HOUSTON – As far as Tai Tuivasa (14-3 MMA, 7-3 UFC) is concerned, there’s really no reason to overcomplicate what’s going to happen when he steps in the cage with Derrick Lewis (26-8 MMA, 17-6 UFC).
The two sluggers meet in the co-main event of Saturday’s UFC 271 event at the Toyota Center, and “Bam Bam” believes breaking down how it’s likely to play out is about as simple as it comes.
“I’m definitely not going to go out there and wrestle him,” Tuivasa said with a laugh at Wednesday’s media day event. “It would have been my smarter side there, but, you know, I’m a banger as well, and I think that’s going to be the fight. It’s going to be, you know, the smartest fighter wins, and then the person who lands the hardest punch wins.”
While fighters will sometimes bluff a bit ahead of fights as a means of maskign their true gameplan, Tuivasa and Lewis really don’t need to take such an approach. Tuivasa has scored 13 of his 14 career wins via knockout, while Lewis boasts 21 of his 26 career victories in the same manner.
Tuivasa knows the two styles seem destined to deliver excitement, and he says that intrigues him just as much as it does fight fans.
“It’s a very exciting fight for me,” Tuivasa said. “It’s either I’m going to get my head taken off or I’m going to take his head off, so that’s why I fight. That’s what excites me, and I’m looking forward to putting a show on.”
While Tuivasa has clearly established himself as a fan favorite, he also knows he’ll have to play the enemy on Saturday night, at least for a little bit. Houston is Lewis’ hometown, of course, and the crowd will certainly favor “The Black Beast.”
“I don’t really care,” Tuivasa said. “Once the cage door closes, no one can help you anyway, you know what I mean? I’m going to expect a few boos. Obviously, I’m coming to his hometown, but that’s expected.”
Should Tuivasa end up being the one doing the head removing, he knows the boos won’t last too long. After all, his post-fight routine of chugging beer from a shoe tends to get a rise from a packed arena, so Tuivasa believes the fan support will shift quickly.
And if a fallen Lewis wants to add to the moment as he did following his last win by removing his protective cup, well, don’t expect Tuivasa to back down from a challenge.
“He can throw it to me when I win and I’ll do a cupey out of his ball guard, then,” Tuivasa said. “I’m keen.”
To see the full interview with Tuivasa, check out the video above.
