'Shoey time': Aussie fan favourite sends fans wild with crazy UFC win
Fan favourite Tai Tuivasa sent Las Vegas into a frenzy after knocking out his opponent and celebrating with his trademark 'shoey' at UFC 269.
The Australian battled through the first round against opponent Augusto Sakai with the heavyweights slugging it out.
'OUT OF CONTROL': Conor McGregor transformation photo sparks debate
'BIGGEST B***H': Jake Paul lashes Tommy Fury over fight withdrawal
'COULD HAVE DIED': Startling detail in George Kambosos' world title win
However, at the start of the second, Tuivasa landed a check left hook and wobbled Sakai.
The Aussie then finished up with a flurry of punches that left Sakai out cold on the ground.
And in trademark fashion, Tuivasa jumped atop the cage and drank a beer out of a shoe.
The UFC world went wild over Tuivasa's celebration, which is fast making him a fan favourite.
People throwing their shoes to Tai Tuivasa postmatch after he sleeps someone, so he can do a shoey is my favorite new UFC tradition!pic.twitter.com/VWzwXYUD9U
— MyBookie - Bet With The Best (@MyBookie) December 12, 2021
Tai Tuivasa with a big time knockout over Augusto Sakai!
And it's Shoey time!!!— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) December 12, 2021
I feel like not every UFC fighter could pull off a 'Barbie Girl' by Aqua walkout ... but Tai Tuivasa is currently killing it.
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) December 12, 2021
Tuivasa has won four in a row now, all by knockout. Dude is still just 28 years old, basically an infant in the heavyweight division. It’s time to start considering him a real prospect. #UFC269
— Marc Raimondi (@marc_raimondi) December 12, 2021
Who doesn't love Tai Tuivasa
— Robbie Fox (@RobbieBarstool) December 12, 2021
Tai Tuivasa is without question becoming one of the biggest UFC fan favorites we haven’t seen in a long time #UFC269 pic.twitter.com/iyz6jSyDLO
— T̷R̷O̷Y̷ ̷H̷U̷G̷H̷E̷S̷ (@TommySledge) December 12, 2021
Tai Tuivasa with a big time knockout over Augusto Sakai!
And it's Shoey time!!!— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) December 12, 2021
Tuivasa already had fans on their feet head of the fight when he walked out to 'Barbie Girl'.
Tai Tuivasa just walked out to “Barbie Girl” 😅 pic.twitter.com/anKGq4NPVB
— MMA Junkie (@MMAjunkie) December 12, 2021
Charles Oliveira gets ready for Dustin Poirier
Tuivasa was fighting on the undercard of Dustin Poirier's title shot against champion Charles Oliveira.
Oliveira was confident ahead of the clash after recalling how he won the belt in the first place.
“It was a message to the division. I knocked a guy out (with my) left hand,” Olivera said, through a translator.
“But you saw what happened at the start of the fight, I turned it around ... I sent a message that I can do it all.
“Everyone knows I came from jiu-jitsu and you’ve seen the evolution and that’s standing up.”
Click here to sign up to our newsletter for all the latest and breaking stories from Australia and around the world.