Coming back from a torn meniscus, Tai Tuivasa headlines UFC Vegas 88 this Saturday opposite Marcin Tybura — and knows that he’s going to have a hard time surprising the Polish veteran.
“Marcin’s been around for a long time, I’ve watched him for many years. I’m not going to be able to bring anything that he hasn’t seen before,” Tuivasa (14-6) said during Wednesday’s UFC Vegas 88 media day. “I know his job, his plan is to try and drag me through the rounds and try to wear me down, I suppose. But this is the heavyweight division, I’m going to come out and come hard and try to get this job done.”
Australia’s Tuivasa enters the showdown with “Tybur” on a perilous three-fight skid. And while he would love a quick night at the office, “Bam Bam” knows that may not be the case, and feels the team around him has him ready.
“In my head I’d love every fight to be ten seconds but unfortunately my coaches don’t let me train for that long. I’ve put in the work, I’ve had a few injuries along the way, I’ve had a few injuries I had to clean up. But my team around me at the moment, I’ve got the old head’s up, they’ve really given me some great advice, and I feel confident.”
As for that three-fight skid, which came to Ciryl Gane, Sergei Pavlovich, and Alexander Volkov, the pressure is nothing new. “There’s always pressure, but it’s not pressure I haven’t seen before. I’ve been here before in my life and in fighting, but my preparation has been good, so I’m relying on that.”
At the moment, there’s a traffic jam, or perhaps more accurately a stalled vehicle, at the top of the heavyweight division. The weight class is waiting on the return of Jon Jones, to take on Stipe Miocic, while interim champ Tom Aspinall waits. Then there’s Curtis Blaydes, Ciryl Gane and the like, all waiting to see what’s next.
It’s not a situation Tai Tuivasa has given much thought to, however. “I don’t really care what’s going on unless it involves me,” Tuivasa admitted, noting his focus is fully on Tybura.
Watch the full UFC Vegas 88 media day appearance by Tai Tuivasa above.
