then, he reverts to drinking beer again.
Should an extended version of White’s Shoeyvasa become available, you can be sure that MMA News will be hot on the case to bring you the scoop. So keep it locked right here on MMANews.com for the latest on this breaking, monumental story.
And don’t forget to purchase your very own Shoeyvasa right here!
Derrick Lewis vs. Tai Tuivasa was a worthy co-headliner.
The two fighters met in a bout on Saturday night (February 12, 2022) at the UFC 271 pay-per-view event from Houston, Texas at the Toyota Center.
The first round was interesting from Lewis, who was able to take him down a few times. At one point, Lewis had him pinned up against the fence and rained down shots only for Tai to get back to his feet and they had a wild exchange. Tai was interested in clinching with Lewis. It all ended in the second round as Lewis stunned him right out of the gate. After clinching up against the fence, Lewis went for a takedown, but it was blocked and went down hill from there. Lewis got caught with a left hook. Tai swarmed him with shots then dropped him with a right elbow.
Peep the highlights of the fight courtesy of the UFC’s official Twitter account:
Lewis was coming off a TKO win over Chris Daukaus at UFC Vegas 45 after dropping a loss to Ciryl Gane by TKO in an interim heavyweight title fight at the UFC 265 PPV event. Before that, Lewis got a TKO win over Aleksei Oleinik in August 2020, beat Ilir Latifi by decision at the UFC 247 pay-per-view event on February 8, 2020, and then beat Curtis Blaydes by TKO at UFC Vegas 19. Before that, Lewis beat Blagoy Ivanov at the UFC 244 pay-per-view event from Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York prior to him losing by second-round TKO to former UFC heavyweight champion Junior Dos Santos in the headliner of UFC on ESPN + 4 on March 9, 2019 from Intrust Bank Arena in Wichita, Kansas.
After posting a 9-3 pro-MMA record and losing three straight fights, Tuivasa turned things around with four straight wins including victories over Stefan Struve, Harry Hunsucker, Greg Hardy, and Augusto Sakai.
Let’s see how the fighters reacted to the outcome of this fight:
Recently, Tai Tuivasa expressed his shock that Carlos Felipe got flagged for steroid use. To quote the bewildered Aussie, “How did he get done for steroids? He’s fat as shit!”
But when it came to Junior dos Santos four years ago, Tuivasa had no trouble believing that JDS was a cheater. And in response to some criticisms from dos Santos, Tuivasa decided to share that belief with the world.
The following article is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED OCTOBER 25, 2018, 4:50 PM]
Headline: Tai Tuivasa Rips ‘Steroid-Injecting Muppet’ Junior dos Santos
Author: Fernando Quiles Jr.
Tai Tuivasa has fired back at Junior dos Santos.
Tuivasa and dos Santos will collide on Dec. 2 in the main event of UFC Adelaide. The action will take place inside the Adelaide Entertainment Centre in Adelaide, Australia. It’s a huge opportunity for Tuivasa, who is the 11th ranked UFC heavyweight, while dos Santos sits at the seventh spot.
Tai Tuivasa Slams JDS Over Recent Comments
In a recent interview, dos Santos made an odd remark about Tuivasa. He criticized “Bam Bam” for having UFC announcer Bruce Buffer say he represents street fighting. The harsh and bizarre critique prompted Tuivasa to blast dos Santos in a recent interview with Sporting News:
“I was giving him credit for being a great, but he can go f**k himself now, Just because of what Bruce Buffer said? As if I’m gonna say I’m a black belt or something. Calling someone a coward is a bit shallow from a steroid injecting little muppet like that. He can say whatever he wants to say, as long he brings it. It’s all gonna happen anyway, regardless of what any of us says. But to be calling someone a coward is shallow coming from a cheater. Make sure you’re not juiced up.”
UFC Adelaide will also see Mark Hunt look to rebound from his submission loss to Aleksei Oleinik last month. To do so, he’ll need to get past Justin Willis, who has gone 3-0 inside the Octagon.
Do you think Junior dos Santos is reaching with his criticism of Tai Tuivasa?
UFC heavyweight Tai Tuivasa has turned the heat up on the UFC 271 ‘shoey’ stakes by offering to drink a beer from Derrick Lewis’ cup.
Has there ever been a matchup in the UFC where the possible post-fight celebration was talked about as much as it has been ahead of Tuivasa vs. Lewis?
