Tai Tuivasa looking like post retirement DC now

[PaddyO'malley]

Just bulking for powerslap imo.

Smart choice SHW di shallowest division rn

less CTE an' prolly mek more too

 

[JoeRowe]

The Rozenstruik robbery broke his psyche

 

[Pancake Sprawl]

i don't think he's ever taken his career seriously, so it's not surprising. he used to be a lot fatter when he was younger too, before he came to the UFC

 

[10000yearsold]

Put some respect on dc’s name. He’d probably throw around Alex pereira like a ragdoll. Don’t ever forget how dc did Barnett. He’s fantastic wrestler and he’s been kicking it with dagestanis now for a decade.

But good for tai. He’s a big boy and I hope he’s very happy.

 

[TheBrownRanger]

They cut Rozenstruik and kept him...

Honestly, I’d take an average Tai Tuivasa fight over a Rozenstruik 5 round jabfest any day of the week.

 

[goOb]

I've never seen a skinny man drinking 'No Sugar beer'. Good for him if he retires!

 

[Safton]

Honestly, I’d take an average Tai Tuivasa fight over a Rozenstruik 5 round jabfest any day of the week.

Rozenstruik just can't win, lol. Back in the day hee didn't utilize his jab as much as he should have and he instead sat on the back foot, waiting to kill dudes with that one perfect shot. Zero output, led to some boring fights where he got outhustled, but every once in a while he would explode out of nowhere like Romero and murder someone while behind: Reem, Sakai, etc.

He recognized the deficiencies in his style and made efforts to try and improve by becoming a rangy distance striker who can still counter-strike, but is more willing to fill the in-betweens by going first with kicks and, yes, jabs. He landed a pretty crazy number of significant strikes on Gaziev and Tuivasa and showed actual improvements to his game... which is rare for an old Heavyweight who came from a different combat sport. He's still not a great fighter, but I like seeing that personally (especially in a talent-starved division like HW).

Meanwhile, Tai has never shown much more than an ability to crash forward with a "knockout or bust" gameplan. If his opponent survives his onslaught of big power and heavy calf kicks, he gets picked apart. No ability to defend himself against any halfway decent grappler, either. I won't lie that it's led to some thrilling moments -- most brawlers tend to do that -- but I mean the writing is on the wall with him. The dude's durability looks to be dwindling and he's mentally checked out.

I'm fine with keeping Tai around for another barn-burner, I just don't see the sense in willfully doing so while cutting the guy who just beat him soundly and is also a serviceable gatekeeper and has scored multiple finishes inside the UFC with a proven willingness to try and get better despite the fact that he'll never be elite.

 

[Siver!]

Would like to go beers for beers VS him.

I think that's a terrible idea lol

 

[Kyojiro Kagenuma]

The fact that he's still a UFC fighter is crazy.

I mean he only lost to pretty damn good guys to be fair

 

[Tornikidou]

Thats Tuivasa fight shape dude

 

[gracie_barra_samurai]

Daner needs to send the guy to Dagestan

 

[Sonny Qc]

I think that's a terrible idea lol

That's where I disagree.

 

[BjPenn2017]

He looks like the HW division without steroids.. fat

 

[Darkavius]

I mean he only lost to pretty damn good guys to be fair

The problem with Tai is he basically can't beat anyone in the top 10 (Lewis excluded). In very rare cases do guys lose 5 in a row and still stay on the UFC roster. He had the same issue as Jairzinho but at least Jairzinho beat him.

 

[HHJ]

Yknow people bitching that Tai should be cut before Biggy Boy...

Tai might be fucking next.

 

[HHJ]

The fact that he's still a UFC fighter is crazy.

Some of those losses were great entertainment. His fight with Gane was fun as fuck

 

[Bork Neslar]

He's morphing into a sherdogger.

 

[Neck&Neck]

his gimmick shooey is the only reason he’s still on the roster IMO

 

[Trabaho]

And than somebody call me fat ? If I'm 118 kg what is Tai ? 134 kg ?