Tai Tuivasa didn’t want to fight in Australia in February.
With the promotion returning to Australia for UFC 284 in Perth on February 11 – February 12 in Australia, many expected Tuivasa, who is from Australia, to be on the card. Instead, he is set to return to the Octagon at UFC Orlando this Saturday against Sergei Pavlovich, which is what the UFC offered him.
Tai Tuivasa Wanted to Be Home for the Holidays
“They offered me the fight and February which means camp would have to be over Christmas and New Years,” Tuivasa said at UFC Orlando media day. “I wanted to spend Christmas with my son. It popped up and I thought it was a good opportunity to get paid and enjoy Christmas.”
When asked if there was any chance he would fight on the card, Tuivasa made it clear he will be at UFC 284 but won’t be fighting. He wants to spend time with his family and is excited to eat and drink over the holidays and enjoy the UFC’s return to Australia as a fan.
Will Tai Tuivasa Be at UFC 284?
“Definitely. I’ll be there,” Tuivasa added. “Obviously, I’d love to fight in front of the Australian fans, but I’ve been pretty active and I’m keen to finish the year off with a bang and get back in the winning column and have a bit of a rest… Look, I’m more excited to be pissed by the side of the ring than starving myself over Christmas. Christmas is a time for family, and I’ve been away from home for a long time now, and I think that’s one thing I’m excited about. So, sorry Australia, I’ll be there in the crowd.”
Tuivasa (15-4-0) is coming off a TKO loss to Ciryl Gane at UFC Paris in September. The loss snapped his five-fight win streak with all the wins by KO as he beat Derrick Lewis, Augusto Sakai, Greg Hardy, Harry Hunsucker, and Stefan Struve. The Aussie has been in the UFC since 2017 and has a record of 8-4 inside the Octagon.
