Tai Tuivasa's nightmare continued at UFC 331 in Los Angeles, where the beloved Australian heavyweight dropped a split decision to Robelis Despaigne — his eighth consecutive defeat, tying Tony Ferguson for the longest losing streak in UFC history.
“We love Tai. We love him. He's a great guy.”
The scorecards read 29-28, 28-29, 29-28, with two judges siding with the Cuban. Across three rounds at Crypto.com Arena, Despaigne's improved grappling and control neutralized Tuivasa's trademark power, denying the Australian the one-punch chaos that once made him one of the division's most feared finishers.
The numbers are stark. Tuivasa, now 14-11, has not raised his hand in victory in over four years — his skid stretching back to a knockout win over Derrick Lewis in February 2022. What followed was a brutal gauntlet of elite heavyweights, including Ciryl Gane, Sergei Pavlovich, and Alexander Volkov. At 33, the fan favorite now shares an unwanted record with Ferguson, the former interim lightweight champion who was released from the UFC in January 2025 after his own eight-fight slide.
For Despaigne, 38, the win caps one of MMA's more improbable redemption arcs. Released by the UFC in 2024 after back-to-back losses, the Cuban rebuilt himself in Karate Combat, capturing the heavyweight championship before returning to MMA in May 2026 with a first-round knockout of former UFC champion Junior dos Santos on the Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano MVP MMA card on Netflix. That victory earned him a second chance with the promotion, and against Tuivasa he delivered — improving his UFC record to 2-2 and his overall mark to 7-2.
Even Dana White couldn't hide how it landed. Dana White's reaction to Tuivasa's latest setback was equal parts heartbreak and loyalty.
"We love Tai. We love him. He's a great guy," White said.
But affection doesn't win roster spots. Tuivasa's future with the promotion is now in serious doubt. He later broke his silence on Instagram: "Had a crack no good... Back to work." Whether the UFC keeps him around on the strength of his popularity — which has afforded him chances few others would get — or lets him pursue opportunities elsewhere remains an open question. Matching Ferguson's record was never supposed to be the goal. For "Bam Bam," the only thing left to decide is whether there's a ninth chapter.
