A layoff of 18 months, and yet the same result. If anyone had hopes that Tai Tuivasa would turn things around as he returned to fight in home territory, they were disappointed. The Sydney native suffered his 6th consecutive loss during UFC 325, headlined by the rematch between Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes. Outpointed by 15th-ranked contender Tallison Teixeira, Tuivasa has now drawn intense scrutiny from fans, with many calling for his removal from the UFC.
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Stepping into the cage as the 12th-ranked heavyweight contender, Tai Tuivasa was hoping to break the streak and secure a win that had eluded him ever since Ciryl Gane knocked him out back in 2022. Tallison Teixeira was better positioned, coming off his first career setback in a TKO loss to Derrick Lewis this past July. In the end, the Brazilian’s edge showed. Tuivasa’s future now hangs in the balance more than ever.
Tai Tuivasa fails to break losing streak vs. Tallison Teixeira at UFC 325
From the start, the fight clearly favored Teixeira. His size, reach, and precision striking gave him a major advantage over Tuivasa. It was clear that Tuivasa would struggle to get inside and could be stopped early if Teixeira landed a clean shot.
Teixeira controlled the fight with reach, pressure, and clean ground-and-pound, while Tuivasa’s aggression kept him competitive. Despite a strong showing in round three, Tuivasa couldn’t overcome Teixeira’s early control.
But fans’ reactions offered little encouragement. Jokingly calling for a matchup between Tuivasa and Derrick Lewis, one fan noted that, despite its action-packed moments, the fight was overall messy, with both fighters tired and clumsy.
Tai has now lost six in a row and is in a Tony Ferguson-like skid. ‘El Cucuy’ was never the same after the beating he took at the hands of a much younger Justin Gaethje back in 2020. He exited the promotion on an eight-fight skid. He has the third-highest winning streak at lightweight and the longest losing streak in UFC history. Tai’s path is starting to look a little too similar to the losing part of Tony’s legacy.
Imago
UFC 325 SYDNEY, Tai Tuivasa of Australia green shorts and Tallison Teixeira of Brazil black shorts during their heavyweight bout during the UFC 325 event at Qudos Bank Arena in in Sydney, Sunday, February 1, 2026. NO ARCHIVING, EDITORIAL USE ONLY SYDNEY NEW SOUTH WALES AUSTRALIA PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxAUSxNZLxPNGxFIJxVANxSOLxTGA Copyright: xDEANxLEWINSx 20260201165713123910
The Australian lost his step against Ciryl Gane, who ended his five-fight winning run. He has since been losing to the big names and the up-and-comers of the 265 lbs weight class.
Here’s how the internet reacted, with many calling for Tuivasa’s exit from the UFC.
Tuivasa gets no forgiveness from UFC fans
For instance, this fan didn’t hold back. “F**k Tai Tuivasa, cut him immediately. We’re tired of seeing these gassed-out fat f**ks do nothing different to prepare for their next fight. That was a main card fight? F**k that sh*t,” they said. Their frustration is understandable. At such a high level of competition, fans expect a slugfest with both fighters going all out.
Fuck Tai Tuivasa cut him immediately. We’re tired of seeing these gassed out fat fucks do nothing different to prepare for their next fight. That was a main card fight? Fuck that shit
Another felt Tuivasa was too lethargic and unambitious to feature in such big events. “Tai Tuivasa is a very lazy fighter; I’m done watching his fight… the UFC should cut him, mtcheeew.” Cage rust could be one reason why Tuivasa, despite offering resistance, couldn’t best Teixeira. Yet after consecutive defeats, that seems like a weak excuse.
The criticism went a bit too far when a user remarked, “Tai Tuivasa is the most ret**ded fighter I’ve ever seen.” Tai has never been known for his fight IQ. He has always been a heavy hitter, but there are smarter, stronger, and younger hitters in the division now. Take Sergei Pavlovich, for example. He KO’d Tuivasa in just 54 seconds back in 2022. The Russian is as technical as he is powerful, and Tai has done little to make up for the skill gap.
A more reasonable assessment came from a fan saying, “Tai Tuivasa has no business being in the UFC, man. Lmfao, dude’s f**king awful.” With both Tuivasa and Teixeira showing signs of fatigue as the fight progressed to the final round, it never regained its initial intensity.
A comic take had one fan saying, “Bro, this guy Tai Tuivasa, man, holy sh*t, bro hates winning.” That could be far from true, though. Tuivasa knows it best – a loss would put his entire career on the line.
While Tai Tuivasa may have been the target of critiques, the heavyweight division itself drew attention with tonight’s main card bout.
In typical MMA fan fashion, a few questioned even the fighters’ stamina and performance. More importantly, after today’s defeat, fans will watch to see if the UFC takes action instead of giving Tuivasa special treatment.
