When fighters pull out of a card, fans groan. When it happens over and over, outrage explodes. Few things test the UFC audience’s patience more than cancellations, especially when they derail a highly anticipated event. Colby Covington and Belal Muhammad live it daily: fans dissect every post, every move—sometimes for fair reasons, often not. That’s how the UFC fanbase rolls.

The Tafa brothers, Justin and Junior have built reputations as knockout artists from Auckland, New Zealand, but their UFC legacies are being overshadowed by something else: an alarming pattern of withdrawals. Across their careers, the Samoan duo have stacked up a staggering 12 canceled fights, six each, leaving fans questioning their reliability.

At first, the matchup had fans buzzing, but then the update hit. According to ‘westtilldeath’ on Instagram: “junior tafa pulled out his bout against ibo aslan.” As a result, fans erupted, furious that Junior Tafa, set for the co-main event, had withdrawn once more. Meanwhile, Justin Tafa still plans to fight Louie Sutherland on the prelims.

Even so, that hasn’t cooled the anger. Instead, fans lump the brothers together, hammering home a staggering stat: 12 canceled UFC fights between them—six each. With patience wearing thin, the story of the Samoan brothers has taken a turn. Their repeated withdrawals now define their reputations, and fans are voicing a clear demand from Dana White and the UFC. Let’s see what they’re saying.

Fans call on Dana White and UFC to axe “clown” Tafa brothers

Junior Tafa’s latest pullout won’t shock anyone following his UFC rollercoaster. The 28-year-old has built a career full of missed opportunities and cancellations. His highly anticipated debut at UFC 284 in February 2023 against Austen Lane fell apart when Lane withdrew. The UFC quickly rebooked him against Waldo Cortes-Acosta—but this time, Tafa pulled out due to injury. A year later, he was set to face Karl Williams at UFC on ESPN 53, only to withdraw again, with brother Justin Tafa stepping in.

Fans had had enough: “Cut these clowns,” one wrote. Another added, “Time to find a job, buddy.” Frustration peaked in May 2025, when Tafa’s bout with Tuco Tokkos at UFC on ESPN 67 fell through after both fighters suffered injuries. Although the promotion rescheduled the fight for July, fans stayed furious—especially given Justin Tafa’s similar track record. One fan didn’t mince words: “Both of these guys should’ve been cut ages ago.”

Justin Tafa hasn’t fared much better. Across his UFC career, six scheduled fights collapsed. He pulled out in July 2020 against Raphael Pessoa, then withdrew from UFC on ESPN 35 in April 2022, and later from UFC 277 against Don’Tale Mayes. Fans continued to vent: “Cut both of the brothers, absolutely a-s,” one wrote. Another piled on: “Cut both the tafas ni–as are buns they’ll do better anywhere where wrestling ISNT involved.”

Critics argue the Tafas lean too heavily on knockout power, leaving glaring weaknesses in grappling and cardio—expected given their kickboxing backgrounds. Injuries compounded the problem. In February 2024, Justin pulled out from UFC 298 against Marcos Rogério de Lima on the eve of the event, with Junior Tafa stepping in. Later, Justin withdrew from UFC 308 against Kennedy Nzechukwu, and in June 2025, he pulled out from UFC 317 against Jhonata Diniz. Fans are losing patience: “How is he in the UFC still? The guy is so unprofessional.”

The bigger question: why are the Tafas still here? The UFC has historically cut fighters for far less—injury-plagued heavyweights like Todd Duffee and Luis Henrique never got this many chances. The brothers, though, bring knockout potential, Samoan pride, and a marketable fighting style that, when it works, makes highlight reels. That may explain Dana White’s patience—but fan outrage suggests the goodwill is gone.

The UFC has never tolerated fighters who repeatedly jeopardize fight cards. Yet the Tafa brothers remain on the roster. With fan outrage simmering and patience evaporating, all eyes now turn to Dana White and the promotion. Will the UFC finally take action, or will the Tafas get another lifeline?