Justin Tafa
Active 2019–present · rated in 1 edition · peak overall 73.0
Scouting report
Southpaw straight lefts and walk-off knockouts define Justin "Bad Man" Tafa inside the Octagon. Hailing from Auckland, New Zealand, out of Brisbane, Australia, Tafa produced first-round stoppages of Juan Adams (TKO, UFC 247, February 2020) and Austen Lane (KO, UFC 293, September 2023), his physical impact validated by an 88 Strength, 84 Boxing, and 73 Overall rating.
Peak ratings
Justin Tafa, the former rugby league prospect with heavy hands
Justin Tafa was born in Auckland to a family of Samoan descent, and his maternal grandfather was a national boxing champion. He came to fighting after a rugby league start that included a contract with the Melbourne Storm. Before the Octagon he held the XFC heavyweight title, winning it in 28 seconds against Jeremy Joiner. Draft him for the early knockout, because that is where most of his best nights ended.
Reading the Tafa card, rating by rating
Boxing. 84 and the second best number on his card. His wins over Harry Hunsucker and Parker Porter both ended by first round knockout.
Kickboxing. 76. His brother Junior came from Glory kickboxing, so the family leans toward the stand-up game, and Tafa's own finishes came on the feet.
Wrestling. 66. Nothing in his record suggests he wants to grind anyone against the fence for three rounds.
BJJ. 58, the lowest on the card. His wins came standing, and his losses to Carlos Felipe and Jared Vanderaa went to the scorecards.
Strength. 88 and his top rating. A rugby league background and first round stoppages of Juan Adams, Hunsucker and Porter back it up.
Durability. 82. He was knocked out in the first round by Yorgan De Castro on debut and stopped again by Tallison Teixeira in 2025, but he also lasted the distance in several other losses.
Cardio. 72. Most of his wins ended early, so cardio mattered less than usual. The Vanderaa fight went three rounds and earned Fight of the Night.
Fight IQ. 72. He beat Austen Lane by first round knockout in their 2023 rematch after the first meeting ended in a no contest.
Strength at 88 is the draw
Strength is his highest rating, and it explains the record better than any other number. First round finishes of Juan Adams in 2020, Hunsucker in 2021, Porter in 2023 and Lane in 2023 all came early, and the Lane win earned a Performance of the Night bonus. Tafa's card is best used where short fights are the plan and one heavy connection can decide it.
The BJJ hole at 58
His BJJ rating is the lowest on the card by a wide margin. Against a wrestler who can take him down and hold position, Tafa has almost no threat from the bottom. Two of his losses, to Felipe and to Vanderaa, went the distance rather than ending early, so a fight that turns positional is where he is least proven.
Keep exploring
Closest heavyweight profiles to Justin Tafa, measured by how near their peak attribute ratings sit across all eight categories.
- Greg Hardybest strength 92 · weakest bjj 60
- Matt Mitrionebest strength 86 · weakest bjj 65
- Tai Tuivasabest strength 92 · weakest bjj 62
- Walt Harrisbest strength 91 · weakest bjj 66
- Heavyweight division guide: how the whole division rates and who to draft from it.
- Grappling vs striking in the draft: a guide that fits Justin Tafa's strongest attribute, Strength.
Draft Justin Tafa into your build
Justin Tafa enters the pool on any spin landing on heavyweight between 2020 and 2022. Spin, draft eight attributes, then simulate 25 fights.
Ratings shown are my own estimates, made with AI assistance and informed by how Justin Tafa is regarded by the MMA community. They are unofficial and do not constitute an assessment of Justin Tafa's real-world abilities. How the ratings are made. See the disclaimer below. Ratings and write-ups by Haaris A. Last reviewed 2026-09-30; spot an error? Tell us. Read our editorial standards.