Stefan Struve vs. Tai Tuivasa slated for UFC 254 on Oct. 24
Stefan Struve vs. Tai Tuivasa added to UFC 254 on Oct. 24.
Tai Tuivasa (9-3 MMA, 3-3 UFC) will look to bounce back against MMA vet Stefan Struve (29-12 MMA, 13-10 UFC) in a heavyweight bout at UFC 254, which takes place on Oct. 24 at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, UFC officials announced on Thursday.
After smashing his way to a perfect 9-0 record with three UFC wins, Tuivasa has dropped his past three to Junior dos Santos, Blagoy Ivanov and, not long ago, Sergey Spivak at UFC 243 in October. The dangerous striker will look for a KO in this fight, as he always does, but this is a potentially job saving fight for Tai Tuivasa, after losing three back to back their will be more pressure on the Aussie heading into this one.
Struve, is also in a similar position, the Dutchman has only won one of his last four fights. He is coming off being knocked out by Ben Rothwell on UFC On ESPN 7 . Before that loss, he subdued Marco Rogerio Pezao De Lima at UFC Prague. Here’s what Struve said about his last fight what ended in controversial fashion:
“I don’t hold any animosity against Ben, because I don’t think he threw those kicks on purpose,” Struve said. “I do think you are responsible for what you throw in that cage. Even if it wasn’t intentional, they did their due and the fight changed completely in my opinion, after those shots.
“So even though I made the decision to continue, nine out of 10 fighters they’ll continue, that’s the thing. You get kind of screwed by the rules in my opinion, you need to be protected more.”
With the addition, the UFC 254 lineup includes:
Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Justin Gaethje – for UFC lightweight title
Jared Cannonier vs. Robert Whittaker
Rafael dos Anjos vs. Islam Makhachev
Walt Harris vs. Alexander Volkov
Magomed Ankalaev vs. Ion Cutelaba
Cynthia Calvillo vs. Lauren Murphy
Umar Nurmagomedov vs. Sergey Morozov
Sam Alvey vs. Da Un Jung
Liana Jojua vs. Miranda Maverick
Shavkat Rakhmonov vs. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos
Phil Hawes vs. Jacob Malkoun
Stefan Struve vs. Tai Tuivasa
