UFC 269: Aussie star Tai Tuivasa continues meteoric rise with knockout win over Augusto Sakai

The US can’t get enough of Tai Tuivasa. Complemented by his trademark shoey celebration, the western Sydney star left the Las Vegas crowd in awe with a big knockout victory at UFC 269.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - DECEMBER 11: Tai Tuivasa of Australia celebrates his knockout victory over Augusto Sakai of Brazil during their heavyweight fight during the UFC 269 event at T-Mobile Arena on December 11, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Carmen Mandato/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==

Tai Tuivasa has confirmed his reputation as owner of Australia’s heaviest hands after securing a fourth straight UFC knockout – and signature shoey celebration – before a delirious Las Vegas crowd.

Already a huge cult favourite Stateside, Tuivasa continued his incredible UFC comeback story by crumpling Brazilian Augusto Sakai with a huge right hand at UFC 269 on Sunday.

On a run of three straight wins, the Mt Druitt slugger was done just 26 seconds into the second round after he thumped into his rival with no less than 12 punches as he backed into the cage – then dropped, unconscious.

Tai Tuivasa (right) launches a barrage of punches on his Brazilian opponent.

A moment which then saw all 120kg of Tuivasa leap onto the cage where he was tossed a sneaker, then a can of beer for his now famed celebration.

“I’m a banger from f***ing western Sydney,” Tuivasa shouted after completely demolishing the division’s No.11 contender. “And I’ll bang on with anyone.”

Asked who he wanted next, the exploding fan favourite who walked out to Aqua’s Barbie Girl, and continually had the crowd chanting his name through the first round said: “That’s not my job.

“I come here to put on a show for the crowd. I’ll fight anyone.

“I’m going home to spend Christmas with my baby boy, Carter Jesse. I love you son.

“Let’s f***ing party.”

One fighter the Australian would love to see next is UFC superstar Jon Jones, who is expected to make his anticipated move to heavyweight sometime in 2022.

Have shoe, will drink.

Speaking with News Corp in fight week, Tuiavsa said he was keen to be the ‘warm up’ fight for Jones, the former UFC light heavyweight champ.

Certainly, there is no doubting the growing popularity of the fighter dubbed Shoeyvasa.

Said one of the US commentators as he walked from T-Mobile arena, drinking from strangers shoes and then from schooners tipped down onto the walkway from above in the bleachers: “It’s the phenomenon storming across America -- Tai Tuivasa doing a shoey.

“And the shoe doesn’t matter.

“Give him a shoe and he’s got a beer. And the fans have a memory they will never forget.

“He’s one of the biggest stars we have.”

While the Jones fight may be a long shot for Tuivasa next, the former Sydney Roosters prop said he would love to welcome the polarising great whose lengthy rap sheet includes a September arrest for battery domestic violence.

Could UFC legend Jon Jones be on Tuivasa’s agenda in the new year?

“If Jon Jones needs a warm up fight some time in the new year, I’ll definitely step in with him,” Tuivasa said.

“First, I want to finish this year with a bang.

“Then in 2022, have a proper crack.

“And while Jon is probably the best fighter ever to step into an Octagon, if he comes to heavyweight he’ll definitely need a warm up fight. And I would definitely love to have that crack.”

Asked about Jones’ most recent Las Vegas arrest headlines, Tuivasa continued: “I don’t know too much about the ins and outs of it all.

“But from what I saw, what I read, yeah, bit of a **** head move on his behalf.

“But I leave all that up to the police or whatever.

Tuivasa shows off his power.

“I just know if he comes to heavyweight, I’ll definitely have a crack with him.”

Tuivasa entered the fight as a slight betting favourite with Las Vegas bookmakers, thanks largely to a winning streak that had seen him demolish his three previous rivals within a round.

The most recent of those, NFL bad boy Greg Hardy, came via a spectacular KO at UFC 264 in July.

The run represented a strong return to form for the proud western Sydney product, who entered the UFC with three straight wins before then losing as many in succession.

Sakai, meanwhile, had won his first four fights for the promotion before then being finished by Alistair Overeem and Jairzinho Rozenstruik.

Tuiavsa was solid in the first round, switching stances to land a strong left hand and then elbow to take the points from Sakai, who himself had some success with knees to the body.

But in the second … Bam Bam needed just 26 seconds.

While UFC 269 marked the promotion’s last major event for the year, 2022 shapes as undeniably the biggest in Australian MMA history.

After some early grappling, Tuivasa took charge.

In February, Australia’s first UFC champion Robert Whittaker will finally get his hyped rematch with Israel Adesanya at UFC 271 in Houston, Texas on NFL Superbowl weekend.

It has now been two years since Adesanya took Whittaker’s strap by second round KO in front of almost 60,000 fans in Melbourne.

In January, rising Australian welterweight Jack Della Maddalena will makes his Octagon debut at UFC 270 while featherweight champ Alex Volkanovski will also defend in the first third of the year.

Volkanovski will almost certainly rematch Hawaiian great Max Holloway, who he not only took the title from but then defended against, albeit via a contentious split decision.

Maddalena, meanwhile, will take on Brazilian Warlley Alves inside Anaheim’s Honda Center on January 23.

Tuiavasa is also now headed for a huge fight against someone in the heavyweight top 10.