Tai Tuivasa locks in heavyweight slugfest with Marcin Tybura at UFC 298

Bam Bam is ready to get back to work, with his next fight locked in after an underwhelming end to 2023.

Tai Tuivasa will be back in action early next year. Picture: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Tai Tuivasa will be back in action on February 17 on the same UFC 298 card as Alex Volkanovski’s featherweight title defence against Ilia Topuria.

The ninth ranked Tuivasa has officially locked in a comeback fight against number 10 Marcin Tybura.

UFC 296: Edwards vs. Covington | SUN 17th DEC 2PM AEDT | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports. Starting January 2024, Main Event on Kayo Sports and Foxtel will be the exclusive home of UFC Pay-Per-View events in Australia.

The card is scheduled to take place in Anaheim, meaning the fight will happen on February 18 Australian time, with Tuivasa looking to snap a three-fight losing streak.

He was most recently submitted in the second round of an all-action bout with Alexander Volkov in Sydney in September.

“It’s big. I watched (the Volkov fight) back over and it was a good fight,” Tuivasa told this masthead. “It just didn’t go my way. I had a few injuries and that, but I’m ready to get on the roll again.

“I’m ready to get back in 2024.”

Tuivasa carried some injuries into his fight with Alexander Volkov in September. Picture: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC/Getty Images

Tuivasa has been training on the Gold Coast, with the UFC confirming the February bout this week.

His defeat to Volkov came after back-to-back losses to Cyril Gane and Sergei Pavlovich last year.

A win over Gane could have propelled Tuivasa into a heavyweight title shot against Jon Jones, and he wants to get back into the top five of the rankings next year.

Tuivasa has been linked to a fight with Tybura for years.

‘Bam Bam’ earned a $50,000 bonus in his UFC debut when he knocked out Rashad Coulter on the prelims to the Polish fighter’s unanimous decision defeat to Fabricio Werdum in Sydney in 2017.

Marcin Tybura (L) is a dangerous veteran. Picture: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

“He’s been around and he’s done it all,” Tuivasa said of Tybura. “It’s gonna be a really good fight.”

Tuivasa joins Volkanovski for the second pay-per-view card of 2024, with fellow Aussie Justin Tafa also looking to confirm a spot on the blockbuster card.

Tybura has fought a who’s who of the heavyweight division, boasting wins over Stefan Struve, Ben Rothwell, Greg Hardy and Walt Harris.

In his most recent bout in July, the 38-year-old was knocked out by current interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall.

Originally published as Tai Tuivasa locks in heavyweight slugfest with Marcin Tybura at UFC 298