Karl Williams vs. Justin Tafa: Height, weight, reach and stats comparison
Karl Williams and Justin Tafa will take part in the heavyweight co-main event of UFC Vegas 89 in what fans hope will be an entertaining bout. Both men, however, are wildly different fighters. In terms of size, Williams is the taller of the two, standing at 6'3" to Tafa's 6'0" stature.
However, when it comes to their weight, Tafa is significantly heavier, as the New Zealander's recent UFC Vegas 89 weigh-in saw him step on the scale at 264.5 pounds, just under the heavyweight limit. Meanwhile, Williams weighed in at a much lighter 246.5 pounds.
Nevertheless, Williams' physical dimensions remain greater, as he is not only taller than the Samoan power-puncher but also longer, with a reach of 79 inches compared to Tafa's 74-inch wingspan. Their respective fighting styles are also different, as Tafa is a far more consistent finisher.
In fact, none of Tafa's wins have ever come by way of decision. Everyone he has ever beaten, he has done so via knockout. He has never outworked nor submitted anyone. Instead, he relies on his crushing punching power, evoking shades of Mark Hunt by flattening his opponents in frightening fashion.
The same cannot be said for Williams. While he is a heavyweight and has enough power to shut anyone's lights out under the right circumstances, he is not a finisher. Most of his wins have come by way of decision, while some were the result of knockouts/TKOs.
He does, however, appear to be more well-rounded than his opponent, as he is a skilled grappler and competent striker with backgrounds in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and Muay Thai. Tafa, by comparison, is a straight kickboxer with little ability to grapple.
Williams is also older than Tafa by four years at 34 to the New Zealander's 30. Whether this has an impact on their fight is anyone's guess.
Comparing Karl Williams' record to Justin Tafa's
Karl Williams and Justin Tafa are both on win streaks, with the former authoring six consecutive wins, while the latter is at the helm of a three-fight win streak. However, Tafa's record is spottier than Williams, as he has won seven times but lost thrice, with one loss being a knockout and the other two decisions.
Meanwhile, Williams is borderline undefeated, with just one submission loss to his nine wins, six of which are decisions and three of which are knockouts. When both men cross swords, Williams ought to be wary of Tafa's power, while the latter will hope to turn away his foe's grappling.