In the UFC 271 co-main event this weekend, we’ll see the UFC’s most prolific knockout artist face one of the hardest-hitting heavyweights, who’s on a knockout trail that’s left unconscious bodies in his wake.
But what is the leading narrative ahead of this Octagon-shaking collision? Drinking beer from a shoe. Actually, scratch that, from a cup…
Ahead of the highly-anticipated heavyweight bout, which represents a big opportunity for the 28-year-old to throw his name into the title conversation, Lewis hinted he could match Tuivasa’s trademark celebration with his own interesting take on the beer-drinking practice.
Having heard that proposal, Tuivasa went one better at UFC 271 media day on Wednesday. Wanting some of that “latte” action, as Lewis described it, “Bam Bam” said he was keen to chug a beverage from Lewis’ cup.
“He can throw it to me when I win and I’ll do a cuppy out of his ball guard then [LAUGHS]. I’m keen.”
Judging by Lewis’ response, the Australian appears to have found his American UFC peer’s line…
Lewis On Tuivasa’s ‘Cuppy’ Request: “That Guy’s Nasty”
During his own media day appearance, Lewis was told about Tuivasa’s willingness for a warm-ball “Black Beast” special (don’t expect to see that in your local anytime soon…).
It’s fair to say the 37-year-old will be keeping his guard firmly inside his shorts if the Aussie gets the win on Saturday night.
“Oh, that guy’s nasty man, I can’t do that,” said Lewis. “I don’t know. USADA needa be knocking on his door all the time, he’s gotta be taking something for his immune system. That is just nasty.”
The KO that cemented @TheBeast_UFC's place atop the record books 📖
Whatever happens, it seems fans can be sure of a few things come fight night; a KO/TKO, a can of beer entering the Octagon in the aftermath, and either a ‘shoey’ or a ‘cuppy’. Outside of that, we could see a new contender enter the heavyweight fray or an eight-year UFC veteran maintain his place among the heavyweight elite.
The term “people’s main event” gets thrown around more and more these days, but not many matchups embody the phrase quite like the UFC 271 co-main.
Who do you think will be left celebrating with a ‘shoey’ or ‘cuppy’ in the UFC 271 co-main event, Tai Tuivasa or Derrick Lewis?
UFC heavyweight contender Tai Tuivasa isn’t expecting his UFC 271 co-main event bout against Derrick Lewis to go the distance.
Tuivasa is on a four-fight winning streak heading into his showcase at UFC 271. All four of the wins have come by knockout against the likes of Augusto Sakai and Greg Hardy.
Tuivasa and Lewis are both knockout artists, which is sure to entice fans watching the second UFC pay-per-view of 2022. While both men seem to have respect for one another, it’s no secret that anything other than a finish in their fight would come as a shock.
“I’m excited man,” Tuivasa said. “We go out there to fight and we go out there to take people’s heads off. So it’s either gonna be mine or his. I’m excited. One of us is gonna get a hiding… It’s (KO) gonna come when it comes. I’ve gotta be a bit smart as well. He’s got the name ‘Knockout King’ for a reason. I’ve gotta go out there and be a bit smart about it.”
Lewis is looking to get a second chance in front of his Houston, TX hometown after losing to Ciryl Gane for the interim title at UFC 265. He has since earned a dominant first-round knockout over Chris Daukaus last December.
Tuivasa and Lewis are both fan favorites due to their persona in and out of the cage. Tuivasa is known for his post-fight shoeys, which he might’ve had when the bout was offered in the first place.
The heavyweight showdown between Tuivasa and Lewis not only has potential title implications but is a chance for both men to make a statement in front of another raucous crowd.
What is your prediction for Tai Tuivasa vs. Derrick Lewis?
After arriving as an undefeated prospect, eventually, the 27-year-old fell to a majority decision against Sergey Spivak on debut. But in his following three appearances, including a memorable scrap against Justin Tafa on Fight Island, the Brazilian got back on track with three consecutive triumphs on the judges’ scorecards.
It’s fair to say that run of success has come to a crashing halt.
“Boi” tested positive for the anabolic agent boldenone and its metabolites in relation to his co-main event clash with Arlovski at UFC Vegas 40. With that revelation, which Felipe’s team branded as a “huge surprise,” the Feira de Santana native will be unable to compete until April 16, 2023.
