UFC 331 will decide whether Tai Tuivasa stops a seven-fight losing run or suffers a defeat that would tie an unwanted UFC record. The heavyweight is on the prelim card in Los Angeles and has shifted his preparation, training at American Top Team for the past few months as he seeks to reverse the skid.
Tuivasa, 33, arrives under clear pressure. He has lost seven straight fights and will face Robelis Despaigne, who is making his first outing since re-signing with the promotion. The card’s main event is a flyweight title fight between Joshua Van and Alexandre Pantoja.
The prospect of another loss prompted Tuivasa to change camps and work with coaches and partners at American Top Team. He described the move in a video on the UFC Australia Instagram account, saying, "I feel good, I definitely feel like I need to be here (at ATT) to get, just to put it all together." He added, "I've put everything in so it's up to me. Not saying I haven't in the past, I just think, yeah, I just want to fight. I just want to win. And again, it's not, I just want to win. Like I said, I've put in the work, and you know, what can I do? I can only go in there and put it all together."
When asked by a fan whether a return to a title run remains possible now that Ciryl Gane has been upgraded to undisputed champion, Tuivasa framed longer-term goals behind the immediate task of securing a victory. "Is that a funny question?" he replied. "The champ I'm coming for I just need to get a win first," he said, making clear that a single positive result is his current priority.
The immediate consequence of the bout is binary: a win stops the skid and preserves Tuivasa’s standing in the UFC, while a loss would tie him with the promotion’s longer losing streaks and deepen scrutiny over his future with the organisation. Either result will shape his next career steps and determine whether the move to American Top Team paid off in time for this fight.
