vs
-163 +150
UFC on ESPN: Lewis vs. Teixeira · Jul 12, 2025 · Light Heavyweight · Completed
Prev Fight UFC on ESPN: Lewis vs. Teixeira Next Fight
Age 29
Height 6' 3"
Reach 75.0"
Weight 240 lbs.
Stance Orthodox
Age 35
Height 6' 4"
Reach 76.0"
Weight 205 lbs.
Stance Orthodox
Career Averages - Junior Tafa
3.41 SLpM
51.0% Str. Acc.
2.55 SApM
51.0% Str. Def.
0.0 TD Avg
0.0% TD Acc.
70.0% TD Def.
0.0 Sub. Avg
Career Averages - Tuco Tokkos
2.12 SLpM
40.0% Str. Acc.
4.27 SApM
46.0% Str. Def.
4.21 TD Avg
47.0% TD Acc.
33.0% TD Def.
0.5 Sub. Avg
Junior Tafa
Moneyline
BetWay -163
Tuco Tokkos
Moneyline
Caesars +150
Junior Tafa - Fight History
SCHED vs Iwo Baraniewski
13
138 MMA Expert Confident pick date unknown
Iwo Baraniewski

The host picks Baraniewski by armbar, noting that Baraniewski is a very good grappler with judo and powerful takedowns. He expects Baraniewski to exchange a few strikes, then toss Tafa and armbar him as soon as they hit the mat. He mentions that Tafa's takedown defense and submission defense are not there.

armbar
"I'm going armbar for Barnatt."
AJ
AJ DeVito Expert Confident pick date unknown
Iwo Baraniewski

AJ picks Baraniewski to finish Tafa, likely by submission in round one, citing Baraniewski's judo background and Tafa's suspect grappling. He notes Baraniewski can also win on the feet but expects the smart strategy to be takedown and submission. AJ is confident Baraniewski will showcase his grappling and get a first-round finish.

under 1.5 rounds minus 300; Baraniewski round 1 finish
"I think Baronki is going to get Tafa down and showcasing a new level of grappling... I think the submission will open itself up in round one."
AJ
AJ DeVito Expert Confident pick date unknown
Iwo Baraniewski

AJ is high on Iwo Baraniewski as a top light heavyweight prospect with thunderous power, aggressive violence, and a judo background. He believes Baraniewski can win by knockout or submission, showcasing his grappling against Junior Tafa, who lacks a well-rounded game. AJ predicts a dominant finish in under a round and a half.

Iwo Baraniewski by finish (implied), under 1.5 rounds (implied), -375 favorite mentioned
"Ew Beninki. I think he's the best prospect at light heavyweight."
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Hesitant pick date unknown
Iwo Baraniewski

Angelo picks Iwo Baraniewski but expresses concern about his lack of experience in later rounds, as he has never been past the first round. He notes that Baraniewski has power and can wrestle if needed, while Tafa's takedown defense is terrible. However, he worries that if Baraniewski doesn't finish early, he might gas.

"I'm going to pick Io Baronki, but this dude hasn't sniffed a second round, let alone a full-blown decision."
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident pick date unknown
Iwo Baraniewski

Big Brady picks Iwo Baraniewski to win by first round submission. He notes that Junior Tafa has the worst grappling in the UFC and that Baraniewski should take him down and submit him easily. However, he worries about Baraniewski's fight IQ and whether he will choose to strike instead of grappling.

by first round submission
"I'll say I will by first round submission here."
BU
Bum MMA Expert Confident pick date unknown
Iwo Baraniewski

Iwo Baraniewski has five straight knockouts and is a brutal finisher. Junior Tafa has a weak chin and was knocked out by Billy Elekana. Baraniewski will knock him out in the first round, possibly with a submission but likely a KO.

KO in first round
"EO is going to knock him out in the first round."
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Hesitant pick date unknown
Iwo Baraniewski

Cody picks Baraniewski but is hesitant due to the high price and Baraniewski's reckless style. He notes Tafa is dangerous in the first round and Baraniewski could get clipped. He prefers not to get heavily invested at -375 but still expects Baraniewski to win.

"I'm picking them, but it might not come easy and it could blow up in your face."
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident pick date unknown
Iwo Baraniewski

Connor picks Iwo Baraniewski, agreeing with Zane's reasoning. He notes that Baraniewski is a violent, aggressive hyper-athlete who has been fighting absolute 'bobos' and that this is a good test. He expects Baraniewski to try takedowns and win, but acknowledges that if he stands and trades, Tafa could knock him out.

"The only real question is like he doesn't have patrino size Yeah, he's six feet tall and he has baby arms... But if he tries taking tafa down at all he'll succeed and he'll win."
FI
Fight Night Picks Expert Confident pick date unknown
Iwo Baraniewski

Iwo Baraniewski should win because he has a grappling advantage over Junior Tafa, who is susceptible to low kicks and has questionable cardio. However, Baraniewski can be reckless and hittable, so he must grapple to avoid getting clipped. The host expects a finish, possibly by submission, but notes Baraniewski's inconsistency.

Iwo Baraniewski wins by submission or knockout; smart move would be to grapple
"EO should win this fight. And I say should because EO could fight like a dumbass at times. ... The grappling is definitely the whole of Junior Taffa."
GR
Greedo Plays MMA Expert Confident pick date unknown
Iwo Baraniewski

Baraniewski is fundamentally better and has power, but Tafa has a puncher's chance. Baraniewski should win by first-round knockout if he doesn't get reckless. Tafa is bigger but lacks technical striking and grappling.

first round knockout
"Give me Ew though to win the fight by first round knockout."
LU
Lucrative James Expert Confident pick date unknown
Iwo Baraniewski

Lucrative James picks Iwo Baraniewski, expecting him to use his grappling to neutralize Junior Tafa's striking. He notes Baraniewski's takedown instincts and ground game, predicting a KO via ground and pound in round 1. He acknowledges Tafa's power but believes Baraniewski's wrestling will be the difference.

Iwo Baraniewski via KO (ground and pound) in round 1
"I'm taking Ewa Baronki to win his fight. I'm taking him via KO and I'm taking him via KO. Ground and pound in round."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Lock pick date unknown
Iwo Baraniewski

Baraniewski is a powerful wrestler with finishing ability; Tafa has poor takedown defense and gets demoralized on the ground. Baraniewski should take him down easily and finish by submission or TKO. The round one submission prop at +1100 is a great value.

Baraniewski round 1 submission (+1100); under 1.5 rounds (-300)
"I think Baroni runs through Tafa in this spot. I'm kind of surprised Baronki is not up to like -6700 at this point in time."
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Hesitant pick date unknown
Iwo Baraniewski

Paul picks Baraniewski but is more confident in the under 1.5 rounds prop. He notes both fighters are aggressive and likely to end early. He has been parlaying the under 1.5 rounds with other bets, though he is pumping the brakes at -340.

Under 1.5 rounds at -340
"I've been busy this week adding the uh the under one and a half here... I'm treating Evil almost like like McKini at light heavyweights."
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Confident pick date unknown
Iwo Baraniewski

Zane picks Iwo Baraniewski based on the rule of thumb that in a fight where both guys will blow their wads early, you pick the guy with takedowns. He notes that Baraniewski has shown he can take opponents down, and if he does that against Tafa, he will win easily. However, if he chooses to stand and trade, it becomes a coin flip. Zane acknowledges that Tafa is a slicker puncher and could knock Baraniewski out, but Baraniewski's takedown threat gives him the edge.

"If it's a fight where both guys are going to blow their wads early Yeah, it's going to turn into a complete mess You pick the guy with the takedowns. Yep So taking barnesky."
KO R1 2:42 · UFC Fight Night: Della Maddalena vs. Prates · May 02, 2026
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Junior Tafa 0 21 of 31 67% 22 of 32 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:09
Kevin Christian 0 13 of 21 61% 13 of 21 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:00
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Junior Tafa 0 21 of 31 67% 22 of 32 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:09
Kevin Christian 0 13 of 21 61% 13 of 21 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Junior Tafa 21 of 31 67% 20 of 30 0 of 0 1 of 1 10 of 19 1 of 2 10 of 10
Kevin Christian 13 of 21 61% 2 of 7 2 of 3 9 of 11 13 of 21 0 of 0 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Junior Tafa 21 of 31 67% 20 of 30 0 of 0 1 of 1 10 of 19 1 of 2 10 of 10
Kevin Christian 13 of 21 61% 2 of 7 2 of 3 9 of 11 13 of 21 0 of 0 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Kevin Christian vs. Junior Tafa

Round 1
Towering light heavies Christian (9-3; 0-1 UFC) and Tafa (6-5; 2-5 UFC) go to work at the direction of referee Matt Wynne. Tafa is tall and long, but Christian is ridiculously huge, and they exchange hard shots immediately. Christian hacks away at Tafa’s front leg with nasty kicks from both sides, and Tafa is reacting right away. Tafa does not like the kicks one bit, but he’s countering with huge punches up top, several of which land. Christian is hurt and backing away, but manages to recover. The Brazilian goes right back to work on Tafa’s lead leg, which is visibly chewed up. Tafa is favoring the bad leg, but he plants on it anyway and floors Christian with a pair of flush hooks. Christian stumbles away.
Tafa gives chase, puts him down with a final right hand, then drops at least 10 jackhammer right elbows from top position before Wynne moves in to save the unconscious Brazilian.
Definitive finish to a blissfully defense-free scrap by “The Juggernaut.”

The Official Result
Junior Tafa def. Kevin Christian R1 2:42 via KO (Punches and Elbows)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Lean pick date unknown
Kevin Christian

Angelo leans Kevin Christian despite Junior Tafa being the better striker, because Tafa's takedown defense and ground game are terrible. He believes if Christian can get the fight to the ground, he will win. He expects a finish either way and mentions the under on rounds.

