Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Culture

The Manual may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

Everything You Need to Know About Tai Tuivasa Before UFC 264

Lucas Coll
By
Image used with permission by copyright holder

MMA fans around the world are eagerly anticipating UFC 264, where star fighter Conor McGregor and number one-ranked lightweight Dustin Poirier are having their trilogy bout in an event that’s likely to be the biggest ticket-seller of the year. There are some other exciting matchups on the main card, though, and one pits Australian heavyweight Tai Tuivasa against former NFL player Greg Hardy. If you want to learn more about some of these fighters before you watch UFC 264 online this evenin, read on to see everything you need to know about Tai Tuivasa.

Then 28-year-old Tuivasa was born in Sydney, Australia in 1993 to an Aboriginal mother and Samoan father. One of 12 children, he took an interest in playing rugby as a youth, and in 2010, Tuivasa was signed by the professional Sydney Roosters rugby club. His rugby career was short-lived, as he retired from the sport after developing a gambling addiction.

Discover UFC 264

Recommended Videos

Tuivasa took up professional fighting not long thereafter, making his pro MMA debut in 2012 and his pro boxing debut in 2013. He racked up a boxing record of five wins and two losses between 2013 and 2016; in MMA, the Australian heavyweight established himself as a knockout artist and was signed by the UFC in late 2016 after winning all six of his fights — each one a victory by knockout.

Related

His UFC debut came about a year later in November 2017. Tuivasa won his first three bouts handily, taking the first two by knockout (bringing his knockout string to eight) and his third by decision. That decision victory, while unanimous, might have been a foreboding sign that his momentum was starting to slow: His next three matchups all ended in defeat — one by TKO, one by decision, one by submission — bringing his nine-win streak to a screeching halt.

Tuivasa recovered from his one-year slump and returned to form at UFC 254 last October, where he defeated Stefan Struve with a first-round KO one second before the bell rang. A few months later in March of this year, he clinched another TKO win over Harry Hunsucker at UFC Fight Night: Brunson vs. Holland, bringing his professional MMA record to 11-3.

More UFC

The betting odds currently slide in Tuivasa’s favor for his next showdown against Greg Hardy at UFC 264, and we’ll see tonight if the Australian heavyweight will continue his upward climb with a third win. If you want to watch UFC 264 online, then now’s the time to sign up for ESPN+ and grab the UFC 264 PPV so you can stream all the action live. The main card begins at 10 PM ET/7 PM PT.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Lucas Coll
Lucas Coll
Lucas Coll is a freelance commerce and affiliate writer for The Manual and our tech-focused brother site, Digital Trends…
Charles Oliveira’s Record Going into UFC 274 & Best Performances
Charles Oliveira fighting Tony Ferguson at UFC 256.

On Saturday night in Phoenix, Arizona, UFC Lightweight Champion Charles "Do Bronx" Oliveira is facing down top title contender Justin "The Highlight" Gaethje in one of the most highly anticipated fights of the year. This will be Oliveira's second title defense since winning the belt in 2021. If you're looking to watch UFC 274 online this weekend and want to know more about the defending champ, we've picked out a few of the best fights and finishes from his long MMA career. After reading up, be sure to sign up for ESPN+ and grab the pay-per-view so you can stream UFC 274 live.

Charles Oliveira has been a staple of the UFC lightweight roster for more than a decade and has racked up an incredible record of 32 wins, eight losses, and one no-contest throughout his professional career. "Do Bronx," so nicknamed due to his poor upbringing in a favela in Sao Paolo, Brazil, seemed an unlikely candidate to become UFC Lightweight Champion. His journey through the division has been long and bumpy, and he has bounced between lightweight, featherweight, and catchweight during his 12 years with the UFC. You could write a short book about Oliveira's 41 professional bouts, but here are five of the champion's best and most career-defining finishes leading up to UFC 274:
UFC on Versus 2: Oliveira vs. Elkins
Oliveira's career with the Ultimate Fighting Championship began in 2010 when he made his league debut at UFC on Versus 2. There, he faced Darren Elkins at lightweight. After a rocky start with Elkins seeming to take the high ground early on, Oliveira immediately recovered from a slam to the mat and submitted his foe in the first minute of the first round with an armbar. It was a fitting preview of things to come, marking the beginning of Oliveira's knack for upsets as well as his run as one of the top submission artists in the lightweight division; a whopping 20 of his 32 professional victories have come via submission.
UFC Fight Night 170: Oliveira vs. Lee
UFC Fight Night 170 was notable for being the last show in 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic forced the promotion to postpone further events. Charles Oliveira faced Kevin Lee, another top 10 lightweight, as the headliner on the main card in front of an empty arena. The event took place in Oliveira's home country of Brazil, and although Lee was favored to win, Do Bronx clinched an upset victory with a guillotine choke submission in the first minute of the third round. This win earned Oliveira a co-headlining spot on the UFC 256 main card against Tony Ferguson, setting him up as a real contender for a future title shot. Oliveira's victory at UFC Fight Night 170 also accelerated his upward trajectory which would soon culminate in him becoming the champion of one of the most top-heavy divisions in the UFC.
UFC 256: Oliveira vs. Ferguson

Read more
What Channel Is UFC on Tonight? Tune In to UFC 273 Live
ufc 273 ppv deal volkanovski vs the korean zombie head to

UFC 273 is here, and it's happening tonight. Alexander Volkanovski is taking on The Korean Zombie starting at 10 p.m. ET at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville Florida. If you're looking to watch live on the right UFC channel then you've come to the right place. We'll tell you exactly how and where to stream the event and what it's going to cost you. But first, some of the highlights. Besides the main card, Aljamain Sterling is taking on Petr Yan in a Bantamweight title bout, Burns is going head-to-head with Chimaev in a standard Welterweight bout, and the Women's Strawweight bout will feature Dern vs. Torres. As one of the biggest pay-per-view events for April, you'll need to pay up if you want to live stream the UFC fight. Here's everything you need to know about it, including where you can tune in.

These days, all UFC pay-per-views air live only on ESPN+ which means they're not available, legally, on any other networks. It is worth mentioning that only the main card is considered the pay-per-view event, so you'll need to sign-up for ESPN+ if you want to watch the big one: For tonight that's Volkanovski vs. The Korean Zombie. The main card, or the big fight, starts at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. Of course, that's not the only fight happening tonight. The early prelims and preliminary card fights are also airing on ESPN+, but you can watch those elsewhere if you want. A local pub, maybe?

Read more
What Time Is the UFC Fight Tonight? UFC 273 Schedule
ufc 273 time volkanovski vs the korean zombie feature image face to weigh in 720x720

If you have any interest in UFC and MMA fighting then you already know -- tonight is the big night, and UFC 273 will be kicking off for all to see. At the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville Florida, Alexander Volkanovski will step into the Octagon with Chan Sung Jung Aka "The Korean Zombie." It's sure to be a riveting bout!

The big question, of course, is what is the correct UFC 273 time? When should you tune in? There are 13 bouts planned in total, with five primary fight cards on deck, including the main event, four during the preliminaries, and four during the early preliminaries, all happening at different times. If you've got some big plans to sit back and watch the UFC 273 live stream online, here's when you'll need to tune in.

Read more