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As he prepares to put on another display when he meets Sergei Pavlovich in the octagon this weekend, Tai Tuivasa has detailed why fighting at UFC 284 in Australia next year isn't of interest to him.
'Bam Bam' has emerged as one of the most loveable fighters in the sport since making an electrifying debut in the octagon five years ago. The seemingly full-of-life and warm-hearted athlete knows how to hype up the crowd, whether that be by delivering a highlight-reel knockout or drinking one of his notorious shoey's (a beer drank from someone's shoe).
While sitting down to complete his media obligations just days before his fight, Tai Tuivasa explained why he didn't want to wait two more months to step into the cage once again, despite UFC 284 being in his home country of Australia.
"They offered me the fight [in December]. [In] February, that means camp would have to be over Christmas and New Year's and I wanted to spend Christmas with my son... Definitely, I'll be there [at UFC 284]. Obviously, I'd love to fight in front of the Australian fans, but I've been pretty active, so I'm keen to finish the year off with a bang, get back in the winning column, and then have a bit of a rest... Christmas is a time for family and I've been away from home for a long time now... Sorry, Australia, but I'll be there in the crowd."
Despite being in good form of late, Tai Tuivasa is coming into this one as an underdog and must prove the betting line wrong when he stands across the octagon from the dangerous Sergei Pavlovich on December 3.
Check out what the popular heavyweight had to say about not fighting in Australia in the video below
What does UFC 284 in Australia look like without Tai Tuivasa?
While there are still several months to go before UFC 284 gets underway, MMA fans are being spoilt by the quality of the showcase headlined by the lightweight title fight between newly crowned king Islam Makhachev and the pound-for-pound #1 competitor in the world, Alexander Volkanovski.
In the champion's absence from the featherweight division, Yair Rodriguez will step in to face Josh Emmett in an interim-title fight, with the winner likely to welcome 'The Great' back when he returns.
Another huge matchup will see Paulo Costa compete against Robert Whittaker in enemy territory as the two elite-level middleweights push for another shot at the 185lb throne.
