Tai Tuivasa suffered his seventh straight defeat this Saturday night at UFC Perth. The Australian lost to Louie Sutherland by unanimous decision of the judges. The fight opened the main card at RAC Arena, in Perth.
Sutherland controlled the fight on the ground for most of the three rounds. Ele managed repeated takedowns and kept Tuivasa in the dominant position. The result came out with scores of 30-26 three times. Tuivasa even lost a point at the end for an illegal knee to his opponent’s head while he was down.
Sutherland imposes dominance on the floor from the start
The Englishman, who joined with eight days’ notice, took advantage of the opportunity. Ele took down Tuivasa several times in the first round and avoided the stand-up striking that the local crowd favorite tends to look for. Sutherland repeated the strategy in the following rounds. Ele accumulated control time on the ground and limited the Australian’s offensive actions.
Tuivasa tried to get up and respond with punches, but found it difficult to keep his distance. The audience at Perth supported the home fighter with screams throughout the performance. Mesmo thus, the rhythm imposed by the opponent prevailed.
- Sutherland got takedowns in all three rounds
- Tuivasa was penalized one point for an illegal knee
- The Englishman scored his first UFC victory after two previous defeats
Tuivasa reaches the worst moment of his UFC career
Tuivasa’s negative streak now counts seven fights without a win. Ele hasn’t won since February 2022, when he knocked out Derrick Lewis. Desde then faced the likes of Ciryl Gane, Sergei Pavlovich and others in the heavyweight division.
The 33-year-old fighter was coming off a decision loss to Tallison Teixeira in February this year at UFC 325. The fight at Perth represented a chance to bounce back at home. Ele entered with a record of 15-9 in MMA and 8-9 in UFC before the match.
Fã favorite recognizes pressure, but rules out retirement
Após the result, Tuivasa made his first public statement about the future. Ele responded directly to requests for retirement that surfaced on social media. The Australian assured that he will not give up on his career.
Ele admitted that the situation is delicate, but reinforced his commitment to the sport. Tuivasa highlighted the support of the fans and the role it still plays in attracting audiences to the events. The statement came just hours after the fight ended at RAC Arena.
Detalhes of the fight and athletes’ performance
Sutherland, 10-5 overall, improved his record to 1-2 in the UFC. Ele showed the fitness to support the game plan against a more experienced opponent. Control on the ground was the main factor in the clear victory on the cards.
Tuivasa had moments of trying to react, but was unable to land any significant blows. The penalty in the third round reflected a moment of frustration. The local public filled part of the arena and created a special atmosphere for the heavyweight clash.
What lies ahead for both fighters
The win gives Sutherland a boost in the division. Ele could gain more opportunities in the UFC after overcoming a well-known name. Para Tuivasa, the path remains uncertain within the organization. The recent history weighs in the assessment of its permanence.
The UFC Perth main card continued after the fight with other high-profile clashes, including the participation of Jack Della Maddalena. The night marked the return of several Australian athletes to the octagon.