Kiwi heavyweight books UFC return after surgery

By Christopher Reive

This year has not gone to plan for Justin Tafa.

The Kiwi UFC heavyweight started 2024 by booking the biggest fight of his career so far – a shot at earning a spot in the UFC rankings against No 14 heavyweight Marcos Rogerio de Lima.

Tafa injured his knee the day before the bout and had to withdraw. He returned just a month later, replacing his brother Junior on short notice against Karl Williams and losing by unanimous decision.

Now, after having shoulder surgery on his right arm to reattach his biceps as well as knee surgery, the 30-year-old is ready to get things back on track.

Tafa will step in – again on short notice – against Kennedy Nzechukwu at UFC 308 on October 27 in Abu Dhabi, replacing de Lima who was forced to withdraw from the bout. The bout will be Nzechukwu’s first at heavyweight in the UFC, after 11 down at light heavyweight.

Speaking to the Herald, Tafa said he felt better heading into the bout than early in the year but just how much better remained to be seen.

“The leg feels a lot better; the knee was the big issue. The arm was something that I think was wear and tear, then I warmed up before the Karl Williams fight and my whole arm was on fire; number, pins and needles so that kind of thing I wasn’t too familiar with. But I’m hitting hard again so I can’t wait,” he said.

The year so far has been a frustrating one for Tafa, who had to have surgery on a hip injury which kept him sidelined for all of 2022 before returning with two knockout wins in 2023.

“I thought I was going to be ranked by the end of the year, I really thought that,” Tafa said.

“Then after that loss and the surgeries, I’ve had to start again. When Kennedy was fighting de Lima, I’d said before that I’d fight either one of them if one of them pulled out. Then de Lima pulled out.

“He was a ranked opponent, which was surprising for Kennedy’s first fight at heavyweight, but if I stop Kennedy, give me de Lima again.”

Nzechukwu (12-5 MMA; 6-5 UFC) is a name that might be familiar to Kiwi fans of the sport, with the Nigerian being the only man to beat Kiwi light heavyweight Carlos Ulberg.

That fight was in Ulberg’s UFC debut, and the Kiwi has since gone on a six-fight winning streak with five of those coming by stoppage (four KO, one submission) and four in the first round.

“When I starch this guy, I’m going to go to Carlos and be like ‘see, I’ve got your back, bro’ or ‘bro, you owe me a beer. I got him back for you’,” Tafa joked.

“Nah, I just took the fight. When the UFC ask me for scraps I just say yes. I remember when I first heard the name I was like ‘this is the guy Carlos debuted against’ but honestly I just take any fight that they offer.”