Tuivasa vs Hardy Analysis and Prediction

Tai Tuivasa (12-3) vs Greg Hardy (7-3)

Heavyweight (265)

Tai Tuivasa

Remarkably durable, Tuivasa only stoppage loss of recent memory was against the legendary JDS. Despite spending four years in the UFC, Tuivasa appears to have added little to his game. Still needing to bully opponents to succeed, Tuivasa will be walking onto Hardy’s power to pressure his opponent. If Tuivasa can hang with Hardy’s first-round power, then Bam Bam can easily dirty box the ex-NFL player against the cage. Moreover, there is no doubting the mental of Tuivasa unlike that of athlete turned fighter, Hardy.

Last time out against Harry Hunsucker, Tuivasa employed hard leg kicks from the opening bell. Although they were thrown blind, against the stationary target of Hardy, Tuivasa will find great success with kicks if mixed in with boxing combinations. There is a surprisingly level of head movement when closing distance, but it is still not on a level that Tuivasa’s aggression can be confidently backed against Hardy’s power.

Greg Hardy

Love him or hate him, Greg Hardy is a humungous Heavyweight. Possessing a huge reach, frame and power in both hands, Hardy is slowly improving with every fight in the UFC. More confident in the clinch, engaging in hand-fighting, attempting to make intelligent reads – they are all key pieces behind solid fighters. Unfortunately, as seen against Tybura, Hardy lacks the granite mental needed to climb the UFC rankings. After gassing and unable to raise his weight off the mat, he looked for a way out.

A better counter puncher than given credit for, Hardy is more than capable of timing his huge power on Tuivasa’s aggressive wading offence. When Hardy peppered Tybura’s liver shots, he was able to land hard counters on the panicked Pole. Tuivasa is a hittable fighter, and although durable, is vulnerable to the body. Hardy will have at least the first round to find the stoppage as his immense strength will be enough to keep the fight standing and off the cage.

Predicted Result: Tuivasa TKO Round 3

Tuivasa is a very poor fighter, but he has the chin and style that could break Hardy’s questionable mental. Although the ex-NFL player has made huge leaps in his skillset, his gas tank will forever remain an issue. The chance of Hardy catching a KO in the first round is likely. Tuivasa wades forward with little nuance, often relying on his natural durability, while Hardy can effectively time hard counters. Still, if Tuivasa can keep his head between his shoulders, his relentless pressure will eventually lead to overwhelming Hardy against the cage. Dirty boxing and leg kicks will drag Hardy into a world of trouble and force him to look for a way out by the end of their contest.

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