5 most vicious Tai Tuivasa KOs in the UFC

#2. Tai Tuivasa vs. Augusto Sakai - UFC 269

Tai Tuivasa truly came into his own in 2021 and emerged as a legitimate contender in the heavyweight division. Following his aforementioned KO victory over Greg Hardy, Tuivasa broke into the rankings. At UFC 269, the final pay-per-view of 2021, the fan-favorite Aussie took on Brazil's Augusto Sakai.

Sakai is a tough night out for most heavyweights, considering his size and exceptional boxing. Additionally, he was significantly more experienced than Tuivasa and this was evident in the first round. Both fighters clinched up numerous times in the opening five minutes, which prevented 'Bam Bam' from walking his opponent down as he usually does.

However, 20 seconds into the second stanza, Tuivasa found his range. He peppered Sakai with numerous heavy shots while backing him against the cage. With his opponent seemingly cornered, the Australian uncorked a right hook that knocked out his Brazilian counterpart.

The KO win over Augusto Sakai saw Tai Tuivasa claim the Brazilian's spot in the rankings. He advanced his professional record to 13-3 with the result. Moreover, with yet another high-profile win and customary post-fight celebration, Tuivasa's star power hit a whole new level.

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#1. Tai Tuivasa vs. Rashad Coulter - UFC Fight Night 121

Tai Tuivasa's best performance in the UFC octagon came in his promotional debut. He became the heavyweight champion of Australia's premier MMA organization, AFC, in just his fifth professional fight and subsequently defended his title in his sixth pro bout before signing with the UFC.

In his UFC debut, he took on Rashad Coulter at UFC Fight Night 121. The event went down at the Quodos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia, which is Tuivasa's home city. 'Bam Bam' looked jittery in the first few minutes, but his nerves seemingly settled as the fight progressed.

He patiently walked Coulter down and landed a couple of heavy calf-kicks. Four-and-a-half minutes into the first round, he landed another powerful calf-kick that dropped his opponent.

As his American counterpart got back to his feet, the Aussie heavyweight took flight and landed a perfectly placed flying knee to knock him out.

Tai Tuivasa's first fight in the UFC produced one of the best knockouts of his career so far. Flying knee KOs are already a rare entity in MMA and seeing a 265-pound heavyweight pull it off is truly a sight to behold.

His win over Rashad Coulter sent the Australian crowd in attendance into a frenzy. After the bout, UFC fans got their first look at the now-infamous shoey.