Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
ABC News
ABC News
Sport
Pacific Islands sports reporter Ali Almond

UFC 209: Tai Tuivasa's Samoan tattoo journey one of worst, and best, experiences of his life

"You can hear that tap forever in your life," Tai Tuivasa says as he describes the sound of bone on skin.

The Australian UFC star is talking about the process of the Tufuga, in which a Samoan tatau master drives a serrated bone or metal comb into the skin with a wooden mallet.

"I nearly passed out at one point it was that painful," he says.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.