An MMA fighter needs to be strong not just physically, but also mentally, and UFC heavyweight ranked #10 contender Tai Tuivasa is a prime example of this. Tuivasa has faced numerous setbacks in his UFC career, but none were more traumatic than losing his best friend just a few weeks before his big fight in 2019, which resulted in a defeat. Despite these challenges, Tuivasa has preserved and continues to fight in the Octagon. In his previous interview, “Bam Bam”  opened up about the unfortunate incident.

In a candid interview with News Corp ahead of his UFC 293 fight against Alexander Volkov, Tai Tuivasa opened up about the tragic loss of his best friend, Daniel King. King’s untimely death occurred during a police encounter while struggling with depression. After shooting at his girlfriend’s house, a standoff with police ensued, ending in King’s death. Tuivasa emotionally shared, “My friend got (killed) by the cops. It was a rough patch for me.”

Remembering the devastating incident, Tuivasa added it further, saying, “He was going through his own struggles, he had some things on his plate and he wasn’t in the right. You can’t go and shoot at coppers and think they’re not going to shoot you back. I think it was suicide by…whatever you call it.” Tuivasa revealed he went through a dark period following his Spivak and the death of his friend. Despite these challenges, Tuivasa didn’t remain stuck in his setback. “Bam Bam” transformed his sadness into motivation, which helped him create a five-fight winning streak.

Tai Tuivasa is not preparing for his upcoming fight at UFC 305, slated for Perth, Australia, against Jairzinho Rozenstruik. Recently, he was seen sparring with UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira.

Tai Tuivasa reflects on sparring with Alex Pereira

UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira, after successfully defending his title against Jiri Prochazka at UFC 303, has proven himself as a formidable striker in the promotion. Now, he is passing his striking skills to Tai Tuivasa, who is currently on a four-fight losing streak and has not seen a win in two years. With training alongside Pereira, Tuivasa is looking for a chance to bounce back and turn his career around.

Alex Pereira, boasting an impressive 9-1 record, has won his last three fights consecutively with knockouts against Jiri Prochazka, Jamahal Hill, and in a rematch against Prochazka. This demonstrates that he is a formidable striker. Tai Tuivasa, who experienced this firsthand, admitted in an interview with the media. He said, “His power, you know, I fight in heavyweight so we can take a punch or two. But it was more… I hadn’t been training. I want in and I was f***ing running out of breath and getting the sh*t punched out of me.”

What are your thoughts on the upcoming fight between Tai Tuivasa and Jairzinho Rozenstruik, who are both in similar situations in the promotion? Can Tuivasa break his losing streak? Let us know in the comments below.