Under 1.5 rounds mentioned as likely.
"Kevin Christian is going to be the pick and we will all be gritting our teeth until this fight is actually on the ground. This is probably a one and a half round line."
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident pick date unknown
Junior Tafa

Big Brady picks Junior Tafa to win by first-round knockout. He calls Kevin Christian the worst fighter in UFC history, citing his lack of volume, chin, and wrestling. Brady notes Tafa has two UFC wins by knockout and believes Christian's only path is a triangle choke, which is unlikely. He trusts Tafa's power to finish early.

Tafa by KO, round 1
"Give me Junior Tafa here to win this fight by first-round knockout."
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Hesitant pick date unknown
Junior Tafa

Cody picks Tafa but is hesitant, noting his poor cardio and submission vulnerability. He believes Tafa will likely win by knockout in the first round, but advises live betting Christian if it goes longer.

"I think Junior Tappa wins. Am I too much of a coward to click him at minus 210? Yeah, probably."
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Lean pick date unknown
Kevin Christian

Connor picks Christian as a fun upset pick, noting that Tafa is a chaos fighter who either wins in the first round or loses. He points out that Tafa has no grappling and could get taken down or submitted by Christian's length. However, he admits Christian is bad and uncoordinated, making this a low-confidence pick.

"In fact, just for fun. I'm going to pick Kevin Christian. All right. You know, either Junior Tofa chaos him in the first round or loses."
DA
Daniel Vreeland Expert Hesitant pick date unknown
Junior Tafa

Daniel Vreeland reluctantly picks Junior Tafa to win by knockout, but is wary of Tafa's poor ground game and history of losing as a favorite. He notes Kevin Christian's poor distance management but sees Tafa's power as the deciding factor.

Kevin Christian by submission
"I do think that Junior Taffa can find the chin here. So I'm going to pick him to win by knockout reluctantly."
DI
Diary of a Pro Gambler Expert pick date unknown

Tafa is the favorite but his advantages are baked into the odds. He has bad cardio and ground game, while Christian is slow and hittable but could exploit Tafa's weaknesses if he grapples. The fight is likely to end inside the distance but odds are terrible. No bet recommended.

"This one easy pass for me."
LU
Lucrative James Expert Confident pick date unknown
Junior Tafa

James is very confident in Junior Tafa because he believes Kevin Christian is a low-level UFC fighter with poor striking defense and cardio. He expects Tafa's superior boxing and kickboxing to lead to an early knockout, likely in the first round.

Junior Tafa wins inside the distance (-155), Junior Tafa wins in round one (+170)
"I see Junior Tafa winning this fight with a knockout, and honestly, probably in the first couple of rounds."
LU
Lucrative James Expert Confident pick date unknown
Junior Tafa

Lucrative James picks Junior Tafa to win via knockout. He considers Kevin Christian one of the worst fighters on the roster and believes Tafa is a much better striker. He expects Tafa's takedown defense to keep the fight standing where he has a clear advantage.

"I got Junior Tougher on this one and I have Junior Tougher via knockout."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident pick date unknown
Junior Tafa

Despite normally fading Tafa, the host picks him here because Christian's grappling is not UFC level. He expects Tafa's initial grappling defense to keep the fight standing, and then Tafa will land a big knockout. The host notes Tafa's power and that Christian is hittable and lacks durability.

Knockout win
"I think Junior Topa's initial line of grappling defense will work out enough for him here to keep this fight standing. And I think he's going to be able to take advantage of the Tomman defense of Christian. And that …"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Lean pick date unknown
Kevin Christian

Paul picks Christian as an underdog, citing Tafa's history of gassing and getting submitted. He believes Christian's submission skills and durability could lead to an upset, especially if he survives the first round.

submission prop
"I'm gonna take Kevin Christian. But do I like that Paul? Oh my god. No. Just uh you got to make it happen somewhere."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident pick date unknown
Junior Tafa

The MMA Guru picks Junior Tafa, despite his 6-5 record, believing he will catch Kevin Christian coming in. He notes Tafa looked improved in his last fight and dropped Billy Elekana. He also comments on Christian's background, suggesting it affects his pick.

KO
"I'm going to go with Junior Tafa catching Kevin Christian on the chin."
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Confident pick date unknown
Junior Tafa

Zane picks Tafa because he believes Kevin Christian is a bad athlete—flat-footed, slow, uncoordinated, and ungainly despite his height. He thinks Tafa, despite his own flaws, has enough power and aggression to finish Christian early. He notes that Christian is in Stefan Struve territory but without the toughness, and that Tafa should be able to beat him.

"Yeah, that's it. On the other hand, they've also found a guy Junior Tofa might lose too. Oh, that's every guy. In fact, just for fun. I'm going to pick Kevin Christian."
LOSS vs Billy Elekana
Submission R2 3:18 · UFC 325 · Feb 01, 2026
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Billy Elekana 1 38 of 70 54% 38 of 70 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:07
Junior Tafa 0 24 of 51 47% 27 of 54 1 of 5 20% 1 0 1:40
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Billy Elekana 1 26 of 46 56% 26 of 46 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:07
Junior Tafa 0 9 of 24 37% 10 of 25 0 of 3 0% 0 0 0:37
2 Billy Elekana 0 12 of 24 50% 12 of 24 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Junior Tafa 0 15 of 27 55% 17 of 29 1 of 2 50% 1 0 1:03
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Billy Elekana 38 of 70 54% 21 of 49 14 of 18 3 of 3 37 of 66 0 of 3 1 of 1
Junior Tafa 24 of 51 47% 20 of 45 3 of 5 1 of 1 22 of 49 1 of 1 1 of 1
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Billy Elekana 26 of 46 56% 13 of 32 10 of 11 3 of 3 25 of 42 0 of 3 1 of 1
Junior Tafa 9 of 24 37% 6 of 20 2 of 3 1 of 1 8 of 23 1 of 1 0 of 0
2 Billy Elekana 12 of 24 50% 8 of 17 4 of 7 0 of 0 12 of 24 0 of 0 0 of 0
Junior Tafa 15 of 27 55% 14 of 25 1 of 2 0 of 0 14 of 26 0 of 0 1 of 1
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Billy Elekana vs. Junior Tafa
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Elekana (-250), Tafa (+205)

Round 1
The prelims wrap up with a struggling former heavyweight at 205 pounds in hopes of a new lease on life. Tafa (6-4, 2-4 UFC) dropped his first effort at light heavyweight, but he will get another chance as he takes on California native Elekana (9-2, 2-1 UFC). Referee Herb Dean dons his proverbial hard hat in anticipation of a whole lot of big swings in a small span of time, breathing a slight sigh of relief when the bruisers clap their hands together first.
Elekana slowly, cautiously wades in to go after the ex-heavyweight, not overcommitting to strikes but slowly backing the Kiwi to the fence. Elekana blocks a high kick and walks face-first into a bomb of a right hand that sets him down like a sack of bricks. Somehow, Elekana snaps back online after what appears to be a flash knockdown, and he grabs hold of Tafa and forces a bit of grappling before working his way up. Tafa rushes him, and he pulls back before going for broke. Elekana thanks him with a glove touch, and Tafa further gets his attention with a subsequent left hand. Tafa shuts down a takedown effort that might have gotten him down a year or two ago, and he intercepts a swinging Elekana with a sharp left hand down the middle. Elekana clips Tafa in the midst of an exchange, and Tafa backs off clutching his eye.
Elekana does not throw, instead shooting in for a single, and Tafa winces and pushes off. They flash out jabs at the same time, and Tafa goes with one to the sternum as Elekana frowns and shakes his head. Tafa gets in a pair of punches, and they high-five again. Tafa jabs, ducks and backs Elekana off with a body shot. Tafa winds up with a fierce right hand that shakes Elekana up, and Elekana manages to tank it and circle away as if nothing happened. Tafa takes advantage of a momentary lapse in defense with a right hand upstairs and a left to the body, and then looses a big right high. Tafa digs a kick to the ribs and punches the same target, and he attempts his own jabs to multiple targets. Elekana pitches out a front kick and gets knocked back courtesy of a right hand, and when he gathers himself, Tafa rips a huge left to the liver. Tafa unloads on Elekana before the round ends, and Elekana tags him back as they reach Round 2.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Tafa
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Tafa
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Tafa

Round 2
The 205ers nod to one another and share a glove touch to get going in the second stanza. Elekana probes out his front kick with toes extended to the body, and he slips a right hand over the top. Elekana looks to hand-fight and take away Tafa’s left hand, and he pokes out a few jabs and threatens a takedown. Tafa scoots out of the way and backs Elekana to the wall with a pair of punches, but he does not corner Elekana as Elekana walks away and moves to the center of the cage again. The crowd boos this, as if they are seeing that these fighters are pulling their punches. Elekana does not pull anything when tagging Tafa with a pair of punches, and his right hand on the temple catches Tafa unaware. Tafa stumbles but does not go down, gathering himself and knocking Elekana back before allowing him once more to return to the center of the cage. Elekana closes in and grabs hold of Tafa, dragging him to the mat from behind so that he can step over into full mount.
Tafa turns to his side while Elekana is in a dominant position, and Tafa rolls around all while Elekana wraps up the body triangle.
Elekana briefly flirts with a rear-naked choke, and switches arms to change to the other side and locks it up in a hurry. Tafa knows that the submission is tight as a drum and that there is no way out, and he quickly taps out to give “Son of Susie” the submission victory.
Just like the Micallef fight from before, it only took one takedown to completely change the nature of this fight and turn the tide to one man’s favor.

The Official Result
Billy Elekana def. Justin Tafa R2 3:18 via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident pick date unknown
Billy Elekana

Angelo picks Billy Elekana, stating he is the better overall MMA fighter with solid takedown defense and patient striking. He acknowledges Junior Tafa's kickboxing skills but notes his takedown defense is a huge hole. He warns that the odds are steep at -225 and that Tafa could have success if Elekana tries to strike, but Elekana can adjust.

