Tag: tai tuivasa

VIDEO: UFC 305 Countdown Episode Ahead Of Dricus Du Plessis vs. Israel Adesanya

Fight week for the UFC 305 pay-per-view this Saturday night has kicked off with the release of the promotion’s latest Countdown episode. Under the spotlight in this edition is the headliner between Dricus Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya. Saturday’s lineup is topped by a championship rematch, with middleweight kingpin Du Plessis (21-2) looking to add a first […]

Continue Reading VIDEO: UFC 305 Countdown Episode Ahead Of Dricus Du Plessis vs. Israel Adesanya at MMA News.

Fight week for the UFC 305 pay-per-view this Saturday night has kicked off with the release of the promotion’s latest Countdown episode. Under the spotlight in this edition is the headliner between Dricus Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya.

Saturday’s lineup is topped by a championship rematch, with middleweight kingpin Du Plessis (21-2) looking to add a first successful defense to his reign, which got underway with a victory over Sean Strickland at UFC 297 in Toronto, Canada, this past January. He earned that shot with a monumental triumph over the highly regarded Robert Whittaker during last year’s International Fight Week in Las Vegas.

If “Stillknocks” is to continue his rule atop the 185-pound mountain, he must record a victory over the returning Adesanya (24-3). “The Last Stylebender” will be making his comeback 11 months on from losing the middleweight gold in shocking fashion to Strickland in Sydney.

The Nigerian-New Zealander will be back competing on Australian soil once again, with Perth’s RAC Arena potentially hosting his historic crowning as three-time champ should he hand his South African rival the first loss of his career on MMA’s biggest stage.

Ahead of that contest Down Under, fans can catch a preview in the full episode of UFC 305 Countdown on the promotion’s YouTube channel.

UFC 305 Countdown: Full Episode

And below, check out the full card for this weekend’s numbered event.

Main Card:

  • Middleweight Championship Main Event: Dricus Du Plessis (C) vs. Israel Adesanya
  • Flyweight Co-Main Event: Kai Kara-France vs. Steve Erceg
  • Lightweight: Mateusz Gamrot vs. Dan Hooker
  • Heavyweight: Tai Tuivasa vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik
  • Welterweight: Li Jingliang vs. Carlos Prates

Preliminary Card:

  • Heavyweight: Junior Tafa vs. Valter Walker
  • Featherweight: Joshua Culibao vs. Ricardo Ramos
  • Women’s Flyweight: Casey O’Neill vs. Luana Santos
  • Featherweight: Jack Jenkins vs. Herbert Burns

Early Preliminary Card:

  • Lightweight: Tom Nolan vs. Alex Reyes
  • Welterweight: Song Kenan vs. Rick Glenn
  • Flyweight: Stewart Nicoll vs. Jesus Aguilar

Be sure to keep it right here on MMANews.com this week for all the updates and news on UFC 305!

Continue Reading VIDEO: UFC 305 Countdown Episode Ahead Of Dricus Du Plessis vs. Israel Adesanya at MMA News.

Video – Alex Pereira goes toe-to-toe with UFC heavyweight Tai Tuivasa in sparring session

Video - Alex Pereira goes Toe-to-Toe with UFC heavyweight Tai Tuivasa in sparring sessionIs a heavyweight run in Alex Pereira’s future? After capturing both the middleweight and light heavyweight world titles in…

Video - Alex Pereira goes Toe-to-Toe with UFC heavyweight Tai Tuivasa in sparring session

Is a heavyweight run in Alex Pereira’s future?

After capturing both the middleweight and light heavyweight world titles in the span of a year, UFC fans have been clamoring for ‘Poatan’ to move up once again and attempt to do what no man ever has inside the Octagon—become a three-division champion.

Alex Pereira

Recently, coach Ethan Marion shared a video of Pereira going toe-to-toe with No. 9 ranked heavyweight Tai Tuivasa. As you can see via the clip below, ‘Poatan’ more than held his own against the big boy from Sydney.

Dana White doesn’t like the idea of alex pereira moving to heavyweight

Following his big first-round knockout of Jamahal Hill at UFC 300, Pereira lobbied for a quick turnaround to fight reigning interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall. Unfortunately, Dana White didn’t think that was such a good idea for the Brazilian kickboxer.

Alex Pereira

“When you think about him moving up to heavyweight, you’ve got [Jon] Jones.  You’ve got [Tom] Aspinall.  The list goes on and in that heavyweight division,” White said at the UFC 300 post-fight press conference about Pereira. “The heavyweight division is nasty.  I don’t know if that’s the right move for him. He looked damn good in the division he’s in.  

“I think you might want to stick around there for a minute.  But I don’t know.  These are all things we’ll talk about for the next 15 Tuesdays, so we’ll get it forged out” (h/t BJPenn.com).

Dana White

In a previous interview with MMA Fighting, Pereira’s friend and coach Glover Teixeira offered some insight into how Pereira would alter his training regimen to pack on a few extra pounds for a move to heavyweight.

“If he were to move up, he would change his diet and training routine outside the camp to gain mass,” Teixeira said. “‘Poatan’ walks around 233 pounds and I think he can go to 246, but not [over that], you know? I think 242 would be good.”

