Heavyweight

Tai Tuivasa

UFC 2017–present · rated in 5 editions · peak overall 80.0

Scouting report

Post-fight "shoey" celebrations and close-range power made Tai "Bam Bam" Tuivasa a fan favorite. Hailing from Western Sydney, Australia, Tuivasa surged into heavyweight title contention with a knockout of Derrick Lewis, his punching power reflected in a 77 Strength score and 85 Boxing, anchoring a 76 Overall rating.

Peak ratings

Boxing88
Kickboxing80
Wrestling72
BJJ62
Strength92
Durability86
Cardio76
Fight IQ78

By edition

2016–2017Overall 76
Boxing86
Kickboxing78
Wrestling68
BJJ60
Strength91
Durability84
Cardio74
Fight IQ75

Tuivasa made his UFC debut in November 2017 at UFC Fight Night 121 in Sydney, knocking out Rashad Coulter with a flying knee with under a minute remaining in the opening round. His pocket boxing combinations, low leg kicks, and forward pressure are reflected in an 86 Boxing and 91 Strength.

2018–2019Overall 77
Boxing86
Kickboxing78
Wrestling68
BJJ60
Strength91
Durability84
Cardio74
Fight IQ75

In 2018 and 2019, Tuivasa defeated former champion Andrei Arlovski at UFC 225 in Chicago, before enduring stoppage losses against Junior dos Santos in Adelaide, Blagoy Ivanov in Chicago, and Sergey Spivak in Melbourne. His overhand hooks, leg kick power, and fan-favorite heart anchor his 86 Boxing and 84 Durability.

2020–2022Overall 80
Boxing88
Kickboxing80
Wrestling72
BJJ62
Strength92
Durability86
Cardio76
Fight IQ78

Tuivasa engineered a five-fight knockout streak between 2020 and 2021, knocking out Stefan Struve in Abu Dhabi, Harry Hunsucker in 49 seconds, Greg Hardy in 67 seconds, and Augusto Sakai in round two in Las Vegas with pocket combinations. His hand speed, counter right hooks, and clinch elbows justify his 88 Boxing and 86 Durability.

2023–2024Overall 78
Boxing87
Kickboxing78
Wrestling70
BJJ60
Strength91
Durability84
Cardio74
Fight IQ76

At UFC 271 in Houston in February 2022, Tuivasa knocked out Derrick Lewis with a second-round standing elbow, before engaging Ciryl Gane in a 2022 Fight of the Year war in Paris and battling Sergei Pavlovich, Alexander Volkov, and Marcin Tybura. His elbow strikes and durability anchor his 87 Boxing and 84 Durability.

2025–presentOverall 78
Boxing87
Kickboxing78
Wrestling70
BJJ60
Strength91
Durability84
Cardio74
Fight IQ76

Draft Tai Tuivasa into your build

Tai Tuivasa enters the pool on any spin landing on heavyweight between 2016 and present. Spin, draft eight attributes, then simulate 25 fights.

Ratings shown are our own, built from independent research and from how Tai Tuivasa is regarded by the MMA community, with the EA Sports UFC games used only as a starting baseline for the scale. They are unofficial and do not constitute an assessment of Tai Tuivasa's real-world abilities. See the disclaimer below.