"Billy is the better MMA fighter, so I'm gonna go that route. I'm gonna pick him to win here because he's got the better overall MMA skills."
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident pick date unknown
Billy Elekana

Big Brady is confident in Billy Elekana, citing Junior Tafa's poor grappling (white belt) and Elekana's submission win over Kevin Christian. He believes Elekana will take Tafa down and submit him in the first round, as Tafa made Tuco Tokos look like Khabib.

Elekana by submission in round 1
"I'm gonna take Billy Alicana to win this fight. I'm gonna take Alicana to win by first round submission."
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident pick date unknown
Billy Elekana

Cody is confident in Elekana, citing Tafa's poor cardio and tendency to fade after the first round. He notes that Elekana has good grappling and submission skills, and expects him to take Tafa down and submit him in the second round. He acknowledges Elekana is not a world-beater but sees this as a favorable matchup.

Elekana by submission
"I do feel like at some point Billy gets him to the ground and grabs a submission. He's got a good rear naked choke."
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident pick date unknown
Billy Elekana

Connor agrees with Zane, picking Elekana. He emphasizes that Tafa's striking is not technical enough and he has no grappling, so Elekana should win if he doesn't freeze. Connor also comments on the odds, suggesting Elekana is overvalued.

Same odds commentary as Zane.
"Yeah, I gotta pick Billy, Alakana. Yeah, but you know if Alakana doesn't if he if he freezes the way he can then Tafa could melt him."
DA
Daniel Vreeland Expert Confident pick date unknown
Billy Elekana

Daniel Vreeland picks Elekana despite initially doubting him, citing Tafa's abysmal ground game. He believes Elekana can take Tafa down and finish quickly, though he warns that if Elekana bangs on the feet, he risks getting knocked out. Vreeland is surprised to be picking Elekana but sees a clear path to victory.

"I never thought in a million years I'd say this, but I'm actually picking Billy Alicana to win this fight."
LU
Lucrative James Expert Confident pick date unknown
Billy Elekana

James picks Elekana to win by submission, citing his superior grappling and cardio. He believes Elekana will take Tafa down and finish what Sean Sherif started, likely with a rear-naked choke in round one.

"Billy Elekana is probably going to be able to take him down and get the choke here."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident pick date unknown
Billy Elekana

Elekana is a solid BJJ specialist with good striking and timing. Tafa has poor takedown defense and is vulnerable on the ground, as seen in his submission losses. Elekana should evade Tafa's power shots, get takedowns, and find a submission within a round and a half. The host likes Elekana by submission at +210, noting that Tafa is a favorite fade.

Elekana by submission (+210)
"I think Alecana is just too slick. I think he'll evade those big shots, get in another takedown, get to a submission position, and I think shortly thereafter, he'll be able to find the tap here."
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident pick date unknown
Billy Elekana

Paul agrees, noting that Tafa has consistently gassed out and been finished in his UFC fights. He believes Elekana's grappling will be the difference and predicts a submission win in the second round.

Elekana by submission
"Elano by sub maybe in round two is kind of how I kind of see this fight playing out as well."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident pick date unknown
Billy Elekana

The Guru picks Billy Elekana, calling it a no-brainer. He praises Elekana's technical level, grappling, and toughness, noting his performance against Bogdan Guskov. He expects Elekana to submit Junior Tafa in the first round, as Tafa is less technical and relies on brawling.

first round submission
"First round submission for Billy Alakana."
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Confident pick date unknown
Billy Elekana

Zane picks Billy Elekana because he sees Elekana as a reasonable light heavyweight prospect with decent athleticism and durability, despite his loss to Bogdan Guskov. He believes Elekana's grappling advantage will be decisive, as Junior Tafa cannot wrestle or grapple and relies on one big blitz. Zane notes that if Elekana freezes, Tafa could win, but overall Elekana should win by taking the fight to the ground.

Tafa opened at +150, now +215; Elekana opened at -175, now -255. Zane says he would not make those odds wider, implying Elekana is overvalued.
"I gotta pick Billy, Alakana. Yeah, but you know if Alakana doesn't if he if he freezes the way he can then Tafa could melt him, but Tafa just can't wrestle and he can't grapple."
CANCEL vs Ibo Aslan
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident pick date unknown
Ibo Aslan

Connor agrees with Zane, picking Aslan. He emphasizes that Tafa's record is terrible and that he has never won a fight past two minutes. Connor notes that Aslan has never been knocked out and is capable of throwing power combos and low kicks. He thinks Aslan's pressure and durability will overwhelm Tafa, who is purely a reactive striker with no control.

"I think I have to pick Louis Sutherland because you know what hasn't happened to Louis Sutherland so far in his career? It's never been knocked out."
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Confident pick date unknown
Ibo Aslan

Zane picks Aslan, reasoning that Aslan is a nuts-and-bolts slugger who will pressure Tafa and throw combinations. He notes that Tafa is a reactive striker who throws one big punch at a time and has poor durability. Zane believes Aslan's willingness to blitz with power combos and his ability to go past the first round give him the edge, as Tafa has never won a fight that went past two minutes.

"I think I have to pick Louis Sutherland because you know what hasn't happened to Louis Sutherland so far in his career? It's never been knocked out."
LOSS vs Tuco Tokkos
Submission R2 4:25 · UFC on ESPN: Lewis vs. Teixeira · Jul 12, 2025
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Junior Tafa 0 24 of 38 63% 25 of 39 0 of 0 --- 0 1 0:27
Tuco Tokkos 0 11 of 22 50% 31 of 57 5 of 9 55% 1 0 7:51
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Junior Tafa 0 16 of 23 69% 17 of 24 0 of 0 --- 0 1 0:12
Tuco Tokkos 0 6 of 9 66% 14 of 19 4 of 6 66% 0 0 4:14
2 Junior Tafa 0 8 of 15 53% 8 of 15 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:15
Tuco Tokkos 0 5 of 13 38% 17 of 38 1 of 3 33% 1 0 3:37
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Junior Tafa 24 of 38 63% 21 of 35 3 of 3 0 of 0 6 of 14 10 of 10 8 of 14
Tuco Tokkos 11 of 22 50% 7 of 17 0 of 1 4 of 4 4 of 9 0 of 0 7 of 13
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Junior Tafa 16 of 23 69% 15 of 22 1 of 1 0 of 0 1 of 5 8 of 8 7 of 10
Tuco Tokkos 6 of 9 66% 3 of 6 0 of 0 3 of 3 3 of 4 0 of 0 3 of 5
2 Junior Tafa 8 of 15 53% 6 of 13 2 of 2 0 of 0 5 of 9 2 of 2 1 of 4
Tuco Tokkos 5 of 13 38% 4 of 11 0 of 1 1 of 1 1 of 5 0 of 0 4 of 8
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Junior Tafa vs. George Tokkos
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Tafa (-175); Tokkos (+140)

Round 1
Down about 35 pounds with some serious physical transformation on his behalf, Tafa (6-3, 2-3 UFC) is aiming for a new lease on life at light heavyweight. He will be able to trade with a willing dance partner in Tokkos (10-5, 0-2 UFC), where a knockout may not be guaranteed but it is greatly expected. Before the bludgeoning, referee Eric McMahon clocks the fighters in, and they bump fists.
Tokkos says hello with a chopping low kick, and Tafa checks a second one and attacks behind his jab. Tafa checks another kick, and he finds himself facing a single-leg entry from the Brit. Tafa elbows the side of the head a few times, and Tokkos still manages to wrangle him to the floor. Tokkos keeps hold of Tafa’s left leg to trap him on the mat, and he holds in there. Fans are not amused by the lack of activity of the two sluggers, and Tafa takes advantage of their momentum and stands up. The Kiwi hacks down the back of the head a few times, grabs the fence and is still dragged to his seat courtesy of the Tokkos single. Tafa wall-walks upright and is mat returned in a hurry. Tafa stands, and he wraps up a power guillotine choke only to release it to slash down with elbows.
Tokkos throws Tafa back down to the floor with emphasis, and Tafa repositions himself to sit on his seat. Tokkos smothers the former heavyweight with chest pressure, and McMahon tells them they need to do more than stall out. Tafa gets to a knee, and Tokkos takes his back and loops one hook around the legs. Tokkos dives after a short choke, and Tafa gives up his back and starts fighting hands. Tokkos resets himself to set up a rear-naked choke, and he releases it to shift to full mount, arm-triangle briefly in play. Tokkos postures up to drive down punches, getting warned for back of the head shots as well. He continues to impose his weight on Tafa, and is warned for grabbing inside the glove to keep Tafa on the mat. Tafa flips him over with seconds to go and lets Tokkos have it, cutting Tokkos on the top of the head as the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Tokkos
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Tokkos
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Tokkos

Round 2
Tafa touches gloves with his foe and unleashes a hellacious overhand right. Tokkos shrugs at him, but he is beaned by another big right. Tafa clubs him with an uppercut, and Tokkos falls on his face. Tokkos rolls around on the mat to try to get Tafa in a grappling exchange, and Tafa stands up and makes him get up. Tokkos explodes forward, nailing Tafa with a shock right hand that he uses to set up a takedown after it. Tafa gets dragged to the mat, and Tokkos clings to him and holds on with a front choke. Along the way, he is warned for grabbing Tafa’s gloves. Tokkos steps over to half guard and easily climbs to three-quarter mount, only to pull himself back one step so he keeps Tafa flat on his back. Tokkos sits up and drives down punches and hammerfists, and Tafa turns to his side to survive. Tokkos quits punching for the most part to get a hook in around the side.
Tafa shifts to his back again, and Tokkos considers an arm-triangle choke and is admonished for eye gouging when he puts his fingers on Tafa’s face. Tokkos sits up again to land some bombs, and he uses the punches to set up a rear-naked choke. Tafa on his side is able to break up the submission, but Tokkos is still on him making him carry every additional pound.
This time, Tokkos advances to full mount, and he latches on with an arm-triangle choke and steps over to the side. Crushing down with all of his energy, Tokkos forces Tafa to submit to the choke.
McMahon breaks up the sub, and Tokkos strides away and drops to his knees to take in his first UFC victory.