Alex Pereira

Marcin Tybura taps Tai Tuivasa in exciting heavyweight headliner – UFC Vegas 88 Highlights

Marcin Tybura taps Tai Tuivasa in exciting heavyweight headliner - UFC Vegas 88 HighlightsMarcin Tybura and Tai Tuivasa delivered a short, but entertaining main event at UFC Vegas 88 on Saturday night….

Marcin Tybura taps Tai Tuivasa in exciting heavyweight headliner - UFC Vegas 88 Highlights

Marcin Tybura and Tai Tuivasa delivered a short, but entertaining main event at UFC Vegas 88 on Saturday night.

Stepping into the Octagon looking to climb back into the win column, Tybura faced some early adversity as Tuivasa let his hands go from the get-go. Already bleeding from a well-placed elbow, the Polish powerhouse was determined to close the distance and put his ground game to work. Tybura did exactly that, backing Tuivasa to the cage wall and eventually taking down the big man.

Once on the mat, it was just a matter of time before Tybura would sink in a choke. With less than a minute to go, Tybura cinched his arm under the chin of Tuivasa and squeezed, forcing tap out with 52 seconds left in the opening round.

Marcin Tybura

Official Result: Marcin Tybura def. Tai Tuivasa via submission (rear-naked choke) at 4:08 of Round 1.

Check Out Highlights From Marcin Tybura vs. Tai Tuivasa at UFC Vegas 88:

Video – Tai Tuivasa chugs beer in shoey at WWE Eliminator Chamber event ahead of UFC return next month

Tai Tuivasa chugs beer in shoey at WWE Eliminator Chamber ahead of UFC return next monthUFC heavyweight Tai Tuivasa did a shoey in front of a cheering WWE crowd last night.  Alongside WWE wrestler…

Tai Tuivasa chugs beer in shoey at WWE Eliminator Chamber ahead of UFC return next month

UFC heavyweight Tai Tuivasa did a shoey in front of a cheering WWE crowd last night. 

Alongside WWE wrestler Grayson Waller, Tai Tuivasa drank one of his now synonymous shoeys, in which someone pours a drink, usually beer, into the shoe and drinks it. Check out the clip below.

Tuivasa is due to fight in just a couple of weeks against fellow contender, Marcin Tybura. The 30-year-old brawler is currently on his third loss in a row, all of which have come within the distance. 

The Australian is a fan favourite, but he cannot rely on that forever and must start producing results should he wish to continue to fight in the UFC. However, Tuivasa does have that all important equalizer and is a dangerous opponent for any anyone on his day. 

Tai Tuivasa becomes latest UFC star to appear on WWE

With the monumental merger of the UFC and WWE to form the TKO Holdings Group, it was expected that cross-over promotion was going to begin to crop up. Michael Chandler was ringside at a WWE show earlier this week and took the opportunity to further call out Conor McGregor. 

“Two minutes before, they said, ‘Hey, they’re going to put the camera on you.’ I said, ‘Why don’t you give me that microphone?’”  Chandler said of his WWE promo. “And they said, ‘Hold on, let me run it up the flagpole real quick.’ And then about a minute later, they said, ‘Hey, you’re going on in a minute and you’re going to get the microphone if you want the microphone,’ and then magic happened…less than five minutes [of notice]. There was nothing prepared. Nothing. I was thrown into the fire. Smacked myself a couple of times and then we went.”

Who do you think will be next to appear on a WWE broadcast after Tai Tuivasa?

Video – Tai Tuivasa chugs beer in shoey at WWE Eliminator Chamber event ahead of UFC return next month

Tai Tuivasa chugs beer in shoey at WWE Eliminator Chamber ahead of UFC return next monthUFC heavyweight Tai Tuivasa did a shoey in front of a cheering WWE crowd last night.  Alongside WWE wrestler…

Tai Tuivasa chugs beer in shoey at WWE Eliminator Chamber ahead of UFC return next month

UFC heavyweight Tai Tuivasa did a shoey in front of a cheering WWE crowd last night. 

Alongside WWE wrestler Grayson Waller, Tai Tuivasa drank one of his now synonymous shoeys, in which someone pours a drink, usually beer, into the shoe and drinks it. Check out the clip below.

Tuivasa is due to fight in just a couple of weeks against fellow contender, Marcin Tybura. The 30-year-old brawler is currently on his third loss in a row, all of which have come within the distance. 

The Australian is a fan favourite, but he cannot rely on that forever and must start producing results should he wish to continue to fight in the UFC. However, Tuivasa does have that all important equalizer and is a dangerous opponent for any anyone on his day. 

Tai Tuivasa becomes latest UFC star to appear on WWE

With the monumental merger of the UFC and WWE to form the TKO Holdings Group, it was expected that cross-over promotion was going to begin to crop up. Michael Chandler was ringside at a WWE show earlier this week and took the opportunity to further call out Conor McGregor. 

“Two minutes before, they said, ‘Hey, they’re going to put the camera on you.’ I said, ‘Why don’t you give me that microphone?’”  Chandler said of his WWE promo. “And they said, ‘Hold on, let me run it up the flagpole real quick.’ And then about a minute later, they said, ‘Hey, you’re going on in a minute and you’re going to get the microphone if you want the microphone,’ and then magic happened…less than five minutes [of notice]. There was nothing prepared. Nothing. I was thrown into the fire. Smacked myself a couple of times and then we went.”

Who do you think will be next to appear on a WWE broadcast after Tai Tuivasa?