Marcin Tybura Submits Tai Tuivasa in First Round at UFC Apex

In a heavyweight clash at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Tai Tuivasa’s promising start fizzled out as he succumbed to a first-round submission by Marcin Tybura.

Tuivasa, entering the bout with a string of three consecutive losses, all by way of stoppage (two knockouts and one submission), couldn’t reverse his fortunes. The Western Sydney native’s losing streak extended to four when he was rendered unconscious by Tybura’s rear-naked choke early in the fight.

Initially, Tuivasa looked strong, landing heavy blows including a bruising elbow that opened up Tybura. However, Tybura’s takedown off one of Tuivasa’s wild hooks shifted the momentum drastically.

Once on the canvas, Tybura dominated, seizing Tuivasa’s back and unleashing a relentless flurry of strikes that Tuivasa struggled to defend against. Despite Tuivasa’s attempts to escape, Tybura’s grip only tightened, leading to a rear-naked choke that left Tuivasa gasping for air and ultimately forced the referee to intervene with just 52 seconds remaining in the first round.

The defeat extends Tuivasa’s UFC winless streak since his remarkable knockout victory over Derrick Lewis in February 2022, dropping his record to 14-7. On the other hand, Tybura rebounded from his previous loss to Tom Aspinall in July, improving his record to 25-8, with this submission marking the 16th time he has finished an opponent.