The Official Result
George Tokkos def. Junior Tafa R2 4:25 via Submission (Arm-Triangle Choke)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Lean pick date unknown
Tuco Tokkos

Angelo picks Tuco Tokkos but admits he can't bet on him because Tokkos is winless in the UFC. He thinks Tokkos can get the fight to the ground and control Junior Tafa, who has poor takedown defense and looked out of shape in his last fight. However, he notes Tokkos is not reliable enough to bet on as a dog.

Cannot bet on Tokkos despite picking him due to unreliability.
"Tuk Tukos is the pick. Plus 145. Not reliable enough to jump on that as a dog."
BI
Big Brady Expert Hesitant pick date unknown
Junior Tafa

Big Brady hates this fight from a betting standpoint. He warns that Junior Tafa's ground game is terrible and if Tuco Tokkos gets him down, it could be bad. However, he cannot rely on Tokkos to wrestle or do anything. He picks Tafa by default, expecting a first-round knockout, but says he would never lay -160 on Tafa.

first round knockout
"I'm going to take Junior Tafa. Junior Tafa to win by first round knockout."
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Lean pick date unknown
Tuco Tokkos

Connor picks Tokkos hesitantly, noting that Junior Tafa is a one-dimensional slugger who is very upright and easy to navigate. He acknowledges that Tokkos is hurtable and awkward, but believes his wrestling and toughness might be enough to outwork Tafa. Connor admits Tafa could knock Tokkos out, but he leans toward Tokkos due to Tafa's lack of versatility.

"I'm going to pick Tucko Tuckos. What the hell? ... Junior Taffa might knock his ass out, but I'm going to pick Tucko Tuckos."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident pick date unknown
Tuco Tokkos

The host is not a fan of either fighter but believes Tokkos has the BJJ black belt to take Tafa to the ground and find a submission quickly. He criticizes Tafa's overall skill level, noting he has decent pop but is not a good fighter. Tokkos has underperformed in the UFC but has the grappling chops to win.

submission
"Not a big fan of either guy here, but Junior Tafa is just not that good of a fighter in my opinion. He has decent pop and decent striking, but Tuko Togo is a BJJ black belt who has somewhat …"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident pick date unknown
Junior Tafa

The MMA Guru picks Junior Tafa, noting he is in shape for his light heavyweight debut and has had some success in the UFC, unlike Tuco Tokkos who has lost three straight and shown no success. He expects Tafa to be 'lean and mean' and score a first-round TKO, as Tokkos has been finished in all his losses.

first round TKO
"I'm forced to choose Junior Tafa by TKO. ... I reckon he's going to score this one. TKO first round over Taco Toos."
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Lean pick date unknown
Tuco Tokkos

Zane also picks Tokkos, reasoning that Tafa's move down to light heavyweight won't fix his fundamental issues. He notes that Tokkos is a hard worker who tries to win, and that Tafa's one-note striking might not be enough to put him away. Zane is not confident, calling it a terrible fight.

"Yeah, I think I will too. Junior Taffa might knock his ass out, but I'm going to pick Tucko Tuckos."
CANCEL vs Tuco Tokkos
WIN vs Sean Sharaf
TKO (punches) R2 2:15 · UFC Fight Night: Royval vs. Taira · Oct 12, 2024
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Junior Tafa 0 71 of 128 55% 71 of 128 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:02
Sean Sharaf 0 53 of 118 44% 54 of 122 1 of 8 12% 0 0 0:46
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Junior Tafa 0 36 of 75 48% 36 of 75 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Sean Sharaf 0 46 of 102 45% 47 of 106 1 of 5 20% 0 0 0:46
2 Junior Tafa 0 35 of 53 66% 35 of 53 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:02
Sean Sharaf 0 7 of 16 43% 7 of 16 0 of 3 0% 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Junior Tafa 71 of 128 55% 61 of 117 10 of 11 0 of 0 71 of 128 0 of 0 0 of 0
Sean Sharaf 53 of 118 44% 39 of 101 7 of 10 7 of 7 44 of 93 1 of 3 8 of 22
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Junior Tafa 36 of 75 48% 28 of 66 8 of 9 0 of 0 36 of 75 0 of 0 0 of 0
Sean Sharaf 46 of 102 45% 34 of 87 6 of 9 6 of 6 37 of 78 1 of 2 8 of 22
2 Junior Tafa 35 of 53 66% 33 of 51 2 of 2 0 of 0 35 of 53 0 of 0 0 of 0
Sean Sharaf 7 of 16 43% 5 of 14 1 of 1 1 of 1 7 of 15 0 of 1 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Sean Sharaf vs. Junior Tafa
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: ODDS: Tafa (-400), Sharaf (+250)

Round 1
The UFC nearly went two months without staging a heavyweight fight, with the last one between Jairzinho Rozenstruik and Tai Tuivasa in the middle of August. Tafa (5-3, 1-3 UFC), one of the other hefty participants that night, will try to get back in the win column at the expense of relative neophyte Sharaf (4-0, 0-0 UFC). Referee Mark Smith will be keeping his head on a swivel, as these two sluggers combine for nine knockouts across their nine wins. Gloves are briefly touched, and Sharaf does not waste time and winds up a low kick and look for a big right hand. Sharaf backs Tafa against the fence and swings for the bleachers, forcing Tafa to bounce off the wall. Tafa jabs to the body, and Sharaf comes up top with a one-two. Tafa splits the guard with long punches, and Sharaf thumps the front leg with a kick. Tafa winds up with a counter right hand to nail the newcomer on the side of the head, and Sharaf dives after him for a takedown. Tafa grabs the fence to keep himself on his feet, and Smith is not happy about that and calls time to warn him of his foul. When they resume, it does not take more than a few seconds for Sharaf to charge his foe and get the takedown he was seeking. Tafa does not stay on his back for long before getting back to his feet, and they stand in the center of the cage and trade single strikes. The ferocity between the two is not nearly as intense as before, but Tafa breaks this up by blasting Sharaf in the side of the head and shaking him up. Tafa showboats by pointing at Sharaf’s corner, and Sharaf surges into action with thunderous punches that back “The Juggernaut” to the wall again. Tafa strafes away in part due to a successful takedown defense, and he scores a few leg kicks and follows one with a left hook. Sharaf keeps a decent poker face but is stung from the blow, and Tafa winds up and nails him on the temple to further shake him up. Tafa marches him down, walking through wild counters while picking his shots that are landing cleaner and heavier. Tafa backs off to adjust his shorts, and he checks a calf kick and leans back as a left hook comes his way. Tafa slips two lefts around the guard and unloads haymakers, only for Sharaf to stand form and rock him with two hooks and drag him to the mat with a double. Tafa turns to his side as Sharaf claims full mount, and Sharaf beats on him with punches and elbows. Sharaf swarms his man with elbows until the horn saves an exhausted Tafa.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Sharaf
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Sharaf
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Sharaf

Round 2
The big men are sucking wind after five minutes of brawling, and they get back to it and tap their large hands together. Tafa fights behind his jab, tripling up on it and following with a right hand. Sharaf tries a labored shot, and he gets caught with a right hand. Sharaf steps out with a left hand, and Tafa intercepts him with an uppercut while stopping a shot. Sharaf digs a left to the body and a right to the head, and Tafa surges into action. Tafa winds up a massive right hand, and Sharaf don’t like it. His casbah is rocked. Tafa throws hammers until he runs out of steam, and he has no choice but to disengage as Sharaf is still in the fight albeit bloodied from his left eye. Tafa unloads a right hand around the guard of his opponent, and he marches forward and rifles off three uppercuts. Sharaf is barely on his feet, taking a deep breath and leaning back to avoid a haymaker. Tafa laughs off a possible shot and walks Sharaf from one side of the cage to the other.
The spent Kiwi summons all his energy into one final punch, in the form of a booming right hand that clips Sharaf on the temple. Sharaf stumbles away, hanging on tightly to consciousness, and Smith sees he is not intelligently defending himself and waves the fight off.
Taking the fight earlier this week, Sharaf showed off several solid moments and about five minutes of cardio, and Tafa had just a little more in the tank to get his hand raised. The victorious “Juggernaut” retains his 100% knockout rate, and he drops to his seat in exhaustion.

The Official Result
Junior Tafa def. Sean Sharaf R2 2:15 via TKO (Punches)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident pick date unknown
Junior Tafa

Angelo picks Junior Tafa, citing his kickboxing skills and the fact that Chris Barnett hasn't fought in two years. He notes that Barnett's athleticism declines with age and that Tafa should be able to piece him up on the feet. Angelo mentions that Tafa's takedown defense is a hole, but Barnett is unlikely to exploit it. He believes Tafa will win via striking and that the layoff will show rust on Barnett.

"Junior TAA should be able to get it done... he's just going to get pieced up on the feet."
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident pick date unknown
Junior Tafa

Big Brady picks Junior Tafa to win by first-round knockout. He notes that Tafa is a sizable favorite and has the striking advantage, but acknowledges that if Sharaf wrestles, Tafa has no takedown defense or ground game. However, since Sharaf hasn't shown wrestling, Brady expects Tafa to knock him out early. He mentions the under is juiced and thinks someone gets finished in the first round.

Tafa by first-round knockout; under is juiced to -310/-320
"I got to go TAA here minus 310 is it is what it is but I think he knocks out sharf in the first round"
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident pick date unknown
Junior Tafa

Connor agrees with Zane, noting that Sharaf is a typical heavyweight signing with no tape, who will be aggressive but likely sucks if he doesn't knock Tafa out instantly. He points out that Tafa has at least shown some striking ability and is not as easily overwhelmed as Sharaf's previous opponents.