The Nevada Athletic Commission announced today that UFC heavyweight Carlos Felipe has been suspended 18 months due to a failed drug test ❌ pic.twitter.com/c3AWPund0f
While most have expressed their disappointment and disdain at the failed drug test, Tuivasa sent Felipe a message during a recent appearance on The MMA Hour: get a refund.
When discussing Felipe’s case, “Bam Bam” questioned how Felipe could have tested positive for steroids given his size, although he said it in a less polite way…
“Yeah, f*ck that, how did he get done for steroids? He’s fat as sh*t. That’s like f*cking me getting done for steroids or some sh*t like that,” Tuivasa said. “How the hell did that happen?”
Comparing his own size with that of Felipe, Tuivasa claimed if he used performance-enhancing drugs and remained in the same shape, he’d be requesting his money back.
“F*ck, I’d be calling my dealer up and getting a refund or something [LAUGHS]. Imagine that, f*cking what.”
This isn’t the first time Tuivasa has commented on Felipe’s troubles. In an Instagram post uploaded a number of weeks ago, the #11-ranked heavyweight contender mocked “Boi,” pointing out that he lost to “an old man” in Arlovski while using PEDs.
UFC heavyweight Derrick Lewis has proposed an alternative celebration to the shoey if he emerges victorious over upcoming opponent Tai Tuivasa at UFC 271 this weekend
In Saturday’s co-main event, we’ll see a collision of many things. As well as the incredible meeting of power that will take place when Tuivasa and Lewis share the Octagon inside Houston’s Toyota Center, we’ll also see two of the most entertaining and universally loved fighters on the roster compete.
“The Black Beast” will be looking to carry the momentum of his impressive main event rebound performance last time out. At UFC Vegas 45 in December, Lewis quickly moved past his disappointing interim title loss to Ciryl Gane by brutally knocking out rising contender Chris Daukaus.
“Bam Bam,” meanwhile, will be looking to extend his four-fight win streak and take a significant leap up the ladder. The #11-ranked heavyweight has knocked out Stefan Struve, Harry Hunsucker, Greg Hardy, and Augusto Sakai since falling to a three-fight skid in 2019.
Despite two vicious KOs in 2021, the main attraction of Tuivasa’s latest wins have been his infamous shoeys, performed both atop the cage wall and throughout the crowd on his way to the back.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CXXY0h7pD-m/
Ahead of Tuivasa and Lewis’ clash, one thing has appeared certain: a knockout.
But while it seemed we’d only be getting treated to another entertaining display of post-fight beer-drinking if the Australian powerhouse gets the finish, the Houston native has proposed a unique celebration of his own.
While it involves a different utensil, it’s certainly just as, if not more, nasty.
While he shut the door on the idea of a shoey, which he’s previously made his views on very clear, “The Black Beast” proposed a follow-up on his cup throw from UFC Vegas 45. But instead of throwing the cup to the crowd, how about a refreshing beverage from inside of it? Lewis said he’d be open to doing just that on the condition that he gets his arm raised Saturday.
“Nah, I can’t do nothing like that (a shoey), nah. I’d say I’ll take my cup off and drink beer out of that. That’s as far as I’ll go.”
While Lewis says that’s as far as he’d go, one has to wonder how much further than drinking a beer from a used cup he could go…
https://www.instagram.com/p/CZPqYULhg8F/
What have we learned from this? When it comes to beer and feet, Lewis says a big no; but with beer and balls, the answer is absolutely.
What would you rather see at UFC 271, a traditional Tai Tuivasa shoey or an unorthodox Derrick Lewis cup shoey?
For “Bam Bam,” the co-main event contest will represent the opportunity for him to extend his win streak to five and climb to within touching distance of a title shot that was beyond unlikely just two years ago.
While a clash with Lewis would be seen as a daunting task by most, and also a fantastic opportunity for Tuivasa to rise the ranks, “Bam Bam” has revealed he may not have been thinking clearly when he agreed to trade blows with the Louisiana native…
“I was on the piss; I was blind [drunk],” Tuivasa revealed to ESPN. “I didn’t notice until the next morning that [UFC matchmaker] Mick Maynard messaged me and I had messaged back. He messaged, ‘Are you awake,’ and I was like, ‘Yeah.’ It was like 4:30 in the morning. And then I woke up to 20 missed calls from my manager, from my coach Sully [Shaun Sullivan] and sh*t like that, so I was like, ‘Something must have happened.’
