Domino's Pizza has joined the chorus of critics taking aim at Tai Tuivasa after the heavyweight fighter's latest setback extended his losing streak to seven fights—a skid that has fans and even pizza chains calling for him to hang up his gloves.
It wasn't always this way for 'Bam Bam.' Back in 2022, Tuivasa was the toast of the UFC's heavyweight division, riding a wave of five straight finishes that had him knocking on the door of title contention. But since then, the Australian slugger has been stuck in a brutal tailspin, unable to get back in the win column.
This weekend's loss was the straw that broke the camel's back—or in this case, the pizza box. The Georgian social media account for Domino's Pizza, a brand Tuivasa once worked for, couldn't resist getting in on the action. After MMA reporter Giorgi Kokiashvili resurfaced an old photo of Tuivasa in his Domino's uniform, the pizza chain's account responded to a comment about a half-eaten delivery with a simple, devastating jab: "Wrestle."
The dig cuts deep because it highlights a glaring weakness that has emerged in Tuivasa's game. While his earlier losses to elite strikers like Ciryl Gane and Sergei Pavlovich were largely stand-up battles, his recent defeats have exposed a vulnerability on the ground. In his latest outing, opponent Sutherland went 5-for-8 on takedown attempts and racked up over 12 minutes of control time, cruising to a unanimous decision victory.
Tuivasa's coach had expressed optimism earlier this year that a long layoff would help his fighter reset and show improvement. And while there were flashes of the old 'Bam Bam' in the Octagon, the results simply haven't followed. For a fighter who once seemed destined for greatness, the path forward now looks increasingly uncertain—with even a pizza chain piling on the pressure.