"Yeah, I mean junior toff is not much different from all these other guys. He was one of these guys who gets signed"
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert pick date unknown

This fight was not discussed in the transcript. No picks were made.

DA
Daniel Vreeland Expert Confident pick date unknown
Junior Tafa

Daniel notes Tafa's significant size and age advantages over Barnett, who is 5'8", 38 years old, and obese. He believes Tafa's striking is excellent and that Barnett will stand and trade, leading to a knockout. The only concern is Tafa's poor grappling if taken down, but Daniel thinks Barnett won't attempt takedowns.

by KO
"I think Junior Tafa is going to come out here and starch Chris Barnett."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident pick date unknown
Sean Sharaf

The host is not a fan of Junior Tafa, calling him overrated with only one UFC victory that he 'cheated' to get via a fence grab. Sharaf is a short-notice replacement but a longtime member of Extreme Couture, training with Francis Ngannou and others. Sharaf should engage in striking and possibly grappling, showcasing better MMA and pulling off the upset.

"I'm not a big fan of Junior Tafa I think he's more overrated than anything"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident pick date unknown
Junior Tafa

The MMA Guru picks Junior Tafa over Chris Barnett (note: transcript says Chris Barnett but fight card lists Sean Sharaf; likely a mistake in transcript). He trusts Tafa's boxing and power at heavyweight over Barnett's kicks and unorthodox striking. He notes Barnett's history of being knocked out and his poor boxing, while Tafa is young and hits hard with clean boxing.

"I'm going to go Junior taer I just trust boxing at heavyweight a lot more than I do kicks and Junior TAA has got a lot of power"
ZA
Zane Simon Expert pick date unknown

This fight was not discussed in the transcript. No picks were made.

ZA
Zane Simon Expert Confident pick date unknown
Junior Tafa

Zane picks Tafa because he has more experience and can throw combinations, having done some kickboxing. He notes that Sharaf has almost no tape and is likely a one-dimensional knockout artist who will struggle if he doesn't finish early. Zane thinks Tafa's craftiness with punches gives him the edge.

"I'm just going to go with the more experienced Striker who i've seen tape of"
LOSS vs Valter Walker
Submission (heel hook) R1 4:56 · UFC 305: du Plessis vs. Adesanya · Aug 18, 2024
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Valter Walker 0 5 of 8 62% 10 of 13 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Junior Tafa 0 4 of 4 100% 20 of 23 2 of 3 66% 1 0 3:54
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Valter Walker 0 5 of 8 62% 10 of 13 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Junior Tafa 0 4 of 4 100% 20 of 23 2 of 3 66% 1 0 3:54
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Valter Walker 5 of 8 62% 4 of 7 1 of 1 0 of 0 4 of 7 1 of 1 0 of 0
Junior Tafa 4 of 4 100% 1 of 1 0 of 0 3 of 3 3 of 3 0 of 0 1 of 1
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Valter Walker 5 of 8 62% 4 of 7 1 of 1 0 of 0 4 of 7 1 of 1 0 of 0
Junior Tafa 4 of 4 100% 1 of 1 0 of 0 3 of 3 3 of 3 0 of 0 1 of 1
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Junior Tafa vs. Valter Walker
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Tafa (-130), Walker (+110)

Round 1
The prelims close with a heavyweight smash-‘em-up derby where one of these two heavy hitters will likely wind up face down before it is all over. All but one of Tafa’s (5-2, 1-2 UFC) pro outings have ended by knockout, while Walker (11-1, 0-1 UFC) is no stranger to bludgeoning another man unconscious. Keeping his head on a swivel will be referee Steve Perceval, as feet and fists are sure to soar in moments. Before that happens, there is a sporting glove touch from the competitors. They are uncharacteristically tentative to begin the fight, with only one leg kick landing for the first 30 seconds. Tafa walks through the kick and busts Walker in the face, stumbling Walker against the cage. Tafa continues throwing hands, stinging Walker again, and Walker tries to slow things down and pursue a takedown. On his second effort, Walker manages to wrench “The Juggernaut” to the canvas. Tafa scoots to the fence and wall-walks to stand up, and Tafa grabs the fence to fight off a mat return. Walker scoops his legs out beneath him and dumps Tafa to the floor, and Tafa again grabs the cage in hopes of standing. Perceval is on top of it, warning Tafa again. Walker gets in a single left hand while trying to keep Tafa on the mat, hoping to settle in half guard. Walker grinds from on top with occasional short punches, and the crowd tries to energize Tafa with a local chant. Tafa remains pinned to the floor with a heavy man above him, and Perceval asks for more activity. Tafa clings to the neck to keep Walker stuck, or perhaps force a standup, and Walker breaks out of it and jams down an elbow. Commentators Daniel Cormier and Dominick Cruz heavily criticize Tafa’s complete inability and seeming lack of knowledge to get back to his feet, and
Walker changes things up by rolling for a sudden heel hook. Tafa flops to his back and screams, and as soon as he turns to his side, Perceval waves the fight off while shouting “Stop!”
Tafa is enraged, going to slap Walker in the face after the fight concludes, claiming that he did not tap out. His shout out was considered a verbal submission by Perceval—the right call, with screams specifically considered verbal tapouts in the Unified Rules—and officials pull the upset Tafa away and force him back to his corner. Tafa is not about to drop it, continuing to shout at the victorious Walker and flip him the middle finger during the official announcement. No amount of protest from Tafa will change the result, which will stand as a submission.

The Official Result
Valter Walker def. Junior Tafa R1 4:56 via Verbal Submission (Heel Hook)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Lean pick date unknown
Valter Walker

Angelo picks Valter Walker to win via wrestling, believing he can get takedowns and control Junior Tafa, who has shown poor takedown defense. However, he talks himself out of betting on Walker because his last fight was an embarrassing cardio failure, and the odds are not plus money. He calls Walker 'absolutely horrible' but thinks he can win if he shows up prepared.

No bet; talked himself out of it
"I just talked myself at good job an nice pep talk I talked myself out of betting on you can't bet on him he's just so bad."
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident pick date unknown
Junior Tafa

Big Brady picks Junior Tafa to win by second-round knockout. He is not high on either fighter but thinks Tafa has the advantage on the feet. He notes Valter Walker can wrestle and will likely get takedowns in the first round, but Walker gasses out early and looked terrible in his last fight. He expects Walker to tire in the second round, allowing Tafa to stuff takedowns and land a knockout. He says he would not bet this fight with a 10-foot pole, especially laying chalk on Tafa.

knockout in round 2
"I'm going to take tofa to win this fight by second round knock out"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident pick date unknown
Valter Walker

Cody believes Walker's wrestling will be the difference, as Tafa has poor takedown defense and no get-up game. He notes Walker looked improved physically and should learn from his debut loss. Cody expects Walker to take Tafa down and control him, possibly earning a submission or decision.

"I got vter Walker"
DA
Daniel Vreeland Expert Lean pick date unknown
Valter Walker

Daniel Vreeland picks Valter Walker to win a decision, expecting him to look better than his debut. He notes that Tafa has been taken down and lost in the past, and that Walker's grappling could be the difference. Vreeland acknowledges the volatility and that Tafa has finishing upside, but leans toward the underdog Walker at plus money.

"I'll go with him plus 115 to kind of come back and have a better performance"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident pick date unknown
Valter Walker

The host loves Walker as a plus-115 underdog, citing Tafa's poor takedown defense and ground game. He expects Walker to take Tafa down and grind him out, possibly finishing by ground and pound or submission. He calls the line a gift and is mystified by it.

Walker by ground and pound or submission
"plus 115 is a gift of a line if again mystified I wouldn't be surprised if Walker ends up finishing"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident pick date unknown
Valter Walker

Paul agrees, noting that everyone who has tried to take Tafa down has succeeded, and that Walker's best skill is wrestling. He warns that if Walker stands and trades, he'll get knocked out, but expects him to stick to the game plan. Paul also mentions Walker's improved physique and the need to see weigh-ins.

"I'm with you wter Walker"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident pick date unknown
Junior Tafa

The MMA Guru picks Junior Tafa over Valter Walker. He acknowledges Walker's grappling but calls him a dumb fighter who didn't shoot takedowns against Lucas Brzeski despite getting them every time. He believes Tafa's takedown defense, shown against Mohammed Usman, will hold up. He predicts Tafa will KO Walker, calling Walker a large middleweight rather than a true heavyweight. He rants about heavyweight fighters being brainless.

KO
"I'll go with Junior Taffer here over vter Walker... he'll KO vter Walker via being a large middleweight instead of an actually heavyweight sized man"
Tuco Tokkos - Fight History
LOSS vs Ivan Erslan
DEC R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Allen vs. Costa · May 16, 2026
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Tuco Tokkos 0 54 of 123 43% 57 of 126 0 of 6 0% 1 0 1:09
Ivan Erslan 0 37 of 66 56% 118 of 166 2 of 3 66% 0 0 8:31
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Tuco Tokkos 0 40 of 84 47% 42 of 86 0 of 3 0% 1 0 1:09
Ivan Erslan 0 25 of 40 62% 42 of 59 0 of 0 --- 0 0 1:05
2 Tuco Tokkos 0 10 of 25 40% 11 of 26 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:00
Ivan Erslan 0 7 of 20 35% 37 of 54 0 of 0 --- 0 0 3:25
3 Tuco Tokkos 0 4 of 14 28% 4 of 14 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Ivan Erslan 0 5 of 6 83% 39 of 53 2 of 3 66% 0 0 4:01
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Tuco Tokkos 54 of 123 43% 40 of 100 8 of 16 6 of 7 52 of 120 2 of 3 0 of 0
Ivan Erslan 37 of 66 56% 35 of 64 2 of 2 0 of 0 28 of 52 4 of 6 5 of 8
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Tuco Tokkos 40 of 84 47% 30 of 72 5 of 7 5 of 5 39 of 83 1 of 1 0 of 0
Ivan Erslan 25 of 40 62% 24 of 39 1 of 1 0 of 0 20 of 32 4 of 6 1 of 2
2 Tuco Tokkos 10 of 25 40% 8 of 21 1 of 3 1 of 1 9 of 23 1 of 2 0 of 0
Ivan Erslan 7 of 20 35% 6 of 19 1 of 1 0 of 0 4 of 15 0 of 0 3 of 5
3 Tuco Tokkos 4 of 14 28% 2 of 7 2 of 6 0 of 1 4 of 14 0 of 0 0 of 0
Ivan Erslan 5 of 6 83% 5 of 6 0 of 0 0 of 0 4 of 5 0 of 0 1 of 1
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident pick date unknown
Tuco Tokkos

Angelo picks Tuco Tokkos, noting he expected Tuco to be the favorite. He believes Tuco can take a beating and get the fight to the ground, where he has an advantage. He views Ivan Erslan as KO or bust and doubts Erslan gets the KO, leading to a loss. He bet on Tuco at +165.