“And then it come up, and why not? Why wouldn’t I?” Tuivasa continued. “It’s a great opportunity. Obviously, he’s #2 or #3 or whatever he is. He’s a fan favorite; I’m a fan favorite. I really respect Derrick, what he’s done and the person he is… Why wouldn’t I say yes? I think it’s all win-win, it’s an opportunity for me, so I’m all in. And I think it’s my time, it’s my time to take over and become the new [revered] fighter of my generation, just like he was before me. I think it’s my time to take over.”
While a fighter accepting a bout while five-plus beers deep would usually be surprising, this isn’t, for a few reasons.
Firstly, one would imagine you’d have to be slightly intoxicated to accept a fight with Lewis. “The Black Beast” is the most prolific knockout artist in UFC history. Out of his 17 victories in the promotion, 12 have come via knockout. Not only is he a terrifying beast when the cage door shuts, but he’s currently a beast in form, having brutally knocked rising contender Chris Daukaus out cold less than two months ago.
Secondly, Tuivasa is Tuivasa.
I could almost leave it at that, but I’ll provide some context. “Bam Bam,” you could say, is partial to a beverage. Almost in the same way Tom Brady is partial to throwing a football…
Tuivasa’s post-fight shoeys following his first-round KO triumphs over Greg Hardy and Augusto Sakai last year had Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena roaring and fans across the world entertained. But if Lewis could use one word to describe the beer-drinking practice, it would be “nasty.”
During a recent interview on Fox Sports’ Main Event, “The Black Beast” praised Tuivasa for finishing Hardy last July, but also questioned his post-fight tradition. Those expecting a Lewis shoey anytime soon will be bitterly disappointed.
“Yeah, he’s good man. I like him, I like Tai. And I really appreciate him knocking out Greg Hardy like he did in that fight. Greg was talking a lot of trash at me. So I appreciate him,” said Lewis. “But I just don’t like the shoe, the beer drinking out the shoe, what y’all do out there. I don’t like it, that’s nasty. My feet smell cheesy.”
While Tuivasa has established the shoey as his trademark post-fight celebration, Lewis is yet to bring out a quirky tradition that involves the fans in attendance. That’s except for throwing his cup into the Apex crowd last time out in Vegas.
How about a wager? If Tuivasa wins, Lewis has to do a shoey inside the Octagon, but if Lewis wins, Tuivasa has to take Lewis’ cup home? Although, knowing the Aussie’s care-free attitude, he’d probably frame it and hang it on his wall…
Who do you think will have their hand raised at UFC 271, Tai Tuivasa or Derrick Lewis?
UFC heavyweight contender Tai Tuivasa has responded to Greg Hardy’s attempts to downplay his victory at UFC 264 last July.
When heavyweights collide, we tend to either see big shots and brutal knockouts or, often, less-than entertaining decisions. When Tuivasa is in action, it’s almost always the former.
That was the case on the undercard of Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier’s trilogy fight in 2021. After rebounding from three consecutive losses with back-to-back first-round KOs against Stefan Struve and Harry Hunsucker, Tuivasa was matched up with former NFL defensive end Hardy.
After just over a minute, the fight was over, and “Bam Bam” was pouring beer into a dirty shoe. How did he get there? By knocking Hardy out.
After “Prince of War” appeared to rock the Australian, he moved in for the finish, a decision that would prove to be his downfall. With a hard left as Hardy rushed in, Tuivasa sent his opponent to the canvas and quickly forced referee Mark Smith to step in.
Despite what appeared to be a fairly clear cut and convincing finish, Hardy provided a surprising view in a recent interview with Combat Sports on Fanatics View. When discussing his latest setback, which represented his second consecutive defeat, Hardy suggested Tuivasa fought like a coward and claimed he “didn’t get rocked.”
“Afterwards he turned into a clown. First of all, he talks all the trash about walking into the middle, and we all know what happened, right. He got slapped around and decided to run back to the cage,” said Hardy. “And I made a mistake… He cowarded out of the brawl that we agreed upon and started throwing little girl haymakers, and luckily lands one… But I didn’t get punched, didn’t get rocked, or anything; just did some stupid crap.”
Unsurprisingly, it hasn’t taken long for Tuivasa to respond. While some would reply in interviews or with statements on social media, “Bam Bam” is different. From the man who brought us an image of the face of a viral self-defense trainer on the body of Daniel Cormier, we’ve now got an edited video of Hardy that mocks his recent claims.
