TLDR
- Tallison Teixeira defeated Tai Tuivasa by unanimous decision (29-28 on all scorecards) at UFC 325 in Sydney
- Teixeira dominated rounds one and two with takedowns and ground control before nearly being finished in round three
- The loss was Tuivasa’s sixth consecutive defeat, extending his skid since February 2022
- Fans have called for Tuivasa to consider retirement following the emotional loss in his home country
- Teixeira bounced back from his first career loss to Derrick Lewis and proved he could win a decision
Sources: MMA Fighting | Bloody Elbow | BJ Penn
Tallison Teixeira earned a unanimous decision victory over Tai Tuivasa at UFC 325 in Sydney, Australia on Saturday night, surviving a dangerous third-round rally to win 29-28 on all three judges’ scorecards. The loss extended Tuivasa’s skid to six consecutive defeats, prompting emotional reactions from fans calling for the popular heavyweight to consider retirement.
Teixeira, fighting in Tuivasa’s home country, dominated the opening two rounds with a grappling-heavy approach before nearly losing everything in a dramatic final frame.
Early Dominance Through Grappling Control
The Brazilian wasted no time implementing his game plan in the first round. After Tuivasa came out throwing heavy punches, Teixeira quickly secured a takedown and brought the fight to the mat.
Teixeira trapped Tuivasa against the cage and unleashed punches and elbows while the Australian struggled to return to his feet. After briefly standing, Tuivasa was tripped back to the canvas where Teixeira moved into full mount and continued his methodical attack.
The second round followed a similar pattern. Tuivasa started aggressively and landed a stiff right hand that seemed to hurt Teixeira, but the Brazilian stayed composed and fired back with his own combination before securing another takedown.
Once on the ground, Teixeira moved to a superior position and rained down punches on Tuivasa, who remained stuck underneath. Despite the suffocating pressure, Teixeira couldn’t secure a finish before the round ended.
Desperate Third Round Nearly Changes Everything
With Teixeira clearly exhausted entering the final round, Tuivasa knew he needed a finish to win. In a puzzling decision, Tuivasa grabbed the clinch instead of staying at striking range where he could land the knockout blow he desperately needed.
When Tuivasa finally broke free, he unloaded brutal combinations that badly rattled Teixeira and left him nearly unconscious on his feet. Somehow Teixeira survived, though Tuivasa appeared equally exhausted as the clock continued ticking.
Tuivasa launched another barrage of punches that put Teixeira in survival mode. A big elbow sent Teixeira to the canvas with Tuivasa landing on top of him, but the Australian couldn’t find the finish before the horn sounded.
“He’s a tough guy,” Teixeira said after the fight. “I gave my best. I’m exhausted. He’s a tough guy. He’s a knockout artist. My plan is to get him down and go to work.”
The victory marked Teixeira’s return to the win column after suffering the first loss of his career to Derrick Lewis by TKO in July 2025. Prior to that setback, Teixeira’s record featured nothing but first-round finishes, making this three-round decision a test of his ability to go the distance.
For Tuivasa, the loss was his sixth in a row since knocking out Derrick Lewis at UFC 271 in February 2022. The emotional toll of the losing streak has led many fans to describe his performance as heartbreaking and urge the fighter to consider his future in the sport.
Teixeira improved his record to 9-1, while Tuivasa fell to 14-9 in his MMA career. The fight took place on the main card of UFC 325, which was headlined by Alexander Volkanovski defending his title against Diego Lopes.