"I think Tuco is gonna be able to get this fight to the ground. ... Ivon Urslon is KO or bust. I don't think he gets the KO. Therefore, he busts."
BI
Big Brady Expert Lean pick date unknown
Ivan Erslan

Big Brady leans toward Ivan Erslan, believing his boxing and power will be too much for Tuco Tokkos. He expects Erslan to stuff takedowns and land a first-round knockout, as Tokkos has shown poor striking defense and durability.

first round KO
"I'm leaning Erszlon by first round knockout."
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident pick date unknown
Ivan Erslan

Cody is confident in Ivan Erslan, despite his 0-3 UFC record. He notes that Erslan has good get-up abilities, a decent gas tank, and durability, which are kryptonite to Tuco Tokkos's grinding style. Tokkos relies on takedowns but has poor top control and gasses. Cody expects Erslan to survive early takedowns, return to his feet, and eventually hurt Tokkos for a TKO in the later rounds.

Suggests over 1.5 or over 2.5 takedowns for Tokkos, but prefers Erslan by TKO.
"I feel like Urslon's Yeah, maybe maybe has a bad first round. Maybe gets taken down a few times, but inevitably he's going to return to his feet, club him with something, hurt Toast, or doesn't hurt him, but takes …"
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident pick date unknown
Tuco Tokkos

Connor picks Tokkos, agreeing with Zane. He notes that Erslan is undercooked and not durable, while Tokkos is a decent fighter who can wrestle. He emphasizes that Erslan's only finishes are early, and if he doesn't finish quickly, he loses.

Same odds as Zane. Connor calls Erslan 'raw chicken' and 'undercooked'.
"I got to take Tuktokos because even with Tuktokos getting smoked, it is, it's, it's never inside a minute. And Yvonne Ersan has won exactly one fight outside of the first two minutes."
LU
Lucrative James Expert Confident pick date unknown
Ivan Erslan

Lucrative James picks Ivan Erslan to win by knockout, believing Erslan is a level above Tokkos on the feet. He notes Erslan's better boxing and Tokkos's grappling is not high-level. He predicts Erslan will maintain his UFC roster spot with an inside-the-distance finish.

win by KO
"Ivan Urselin is my prediction here and I'm actually going to say that he gets it done inside the distance via knockout."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident pick date unknown
Ivan Erslan

The host picks Ivan Erslan over Tuco Tokkos, expecting Erslan's power and improved grappling defense to allow him to pick apart Tokkos and find a finish within two and a half rounds.

finish under 2.5 rounds
"I believe it's going to be Erslan's power and improved grappling defense that should help him pick apart Tokkos and eventually find the finish under two and a half rounds."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Hesitant pick date unknown
Ivan Erslan

The host respects Erslan's power and believes his defensive grappling is good enough to avoid Tokkos' submissions, leading to a knockout win. However, he is hesitant to bet Erslan at -200 due to his recent submission loss and the risk of Tokkos catching him. He prefers the under 2.5 rounds.

under 2.5 rounds
"I think Urslan has better defensive grappling than Junior Taffa, albeit not by a lot. But I think that difference in defensive grappling will be enough for Urslan to get out of those bad spots from Tokos."
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert pick date unknown

Paul does not make a clear pick for this fight, as he discusses the odds and the difficulty of betting on Ivan Erslan at -160. He mentions that Erslan is 0-3 in the UFC and has been finished, but also notes that Tokkos has cardio issues. He does not express a strong opinion.

"I don't want to pay minus 180 on Ursland. Give me a break. He not good."
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Confident pick date unknown
Tuco Tokkos

Zane picks Tokkos because Erslan is bad and has only won one fight outside the first two minutes; almost all his finishes are sub-one-minute. Tokkos is not athletic but can wrestle and grapple, and Erslan was immediately outgrappled by Jimmy Crute. Zane expects Tokkos to wrestle and grapple Erslan.

Odds: Tokkos opened +250, now +155; Erslan opened -300, now -180. Zane calls it a 'stupid fucking fight' and 'the height of meaninglessness'.
"So yeah, it's possible, but he also just went in there and got like immediately out grappled by Jimmy crude, which like Tuktokos is definitely going to wrestle and grapple him. Yeah. I got to take Tuktokos, but it's a …"
WIN vs Junior Tafa
Submission R2 4:25 · UFC on ESPN: Lewis vs. Teixeira · Jul 12, 2025
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Junior Tafa 0 24 of 38 63% 25 of 39 0 of 0 --- 0 1 0:27
Tuco Tokkos 0 11 of 22 50% 31 of 57 5 of 9 55% 1 0 7:51
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Junior Tafa 0 16 of 23 69% 17 of 24 0 of 0 --- 0 1 0:12
Tuco Tokkos 0 6 of 9 66% 14 of 19 4 of 6 66% 0 0 4:14
2 Junior Tafa 0 8 of 15 53% 8 of 15 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:15
Tuco Tokkos 0 5 of 13 38% 17 of 38 1 of 3 33% 1 0 3:37
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Junior Tafa 24 of 38 63% 21 of 35 3 of 3 0 of 0 6 of 14 10 of 10 8 of 14
Tuco Tokkos 11 of 22 50% 7 of 17 0 of 1 4 of 4 4 of 9 0 of 0 7 of 13
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Junior Tafa 16 of 23 69% 15 of 22 1 of 1 0 of 0 1 of 5 8 of 8 7 of 10
Tuco Tokkos 6 of 9 66% 3 of 6 0 of 0 3 of 3 3 of 4 0 of 0 3 of 5
2 Junior Tafa 8 of 15 53% 6 of 13 2 of 2 0 of 0 5 of 9 2 of 2 1 of 4
Tuco Tokkos 5 of 13 38% 4 of 11 0 of 1 1 of 1 1 of 5 0 of 0 4 of 8
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Junior Tafa vs. George Tokkos
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Tafa (-175); Tokkos (+140)

Round 1
Down about 35 pounds with some serious physical transformation on his behalf, Tafa (6-3, 2-3 UFC) is aiming for a new lease on life at light heavyweight. He will be able to trade with a willing dance partner in Tokkos (10-5, 0-2 UFC), where a knockout may not be guaranteed but it is greatly expected. Before the bludgeoning, referee Eric McMahon clocks the fighters in, and they bump fists.
Tokkos says hello with a chopping low kick, and Tafa checks a second one and attacks behind his jab. Tafa checks another kick, and he finds himself facing a single-leg entry from the Brit. Tafa elbows the side of the head a few times, and Tokkos still manages to wrangle him to the floor. Tokkos keeps hold of Tafa’s left leg to trap him on the mat, and he holds in there. Fans are not amused by the lack of activity of the two sluggers, and Tafa takes advantage of their momentum and stands up. The Kiwi hacks down the back of the head a few times, grabs the fence and is still dragged to his seat courtesy of the Tokkos single. Tafa wall-walks upright and is mat returned in a hurry. Tafa stands, and he wraps up a power guillotine choke only to release it to slash down with elbows.
Tokkos throws Tafa back down to the floor with emphasis, and Tafa repositions himself to sit on his seat. Tokkos smothers the former heavyweight with chest pressure, and McMahon tells them they need to do more than stall out. Tafa gets to a knee, and Tokkos takes his back and loops one hook around the legs. Tokkos dives after a short choke, and Tafa gives up his back and starts fighting hands. Tokkos resets himself to set up a rear-naked choke, and he releases it to shift to full mount, arm-triangle briefly in play. Tokkos postures up to drive down punches, getting warned for back of the head shots as well. He continues to impose his weight on Tafa, and is warned for grabbing inside the glove to keep Tafa on the mat. Tafa flips him over with seconds to go and lets Tokkos have it, cutting Tokkos on the top of the head as the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Tokkos
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Tokkos
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Tokkos

Round 2
Tafa touches gloves with his foe and unleashes a hellacious overhand right. Tokkos shrugs at him, but he is beaned by another big right. Tafa clubs him with an uppercut, and Tokkos falls on his face. Tokkos rolls around on the mat to try to get Tafa in a grappling exchange, and Tafa stands up and makes him get up. Tokkos explodes forward, nailing Tafa with a shock right hand that he uses to set up a takedown after it. Tafa gets dragged to the mat, and Tokkos clings to him and holds on with a front choke. Along the way, he is warned for grabbing Tafa’s gloves. Tokkos steps over to half guard and easily climbs to three-quarter mount, only to pull himself back one step so he keeps Tafa flat on his back. Tokkos sits up and drives down punches and hammerfists, and Tafa turns to his side to survive. Tokkos quits punching for the most part to get a hook in around the side.
Tafa shifts to his back again, and Tokkos considers an arm-triangle choke and is admonished for eye gouging when he puts his fingers on Tafa’s face. Tokkos sits up again to land some bombs, and he uses the punches to set up a rear-naked choke. Tafa on his side is able to break up the submission, but Tokkos is still on him making him carry every additional pound.
This time, Tokkos advances to full mount, and he latches on with an arm-triangle choke and steps over to the side. Crushing down with all of his energy, Tokkos forces Tafa to submit to the choke.
McMahon breaks up the sub, and Tokkos strides away and drops to his knees to take in his first UFC victory.