In a recent Instagram post, Tuivasa made one thing clear: ‘downplay my victory over you and you’ll have your talking face morphed onto yourself getting knocked out by me…’
UFC heavyweight contender Tai Tuivasa has become famed for his post-fight shoeys, and he’s now hoping to spread the beer-drinking practice to all walks of society.
The Australian powerhouse combines a unique spectrum of characteristics we all love: knockout power, charisma, fun, alcohol, and ’90s pop music walkouts (depending on if you’re an Aqua fan).
While he’s able to deliver laughter before he enters the cage, when the Octagon door shuts, Tuivasa is as dangerous and hard-hitting as they come, something he’s put on full display in his recent outings.
Since losing three-in-a-row between 2018 and 2019, “Bam Bam” has been on a tear. On his way to #11 in the rankings, he’s left the dazed and unconscious frames of Stefan Struve, Harry Hunsucker, Greg Hardy, and Augusto Sakai in his wake.
The one constant after each victory? A shoey.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CXXY0h7pD-m/
Tuivasa Wants Everyone To Embrace The Shoey
Having seen the crowd embrace his post-fight traditions with shoeys of their own inside the arenas, and in one case at UFC 269, a full-on beer shower (what were you thinking, sir?), Tuivasa is now looking to spread the dirty beer-filled tradition throughout the community. And by “throughout,” we mean throughout…
Having sobered up from the copious amount of shoeys he chugged on his way from the Octagon to the back inside the T-Mobile Arena last month, Tuivasa has put his business hat on to create a device capable of providing the shoey experience to all. Its name? The Shoeyvasa.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CYJnzbUAXpu/
Having debuted the hilarious drinking tool on his Instagram, Tuivasa discussed the creation during a recent appearance on Ariel Helwani’s The MMA Hour. The ambition, according to the Australian, was to provide a shoey utensil for everyone, including the grandmas and the aunties of the world.
“That’s the Shoeyvasa. It’s a little drinking device I’ve come up with. It’ll be on sale soon. The thing is, right, a lot of people don’t wanna do shoeys out of dirty shoes. There’s a bit of a barrier there. I wanted to make the shoes available for everyone, grandmas, moms, aunties, you know what I mean? You just put your beer can or your beer bong in the end, then you’ve got the funnel, and it’s like a beer bong. You just crack away. It’s not available yet, but follow my Shoeyvasa page and it’ll be there soon,” said Tuivasa.
Conor McGregor has his whiskey, Dustin Poirier has his hot sauce, Tuivasa has a shoey-replica drinking device…
Tai Tuivasa believes Ciryl Gane is the real deal and is the new breed of heavyweights, but isn’t sure if he beats Francis Ngannou this soon.
In the main event of UFC 270, Francis Ngannou is looking to defend his heavyweight title for the first time against the interim champ, Ciryl Gane. It’s a fascinating fight due to the fact they are former training partners and both are phenomenal fighters.
Ngannou has the one-punch KO power while Gane is a technical striker and is hard to hit. Gane has rarely been touched in the UFC, but Ngannou only needs to land one. For Tuivasa, he believes Gane has the skills to avoid that shot.
“Yeah, they are two freaks. You know what I mean. I think I have said the other day…I think if Ciryl plays the long game at points and can stay away from Francis, I think he might win over the five rounds,” Tuivasa said on InsideFighting (via Sportskeeda). “But that’s harder than it sounds, you know what I mean. If Francis touches him or lands one of those massive shots, I think we’ve all seen what Fancis does. He might put him out. Like, that’s, again, another 50-50.
“Ciryl’s a nice guy, but I think Francis might get it. I’m not sure but I’m gonna go with Francis. But Ciryl Gane is a new breed of heavyweights for sure.”
Francis Ngannou, Ciryl Gane
The current betting odds have the fight between Ngannou and Gane as a pick’em, so Tuivasa is right in saying it is a 50-50 fight and a hard one to call. But, we will all find out on January 22 who becomes the new heavyweight champ.
Tai Tuivasa, meanwhile, is coming off a KO win over Augusto Sakai at UFC 269 to make him the 11th-ranked heavyweight. He’s now riding a four-fight winning streak as he also KO’d Greg Hardy in July and Harry Hunsucker in March. To start 2022, he will be facing Derrick Lewis next month at UFC 271.
