Tai Tuivasa has a shoey backstage after first-round knockout of Stefan Struve at UFC 254 [VIDEO]
Tai Tuivasa registered his first victory inside the Octagon in nearly two and a half years. His last victory was the biggest of his career when he defeated Andrei Arlovski by decision. After that, he went on a three-fight losing streak, getting defeated by Junior dos Santos, Blagoy Ivanov, and Sergey Spivak.
The Australian finally snapped his losing streak with an emphatic first-round knockout of Stefan Struve - the tallest fighter in UFC history.
Tai Tuivasa has a tradition after winning fights known as the "shoey." This tradition involves pouring beer inside a worn shoe and drinking it all. After his knockout win over Stefan Struve, Tai Tuivasa looked to go for the shoey, but there was no beer allowed inside the Flash Forum.
As a result, Tuivasa had to go to the back where he had his shoey. It's not difficult to understand why many people don't take to the shoey, but seven fights into his UFC career, Tai Tuivasa is looking to get back into the rankings.
Tai Tuivasa's return from a UFC release
Tai Tuivasa confirmed earlier this year that the UFC had released him. While it seemed like a COVID-related cut, the Australian was re-hired for the fight against Stefan Struve. It'll be interesting to see who is next for Tai Tuivasa.
He was in the ranked territory, but three unimpressive performances and defeats saw him getting released. It will undoubtedly be a big confidence boost for Tai Tuivasa, who was slipping quickly with the consecutive losses.
Stefan Struve had retired at one point, but he returned in late 2019 against Ben Rothwell. He suffered multiple groin strikes and was ultimately finished. This was his first outing in nearly a year, and it ended in his 13th career defeat. Who will be next for Tai Tuivasa?