The Official Result
George Tokkos def. Junior Tafa R2 4:25 via Submission (Arm-Triangle Choke)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Lean pick date unknown
Tuco Tokkos

Angelo picks Tuco Tokkos but admits he can't bet on him because Tokkos is winless in the UFC. He thinks Tokkos can get the fight to the ground and control Junior Tafa, who has poor takedown defense and looked out of shape in his last fight. However, he notes Tokkos is not reliable enough to bet on as a dog.

Cannot bet on Tokkos despite picking him due to unreliability.
"Tuk Tukos is the pick. Plus 145. Not reliable enough to jump on that as a dog."
BI
Big Brady Expert Hesitant pick date unknown
Junior Tafa

Big Brady hates this fight from a betting standpoint. He warns that Junior Tafa's ground game is terrible and if Tuco Tokkos gets him down, it could be bad. However, he cannot rely on Tokkos to wrestle or do anything. He picks Tafa by default, expecting a first-round knockout, but says he would never lay -160 on Tafa.

first round knockout
"I'm going to take Junior Tafa. Junior Tafa to win by first round knockout."
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Lean pick date unknown
Tuco Tokkos

Connor picks Tokkos hesitantly, noting that Junior Tafa is a one-dimensional slugger who is very upright and easy to navigate. He acknowledges that Tokkos is hurtable and awkward, but believes his wrestling and toughness might be enough to outwork Tafa. Connor admits Tafa could knock Tokkos out, but he leans toward Tokkos due to Tafa's lack of versatility.

"I'm going to pick Tucko Tuckos. What the hell? ... Junior Taffa might knock his ass out, but I'm going to pick Tucko Tuckos."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident pick date unknown
Tuco Tokkos

The host is not a fan of either fighter but believes Tokkos has the BJJ black belt to take Tafa to the ground and find a submission quickly. He criticizes Tafa's overall skill level, noting he has decent pop but is not a good fighter. Tokkos has underperformed in the UFC but has the grappling chops to win.

submission
"Not a big fan of either guy here, but Junior Tafa is just not that good of a fighter in my opinion. He has decent pop and decent striking, but Tuko Togo is a BJJ black belt who has somewhat …"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident pick date unknown
Junior Tafa

The MMA Guru picks Junior Tafa, noting he is in shape for his light heavyweight debut and has had some success in the UFC, unlike Tuco Tokkos who has lost three straight and shown no success. He expects Tafa to be 'lean and mean' and score a first-round TKO, as Tokkos has been finished in all his losses.

first round TKO
"I'm forced to choose Junior Tafa by TKO. ... I reckon he's going to score this one. TKO first round over Taco Toos."
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Lean pick date unknown
Tuco Tokkos

Zane also picks Tokkos, reasoning that Tafa's move down to light heavyweight won't fix his fundamental issues. He notes that Tokkos is a hard worker who tries to win, and that Tafa's one-note striking might not be enough to put him away. Zane is not confident, calling it a terrible fight.

"Yeah, I think I will too. Junior Taffa might knock his ass out, but I'm going to pick Tucko Tuckos."
CANCEL vs Junior Tafa
LOSS vs Navajo Stirling
Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27) R3 5:00 · UFC on ESPN: Covington vs. Buckley · Dec 14, 2024
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Navajo Stirling 0 78 of 155 50% 99 of 181 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:54
Tuco Tokkos 0 32 of 90 35% 34 of 93 3 of 9 33% 0 0 3:36
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Navajo Stirling 0 21 of 57 36% 24 of 62 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:23
Tuco Tokkos 0 10 of 24 41% 10 of 24 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:00
2 Navajo Stirling 0 22 of 35 62% 25 of 39 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Tuco Tokkos 0 10 of 35 28% 12 of 37 3 of 5 60% 0 0 2:29
3 Navajo Stirling 0 35 of 63 55% 50 of 80 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:31
Tuco Tokkos 0 12 of 31 38% 12 of 32 0 of 2 0% 0 0 1:07
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Navajo Stirling 78 of 155 50% 33 of 94 37 of 50 8 of 11 70 of 142 8 of 13 0 of 0
Tuco Tokkos 32 of 90 35% 18 of 70 5 of 5 9 of 15 28 of 80 4 of 10 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Navajo Stirling 21 of 57 36% 8 of 35 9 of 15 4 of 7 20 of 54 1 of 3 0 of 0
Tuco Tokkos 10 of 24 41% 3 of 14 3 of 3 4 of 7 9 of 22 1 of 2 0 of 0
2 Navajo Stirling 22 of 35 62% 8 of 19 12 of 14 2 of 2 17 of 28 5 of 7 0 of 0
Tuco Tokkos 10 of 35 28% 8 of 31 1 of 1 1 of 3 8 of 30 2 of 5 0 of 0
3 Navajo Stirling 35 of 63 55% 17 of 40 16 of 21 2 of 2 33 of 60 2 of 3 0 of 0
Tuco Tokkos 12 of 31 38% 7 of 25 1 of 1 4 of 5 11 of 28 1 of 3 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Navajo Stirling vs. George Tokkos
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Stirling (-500), Tokkos (+380)

Round 1
The first main card fight will be overseen by Dan Miragliotta. Stirling takes the center. Tokkos eats a leg kick and struggles to get into striking distance. The two exchange leg kicks. Stirling works his jab and catches a body kick. Both men are staying patient. Stirling is more active with jabs and leg kicks. Tokkos eats a right hand and tries to charge forward but misses. Stirling hurts Tokkos with a front kick to the gut. A nice knee lands for Stirling. Tokkos is hurt and backing up into the fence. A thudding uppercut lands for Stirling, and Tokkos goes to the floor. Stirling lets his opponent up. Tokkos survives the round, but it looks like he has nothing for his opponent.

Sherdog Scores
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Stirling
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Stirling
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Stirling

Round 2
Tokkos is coming out aggressive to start the second round. Stirling working his jab well. Tokkos goes for a takedown attempt and grabs the back of his opponent while standing. Tokkos is able to ground Stirling but loses the position. Stirling lands a big knee that hurts Tokkos. Standing elbows land for Stirling, who is just leagues better on the feet than his opponent. Tokkos is eating body shots. Stirling gets pushed into the cage by Tokkos, who is looking for another takedown. Stirling is taken down but is able to get back up shortly afterward as the round ends.

Sherdog Scores
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Stirling
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Stirling
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Stirling

Round 3
Tokkos eats a big left hook. Stirling is the fresher fighter. Tokkos goes for another takedown attempt and pushes Stirling into the cage. Tokkos is deep on a double-leg attempt but loses it. Stirling is now in control as they are clinched. Tokkos reverses but is eating elbows as he attempts to get a takedown. Fans are booing as this has been a dull round. They separate, and Stirling throws a head kick. Stirling is letting his kicks go. Stirling eats two slow leg kicks from Tokkos. A nice head kick from Stirling hurts Tokkos. Stirling hurts Tokkos with a kick to the body. Tokkos looks totally uninterested in fighting and then goes for a takedown as the round ends.

Sherdog Scores
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Stirling (30-27 Stirling)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Stirling (30-27 Stirling)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Stirling (30-27 Stirling)

The Official Result
Navajo Stirling def. George Tokkos via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27); R3, 5:00.
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Hesitant pick date unknown
Navajo Stirling

Angelo picks Stirling because the striking gap is wider than the grappling gap, but he is very hesitant due to unknowns about Stirling's grappling. He notes Stirling is a former kickboxer with meaningful strikes and knees, while Tokkos is a grappler with no power. He strongly advises against betting on a 5-to-1 favorite with only five fights, calling it an unnecessary risk.

Do not bet on this fight.
"I'm going to pick Navajo here because the Striking Gap is going to be much wider than what I'm assuming the grappling Gap is but it's an assumption... don't bet on this damn fight."
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident pick date unknown
Navajo Stirling

Big Brady picks Navajo Stirling to win by second-round knockout. He is very confident, calling it a setup spot. He notes Stirling has a kickboxing background with great takedown defense, while Tokkos is hittable and chinny. He expects a vicious knockout.

"should be Sterling I do think he might you know take his time early on uh so I'm thinking of like a second round knockout for Navajo Sterling"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident pick date unknown
Navajo Stirling

Cody picks Navajo Stirling, citing Tokkos's history of losing as a favorite and his lack of durability. He notes Stirling's striking skills from City Kickboxing and believes he will knock out Tokkos. Cody warns that the line is too high to include in parlays but sees Stirling as a clear winner.

"I got Sterling going out there knocking out Tuco toos."
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident pick date unknown
Navajo Stirling

Connor agrees with Zane, predicting Stirling will be a ranked light heavyweight soon and potentially a title contender. He notes that Tokkos is not a threat and that Stirling's only potential issue is early jitters, but he expects a dominant performance.

"Navajo Sterling will almost certainly, barring some Johnnie Walker-like insanity, which I do not expect out of city kickboxing."
DA
Daniel Vreeland Expert Confident pick date unknown
Navajo Stirling

Daniel Vreeland picks Navajo Stirling to win by knockout, noting his massive reach (82.7 inches) and kickboxing background. He believes Tokkos is not UFC caliber and will be overwhelmed. Vreeland acknowledges the -800 odds are steep but expects a finish.

by knockout
"I'll go Sterling by knockout"
LU
Lucrative James Expert Confident pick date unknown
Navajo Stirling

Lucrative James picks Navajo Stirling via knockout, citing his knowledge of Stirling's camp and belief that Stirling is a much better fighter. He admits he hasn't studied Tokkos much but is confident in Stirling's ability to win decisively.