Who do you think wins between Francis Ngannou and Ciryl Gane?
UFC heavyweight contender Tai Tuivasa fought at the same event as rising bantamweight star Sean O’Malley twice in 2021, a trend he hopes continues this year.
Like O’Malley, Tuivasa has been in fine form as of late. He’s built a destructive four-fight win streak that has seen him climb to within one spot of the top 10 at heavyweight.
Since a submission loss to Sergey Spivak in 2019 added a third straight loss to his skid, “Bam Bam” has knocked out Stefan Struve, Harry Hunsucker, Greg Hardy, and Augusto Sakai.
Tuivasa’s other 2021 win, a first-round KO against Greg Hardy at UFC 264, provided another memorable moment inside Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena, with members of the crowd pouring their beers into their shoes and either chugging it themselves, or giving it to a victorious Tuivasa as he made his way to the back.
As well as two knockouts and two Octagon shoeys, another constant for Tuivasa’s 2021 was the presence of fellow entertainer Sean O’Malley. Like the Australian heavyweight, “Sugar” recorded triumphs at both UFC 264 and UFC 269.
“Yeah, me and Sean, we talk, and it’s good that we’ve been fighting on the same card the last few times,” Tuivasa told Ariel Helwani on a recent edition of The MMA Hour. “Like I say, he’s a showman as well, so it’s good we’re on the same card. We give the fans what they want.”
With their performances last year, both men achieved an impressive 100% bonus record. Out of their five combined appearances, The UFC dished out an additional $250,000. They’ll be hoping for similar success in 2022, and if they believe in lucky charms, both men will be pushing to be on the same card given their results in 2021.
Unless O’Malley is booked swiftly, Tuivasa will be making his first 2022 appearance on a card that will not feature “The Suga Show.” That is because, as of yesterday, it was revealed that Tuivasa will be facing another showman, Derrick “The Black Beast” Lewis at UFC 271 next month.
Would you like to see Sean O’Malley and Tai Tuivasa fighting on the same card again this year?
Lewis (26-8-1) is currently the #3-ranked heavyweight and is looking to build off of his most recent win against Chris Daukaus last month, where he KO’d Daukaus in just over three and a half minutes at UFC Vegas 45. Tuivasa (13-3), the #11-ranked heavyweight, is riding a four-fight win streak that includes three first-round knockouts.
As much potential this fight has to produce fireworks, it’s more than just that. For Lewis, he gets a chance to show out and put on the performance that his hometown Houston fans deserve. Lewis was disappointed the last time he fought in Houston, where he lost to Ciryl Gane at UFC 265 in an interim heavyweight title fight.
And “Bam Bam” gets what he wished for. Tuivasa recently stated in an interview with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hourthat he’d like a potential fight with Derrick Lewis.
“I’d love to step in the cage with him one day. I think he’s a bit up from me at the moment, especially coming off his last win,” said Tuivasa. “But definitely, I would love to fight Derrick Lewis. We both have good personalities, we are the fun of the division,”
Who do you have winning between Derrick Lewis and Tai Tuivasa at UFC 271?
Flashy heavyweight Tai Tuivasa is interested in a fight against Derrick Lewis, seeing the hypothetical bout as a clash of fan favorites.
Tuivasa is riding the momentum of a recent knockout victory over Augusto Sakai at UFC 269. The victory moved his winning streak to a strong four consecutive finish wins and allowed him to show his unique charisma in front of a live crowd.
But what’s next for Tuivasa is unknown at the moment. In an interview with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, Tuivasa mentioned how he wants to return soon, citing March or April as a good time to come back.
Tuivasa expressed interest when asked about a fight against Lewis. Not only did he see the bout as a clash between two fighters that have a reputation for their comedy, but he also mentioned the value that a win over him would have.
“I’d love to step in the cage with him one day. I think he’s a bit up from me at the moment, especially coming off his last win,” said Tuivasa. “But definitely, I would love to fight Derrick Lewis. We both have good personalities. We are the fun of this division … He’s a great opponent, he’s a great guy … That’s the way I’d like to prove myself.”
A fight between Tuivasa and Lewis could happen someday, but chances are it won’t happen next. While Tuivasa said in his interview that he’s “going to come for everyone this year,” including the top six ranked UFC heavyweights, he also implied that he currently has a fight in the works.
