UFC 269: Oliveira vs Poirier- Prelims: Augusto Sakai vs Tai Tuivasa- Prediction and Analysis

UFC 269 will take place inside the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on 11th December. This is one of the biggest and last pay-per-view events of the year. It will feature two amazing title fights on the main card.

In the main event, Charles Oliveira will defend his lightweight gold against the challenger Dustin Poirier. Furthermore, an intriguing women’s bantamweight title bout between Amanda Nunes and Julianna Pena will serve as the co-main event.

Interestingly, apart from the title fights and the main card, the preliminary card will also feature some amazing bouts. One of them is the heavyweight clash between Augusto Sakai and Tai Tuivasa.

Augusto Sakai made his UFC debut in 2018. He won four straight fights right after his debut and made a mark in the division. Unfortunately, the Brazilian faced devastating losses in his two previous bouts. He is currently #11 in the heavyweight division.

WATCH THIS STORY: Dustin Poiriers Grueling Training Routine for His Title Fight Against Charles Oliveira at UFC 269

Meanwhile, ‘Bam Bam’ is unranked in the heavyweight division. However, he made himself famous among the UFC fans with his stunning performances. Debuted in 2017, Tai has three setbacks in UFC. However, the Australian is currently on a three-fight undefeated streak.

It is an important fight for both the heavyweight combatants, as a win will take them a step further in the title race. So ahead of this intriguing heavyweight bout, let’s compare the careers, strengths, and weaknesses of both men for a possible outcome.

Augusto Sakai vs Tai Tuivasa- Clash of the Heavyweight Giants

Augusto Sakai has a professional fighting record of 15-3 under his name. He is a skilled knockout artist and has 11 knockout finishes on his MMA resume. However, the Brazilian is going through a rough phase currently.

On the other hand, the surging UFC fighter ‘Bam Bam’ has gradually improved his skill set. He has a professional MMA record of 13-3 under his name. He is a skilled finisher with eleven wins via a knockout on his fighting resume.

Talking about the fight, Sakai has a one-inch height and two-inch reach advantage over Tuivasa. However, the latter possesses good knockout power in his hands and will immensely pressure the Brazilian in the fight.

ALSO READ: “I Didn’t Have Much Desire to Do That” – Khamzat Chimaev Reveals the Reason Behind Refusing to Be Part of Mike Tyson’s Podcast

The Brazilian lands an average of 0.14 takedowns per 15 min with a 50% accuracy. And as striking might not work against ‘Bam Bam,’ Sakai will have to use his ground game against in the fight.

Even though Sakai lands an average of 5.1 strikes per minute, he has used little of it in his previous bouts. Meanwhile, ‘Bam Bam’ with his amazing striking skills has destroyed his previous opponents in the very first round and we can expect him to do the same in this fight.