UFC 254 VIDEO: Tai Tuivasa Stuns Stefan Struve In An Insane First-Round KO

Tai Tuivasa vs Stefan Struve was the last fight on the preliminary card for UFC 254. The fight between two behemoths at heavyweight was a mouthwatering prospect. ‘Bam Bam’ and ‘Skyscraper’ did not disappoint as the fight was an extremely entertaining one. 

Both men are unranked in the UFC’s heavyweight division. A win tonight would make for an excellent stepping stone towards earning a rank in the UFC. Defying all odds, it was Tai Tuivasa who was able to secure the win at UFC 254 and make a bid to secure a number next to his name. 

Read: UFC 254 VIDEO: Miranda Maverick destroys Liana Jojua- doctor stops match 

Tai Tuivasa makes a statement with a win over Stefan Struve

Going into the fight against Stefan Struve, Tuivasa was on a three-fight skid. He was matched up against the ‘Skyscraper’ who was coming off a loss against Ben Rothwell. 

The finishing sequence saw ‘Bam Bam’ throw Struve to the floor. On his way up, he was met with a barrage of punches by the relentless New Zealander. Once on his feet, ‘Skyscraper’ had both hands up covering his face. 

This opened the door for Tuivasa to land a perfectly placed uppercut. Struve crumbled to the ground as the punch landed and ‘Bam Bam’ followed up with an offensive flurry. This was enough for the referee to stop the fight. 

In the fight, it was Tuivasa who was the aggressor. In the short while that the fight lasted, ‘Bam Bam’ landed a staggering 48 total strikes with an accuracy of 76%. He also landed 27 significant strikes with an accuracy of 64%. 

There was a lot of talk surrounding this fight for Tuivasa. It was widely believed that if he lost, it would be his final fight in the UFC. However, with a performance like that, it looks unlikely that the heavyweight fighter is going anywhere. Despite his recent losses, ‘Bam Bam’ proved today that he still has a lot more to give, and is an extremely exciting prospect at heavyweight. 

Despite an amazing performance today, Tuivasa would be feeling incomplete as there were no drinks or fans allowed in the arena. Hence, he was unable to celebrate his win with his signature ‘Shoey’ among his fans. The fighter will hope to celebrate in this fashion sooner rather than later.

What did you make of Tuivasa’s performance today? Would he have been cut if he lost on Fight Island?