What’s more, Lewis doesn’t have his sights set on that bout currently. Lewis recently stated that he is focused on facing former UFC Heavyweight Champion Stipe Miocic. The fight would be Miocic’s return after losing his belt to Francis Ngannou last year.
Are you personally interested in a fight between Tai Tuivasa and Derrick Lewis?
UFC heavyweight Tai Tuivasa has provided some reasoning behind his UFC 269 walkout this past weekend in Las Vegas.
After viciously knocking out Stefan Struve, Harry Hunsucker, and Greg Hardy, all of whom fell in the first round, Tuivasa had his chance to rise further up the rankings at the final pay-per-view of the year on Saturday night.
With another memorable finish, Tuivasa did just that, sleeping Augusto Sakai in an awkward position against the cage. The victory saw another shoey takeover in front of a sold-out crowd, secured a second consecutive Performance of the Night bonus for Tuivasa, and helped “Bam Bam” move up to #11 in the heavyweight rankings.
Brutal, right? So brutal that you’d be hard-pressed to find a scarier finisher who vibes to ’90s pop music on his way to the Octagon.
Before erupting the T-Mobile Arena at UFC 264 by knocking out Hardy, the Australian looked to intimidate the former NFL defensive end by walking out to… Spice Girls. Yep, Spice Girls. But who can fault the method when we saw a 6 ft 5 in, 260 plus-pound behemoth crumple unconscious to the canvas? Maybe we should all be listening to “Wannabe.”
After the disappointment of Tuivasa’s clash with Sakai initially being set for the small APEX facility passed thanks to the fight’s transfer to UFC 269, the question on everyone’s lips? What would Tuivasa walk out to this time?
When one MMA media member tried to draw the answer out at media day, the 28-year-old wasn’t biting. Instead, he promised another “banger.”
“I’ve always got a banger on the way. Definitely, now the crowds are back, they’re always gonna get better with the crowds. I’ve got one up my sleeve. You should just wait till Saturday and we’ll pump it then.”
When Saturday came, what were we treated to? A 1997 classic from Aqua, “Barbie Girl.” Nothing confuses the brain quite like a huge heavyweight capable of shutting anyone’s lights out strolling between the barriers to a song played at the birthday parties of most five-year-old girls.
Maybe that’s the secret? Lure his opponents into a false sense of security and get them distracted by singing along to goofy songs in their heads? Or maybe Tuivasa is just an entertaining, charismatic, and fun-loving individual who doesn’t take life too seriously. If everything we’ve seen about “Bam Bam” is true, it’s certainly the latter.
Some Choose Rock, Some Choose Rap, Tuivasa Chose Aqua
During his appearance at the UFC 269 post-fight press conference, which came after he performed enough shoeys on his way to the back to floor a university fresher at their first party, Tuivasa was asked what made him choose to serenade the Vegas crowd with a dose of ‘Barbie Girl’.
His response? As hilarious as you’d expect.
“I’m a barbie girl. You know what I mean?”
After the initial laughter died down, the Australian knockout artist suggested everyone loves a bit of Aqua.
“You can’t tell me you don’t love that song! Come on! Everyone! When that comes on, you know you’re boppin’. The crowd loved it, I loved it, and the rest is history.”
Ultimately, that’s the best bit about Tuivasa. Fans love nothing more than knockouts. But what’s better? A funny individual who is able to entertain and draw a smile out of full arenas and those watching at home before flat-lining his opponent inside the Octagon. It truly is the best of both worlds.
With everyone loving and enjoying his style, including himself, who would want him to change his ways? Well, maybe Greg Hardy and Augusto Sakai.
At just 28, it stands to reason we have a whole lot of Tuivasa walkouts left to experience, and if he continues his current form, perhaps we’ll see him making his way to the Octagon to face Francis Ngannou or Ciryl Gane with ‘Blue’ by Eiffel 65 over the speakers. We can only dream…
https://www.instagram.com/p/CXXY0h7pD-m/
If you’re an Aqua fan, a “Barbie Girl” like Tuivasa, want to pretend you’re “Bam Bam” walking to the Octagon, or want to imagine the heavyweight powerhouse doing a shoey in the back of a pink convertable, we’ve attached the music video below for your listening pleasure.
Don’t say MMA News doesn’t have you covered when it matters!
What song would you like to see Tai Tuivasa walk out to for his next fight?
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