Junior Tafa is carrying on in the UFC in the absence of brother Justin Tafa, who actually arrived in the promotion first.
Tafa (6-5) returns at UFC Perth this Saturday, where he’ll face Kevin Christian while looking to snap a two-fight skid.
Junior is now fighting at 205lbs, after moving down from heavyweight. Justin “The Bad Man” Tafa also stalked the heavyweight division, but after a couple of fight cancellations last year, he parted ways with the promotion.
Junior touched on his brother’s situation during the UFC Perth media day on Wednesday.
“Yeah it sucks. But I watched that movie Iron Claw with Zac Efron, and it kinda explained to me why it sucks,” he stated.
While there’s no tragedy in this case, certainly not the kind endured by the pro wrestling’s ill-fated Von Erich family, who are featured in the film, it still hasn’t been easy for Junior. Tafa explained that “I mean like, every day, going to training with your brothers, car rides, all these little things, just being with your brothers all the time. Now it’s just like me by myself. They’re still around, but it just sucks not having my brother with me.”
Still, he clarified that Justin may not be done with fighting. “He’s just having a little breath at the moment. But he’s just been riddled with injuries, and it’s just, he definitely misses fighting and misses the UFC and stuff like that.”
“I think it might be harder for him to come out here and watch me fight. I know how much he misses it and wants to get back in.”
Watch the full UFC Perth media day appearance with Junior Tafa above.