"Sterling via knockout I think he's way better than this dude."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident pick date unknown
Navajo Stirling

Tokkos is not considered a UFC-worthy competitor, and Stirling is expected to make that clear by finding a knockout within the first round.

wins by KO in round 1
"I do not believe tokos is a UFC worthy competitor and I believe Sterling will make that clear once again as he goes up there and finds a knockout within the first round"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident pick date unknown
Navajo Stirling

Paul picks Navajo Stirling but prefers the prop 'fight doesn't go to decision' under 2.5 rounds. He notes both fighters have finishing ability and expects an early finish. Paul is not keen on the money line due to the high price.

Fight doesn't go to decision (under 2.5 rounds)
"I've just been taken the fight doesn't go to decision under two and a half rounds that's how i' like if I'm going to use a piece from this fight I'll use that instead."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident pick date unknown
Navajo Stirling

The MMA Guru picks Navajo Stirling, noting that he has never rated Tuco Tokkos as a prospect. He points to Tokkos' losses to Umar Nurmagomedov and Mingyang Zhang, as well as unimpressive wins on the regional scene. He acknowledges Stirling is not a top contender but believes he is good enough to beat someone like Tokkos. He calls it a logical pick.

"Navajo Sterling should win this fight I've never really rated Taco toos as a prospect"
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Confident pick date unknown
Navajo Stirling

Zane is very confident in Stirling, calling him the best light heavyweight prospect and noting his size, athleticism, and functional City Kickboxing style. He dismisses Tokkos as a can who was melted by Ming-Yang Zhang and brought in to be a stepping stone. Zane expects an annihilation.

"This is going to be an annihilation. This is a nonsense fight made to bring the best light heavyweight prospect in the world into the UFC."
LOSS vs Oumar Sy
Submission (face crank) R1 3:43 · UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Murphy · May 18, 2024
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Oumar Sy 0 0 of 2 0% 1 of 8 2 of 3 66% 1 0 3:30
Tuco Tokkos 0 3 of 4 75% 4 of 5 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Oumar Sy 0 0 of 2 0% 1 of 8 2 of 3 66% 1 0 3:30
Tuco Tokkos 0 3 of 4 75% 4 of 5 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Oumar Sy 0 of 2 0% 0 of 2 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 2 0 of 0 0 of 0
Tuco Tokkos 3 of 4 75% 1 of 1 0 of 1 2 of 2 3 of 4 0 of 0 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Oumar Sy 0 of 2 0% 0 of 2 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 2 0 of 0 0 of 0
Tuco Tokkos 3 of 4 75% 1 of 1 0 of 1 2 of 2 3 of 4 0 of 0 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Oumar Sy vs. George Tokkos
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: N/A

Round 1
A pair of UFC newcomers will collide in hopes of storming the light heavyweight division. Undefeated Frenchman Sy (9-0, 0-0 UFC) has earned the lion’s share of his pro wins via stoppage, and the same can be said about “Tuco” Tokkos (10-3, 0-0 UFC). Referee Dan Miragliotta will need to keep his head on a swivel for as long as it lasts. Before they come out guns blazing, they touch ‘em up. Tokkos prods out an early jab and two low kicks, and he tests his might with a high kick. Sy punches once and shoots in for a deep double, lifting Tokkos off his feet and depositing him to the mat effortlessly. Tokkos gets stuck in an awkward position on the corner of the fence and the floor, and he tries to use upkicks to push Sy away. Tokkos rolls over to his knees, and Sy clings to him from behind and steps over to get around and sneak his hooks in. With only one hook in, Sy elects to snatch up a rear-naked choke that is more of a face and neck crank, and Tokkos explodes out of the bad position and loudly says, “you’re heavier than me.” Sy does not acknowledge him, instead keeping tightly pressed to his back as Tokkos sits up. Tokkos says it again, and Sy is not listening, instead dragging Tokkos right down to the mat once more. Sy snakes his right arm around the head, but he lets it go and pulls Tokkos down from behind so he can lock up a body triangle. Tokkos once more remarks about the weight of his opponent, and Sy takes advantage of this “Hello, Japan” type moment and squeezes one arm around the chin and locks down the rear-naked choke grip. The face crank RNC is tight as a drum, and Sy’s clutch is not about to loosen. Sy leans back to make this submission academic, and Tokkos thinks about tapping out but waits a few seconds longer. Tokkos surrenders from the submission, and Sy remains unbeaten as a professional as he picks up his 10th pro victory.

The Official Result
Oumar Sy def. George Tokkos R1 3:43 via Submission (Face Crank)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident pick date unknown
Oumar Sy

Angelo is high on Oumar Sy, describing him as a 6'5" beast with knockout power and explosive action. He believes Sy will dominate Antonio Trocoli, who is returning from a three-year USADA suspension. Sy has shown he can go to decisions without gassing out. Angelo expects a finish but warns against including Sy in parlays due to his UFC debut.

"Sai should dominate this fight do dominate this fight"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident pick date unknown
Oumar Sy

Cody provides a detailed scouting report: Sy is a natural grappler with heavy hands, similar to Kevin Randleman in terms of raw power. He notes Tokkos has been knocked out by lower-level competition and has poor durability. Cody believes Sy will take Tokkos down and finish him, or knock him out on the feet. He also mentions Tokkos is taking the fight on short notice for a payday.

"I think he goes out there and smashes up a Toco set."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident pick date unknown
Oumar Sy

Tokkos is a short-notice replacement who has been knocked out before and lacks substance in his wins. Sy is a UFC debutant with solid wrestling and a good gas tank. He can rely on his grappling defensively and put power punches on Tokkos to break him. Expects Sy to grind out a decision or find a finish from top position.

If line is around -150 to -185, Sy is worth a shot.
"I think he actually he could either grind this out or eventually find that finish from that top position but for the sake of this podcast I'm going to take C and C by decision"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident pick date unknown
Oumar Sy

Paul notes Sy is a very green prospect but should get through this fight against a short-notice opponent. He highlights Sy's grappling-heavy game and physical strength. Paul expects Sy to take Tokkos down and ground-and-pound him out, though he warns the line may move and Sy's lack of recent activity is a concern.

"I'll be picking Umar C."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident pick date unknown
Oumar Sy

The MMA Guru picks Oumar Sy over Tuco Tokkos, citing Sy's experience in KSW against tough opponents and his reach advantage. He criticizes Tokkos' career, including a failed drug test for nandrolone and a loss to a chinless welterweight. He believes Sy's striking and grappling are superior and that Tokkos has many red flags.

"I'm going to go with Umar Sai he's the favorite here this is a very close fight though"
Expert Picks (6)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Lean pick date unknown
Tuco Tokkos

Angelo picks Tuco Tokkos but admits he can't bet on him because Tokkos is winless in the UFC. He thinks Tokkos can get the fight to the ground and control Junior Tafa, who has poor takedown defense and looked out of shape in his last fight. However, he notes Tokkos is not reliable enough to bet on as a dog.

Cannot bet on Tokkos despite picking him due to unreliability.
"Tuk Tukos is the pick. Plus 145. Not reliable enough to jump on that as a dog."
BI
Big Brady Expert Hesitant pick date unknown
Junior Tafa

Big Brady hates this fight from a betting standpoint. He warns that Junior Tafa's ground game is terrible and if Tuco Tokkos gets him down, it could be bad. However, he cannot rely on Tokkos to wrestle or do anything. He picks Tafa by default, expecting a first-round knockout, but says he would never lay -160 on Tafa.

first round knockout
"I'm going to take Junior Tafa. Junior Tafa to win by first round knockout."
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Lean pick date unknown
Tuco Tokkos

Connor picks Tokkos hesitantly, noting that Junior Tafa is a one-dimensional slugger who is very upright and easy to navigate. He acknowledges that Tokkos is hurtable and awkward, but believes his wrestling and toughness might be enough to outwork Tafa. Connor admits Tafa could knock Tokkos out, but he leans toward Tokkos due to Tafa's lack of versatility.

"I'm going to pick Tucko Tuckos. What the hell? ... Junior Taffa might knock his ass out, but I'm going to pick Tucko Tuckos."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident pick date unknown
Tuco Tokkos

The host is not a fan of either fighter but believes Tokkos has the BJJ black belt to take Tafa to the ground and find a submission quickly. He criticizes Tafa's overall skill level, noting he has decent pop but is not a good fighter. Tokkos has underperformed in the UFC but has the grappling chops to win.

submission
"Not a big fan of either guy here, but Junior Tafa is just not that good of a fighter in my opinion. He has decent pop and decent striking, but Tuko Togo is a BJJ black belt who has somewhat underperformed in his UFC career thus far. I think he …"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident pick date unknown
Junior Tafa

The MMA Guru picks Junior Tafa, noting he is in shape for his light heavyweight debut and has had some success in the UFC, unlike Tuco Tokkos who has lost three straight and shown no success. He expects Tafa to be 'lean and mean' and score a first-round TKO, as Tokkos has been finished in all his losses.

first round TKO
"I'm forced to choose Junior Tafa by TKO. ... I reckon he's going to score this one. TKO first round over Taco Toos."
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Lean pick date unknown
Tuco Tokkos

Zane also picks Tokkos, reasoning that Tafa's move down to light heavyweight won't fix his fundamental issues. He notes that Tokkos is a hard worker who tries to win, and that Tafa's one-note striking might not be enough to put him away. Zane is not confident, calling it a terrible fight.

"Yeah, I think I will too. Junior Taffa might knock his ass out, but I'm going to pick Tucko Tuckos."
Comments (1)
BR
brian 8 months, 3 weeks ago

Tuco is a brown belt in jiu jitsu - Q&A ufc. Tuco was a - 600 in a loss to Zhang on the regional scene. 205 debut for Tafa. Not bad tapped to the side arm choke