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Australian Native Justin Tafa Looks To Produce Another Show-Stopping Knockout When He Collides With Tallison Teixeira At UFC 312 In Sydney
It’s been a long 11 months for New Zealand-born heavyweight Justin Tafa, who underwent two surgeries following his fight with Karl Williams in March.
Although the surgeries weren’t related to any injuries from that fight, Tafa had been dealing with nagging issues in his shoulder and arm, which were holding him back from reaching his full potential inside the Octagon.
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“Just had to get some work done on my body so I could fight a bit better and a bit more,” Tafa said. “Just waited my time and now I’m fully recovered.”
A healthy Justin Tafa is a dangerous one. He’s already knocked out three of his last five opponents in the first round. In the two fights he didn’t score an early finish, one ended with an accidental eye poke that forced the Octagonside physician to call the fight just 29 seconds in, and the other was a loss to Williams after stepping in on short notice for his injured brother, Junior.
Early in his UFC career, Tafa admits he was pushing for too much too soon, leading to a 1-3 record in his first four Octagon appearances. But now, he’s taking things one fight at a time, and allowing the UFC to control his path for the moment. As long as he stays focused and gets the results he knows he’s capable of, Tafa believes everything will fall into place. This approach has been paying off in recent years, as he’s become a must-see fighter with a string of highlight-reel knockouts.
“I think it’s just to not force my hand,” Tafa said, reflecting on the biggest lesson he’s learned since signing with the UFC. “I’ve said before I’m pushing for this, I’m pushing for that, but as long as I do the work and go out there and try my best, everything will work itself [out].”
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Looking to build on the momentum from his three knockouts in 2023, Tafa kicks off his 2025 campaign with an intriguing main card matchup against UFC debutant Tallison Teixeira.
Tafa’s most recent victory came the last time UFC touched down in Sydney for UFC 293, when Sean Strickland claimed the middleweight title with a victory over Israel Adesanya. Tafa ignited the crowd that night at Qudos Bank Arena with a one minute and 22 second knockout of Austen Lane, and he’s eager to do the same once again in front of his Australian fans.
“The last time I fought in Sydney, the crowd was deafening,” Tafa said. “I hope to see the same energy this time around.”
Standing in his way is a 6-foot-7 Brazilian heavyweight who earned a shot in the UFC following a first-round knockout on the latest season of Dana White’s Contender Series. At six feet tall, Tafa is no stranger to facing taller opponents, and he doesn’t think Teixeira’s height will ultimately make a difference in the fight’s end result on Saturday night.
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“This guy’s a big dude,” Tafa said. “[He] can finish guys and that’s pretty much it. It’s going to be a tough task, obviously, fighting somebody that tall, but a task that I’ve done before.”
While getting his hand raised is the top priority, Tafa also hopes to show fans and fellow heavyweight contenders how his striking has matured during his time away from competition. Does that mean Tafa won’t meet his opponents head on in the center of the Octagon and look for a knockout? No. In fact, he told UFC.com during fight week that he still plans to do exactly that against Teixeira, but it’s within those moments where he wants to see his technical skills shine through.
UFC 312: Du Plessis vs Strickland 2 took place live from Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney Olympic Park, New South Wales, Australia on February 8, 2024. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!
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