No one in MMA may be flying higher than Tai Tuivasa right now — and “Bam Bam” is hoping to keep things going with a bout against a former UFC heavyweight champion.
Tuivasa put on the best performance of his career in February when he knocked out Derrick Lewis in the co-main event of UFC 271. It was Tuivasa’s fifth straight win, and it rocketed him up to No. 4 in MMA Fighting’s heavyweight rankings. The king of the shoesy hopes he can continue his climb against Stipe Miocic, a former champion.
“I just think that that’s the fight,” Tuivasa said Wednesday on The MMA Hour. “He’s in front of me, yeah? That’s the man I would like to fight. I was asked who I’d like to fight and I think that’s who I’d like to fight because he’s been around, he’s older, and I don’t think he’ll have many more left. I’d like to have a crack at him before he goes.”
Miocic currently sits one spot above Tuivasa in the UFC’s own rankings, however, it’s unclear if Miocic would have any interest in facing Tuivasa. He wants to fight Francis Ngannou in a three-fight series or with Jon Jones. Tuivasa thinks that Ngannou will be out at the very least until the end of this year. Jones’ mercurial nature makes it logical for him to work back up the ladder.
“I’m up there now,” Tuivasa said. If I were No. 11, I wouldn’t be a d***head and go, ‘Oh, Stipe.’ But my name says No. 3 next to it and he’s No. 2, so I just think that [makes sense]. He’s the greatest heavyweight ever, and I think that 2, so I just believe that [makes sense]. Like , the knockout king .
“He’s the best heavyweight in the world, I don’t see why not. … I think [Ciryl] Gane and the rest of the boys will be around for a little bit, as in I’ll probably see them, and I reckon Stipe Miocic probably doesn’t have too many fights left. That’s someone I’d like to say I fought before he goes. JDS [Junior dos Santos], beat me, but I still have the honor of fighting him. This is what I love about fighting. At least I tried, I won. Sometimes I’ve lost and sometimes I’ve won — that’s another fight I reckon I’d like to challenge myself [with].”
But, of course, what a fighter wants and what a fighter gets are not always the same thing. With Ngannou sidelined for the rest of the year — and potentially done with the UFC for good — rumors have circulated about a potential interim title fight between Miocic and Jones. Tuivasa may be forced to fight someone else if that happens. This would make Tuivasa’s situation less attractive for the Australian, who is suddenly on the rise.
“I want to climb,” Tuivasa stated. I’m currently on a 5-fight win streak. If I had just come in, done nothing, and not beaten anybody and was like that , I would be on a five fight win streak. It’s No. 3 next to my name, and like you said, he’s No. 2. Doesn’t that make sense? It’s not easy math, but it all adds up .”
