Outside Source
Justin Tafa (7-5, 1 NC) was booked at UFC Perth at the end of September against Louie Sutherland, but an illness during his weight cut prompted his removal from the lineup. As a result of the late-notice fight scratch, Tafa received his walking papers, and he subsequently announced this news Tuesday on social media.
The Kiwi ends his time with the promotion with a record below .500, with four wins opposite five defeats and a no contest. All of his career wins have come by knockout within two rounds. However, ahead of UFC Fight Night 199 in late 2021, Tafa missed weight before his match with Harry Hunsucker. While he dispatched Hunsucker with a head kick in under two minutes, he became the first heavyweight in company history to exceed the 266-pound limit.
What a Ride, Says Tafa
While Tafa did not outright announce his retirement from MMA or combat sports as a whole, he did note that he needed to take some time off.
“Taking time out of this fight game,” Tafa wrote. “The body and mind needs time to recover, six major surgeries in the last three years does that to you. Time to enjoy the other fruits of life for now and enjoy watching my kids grow. Thank you [UFC] had some good times in there. God willing If I return to fight again I will be a lot healthier and able to show you my true potential. If not then God has something else planned in store for me. I appreciate all the support and love, you guys pushed me on when I thought I couldn’t. What a ride.”
Tafa, the older brother of fellow heavyweight Junior Tafa, achieved a unique feat in early 2024. Justin was scheduled to face Marcos Rogerio de Lima at UFC 298, but he was forced out of the match and replaced the day before the event by Junior. One month later, and Justin replaced injured brother Junior against Karl Williams at UFC on ESPN 53. Unfortunately for the Tafa brothers, they both lost their switched matchups.
This article first appeared at Recent News on Sherdog.com
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