'Changing of the guard' - Sutherland wins on short notice

BBC Sport 02 травня 2026, 16:06 0 переглядів 3 хв читання

Louie Sutherland holds up his arm as he stands in the octagon — Image caption,
Louie Sutherland has picked up eight of his 11 wins inside the distance

ByBobbie JacksonBBC Sport journalist

Published1 hour ago

British heavyweight Louie Sutherland said his victory over Tai Tuivasa on short notice at UFC Perth signalled a "changing of the guard".

Sutherland agreed to step in and flew from the UK to Australia after Sean Sharaf pulled out with barely a week to spare.

The 31-year-old, who also competed at UFC London in March, earned his first victory with the promotion at the third attempt by unanimous decision, with all three judges scoring it 30-26.

"I know I'm good enough to compete in the top 10 or 15 of this division," Sutherland said.

"My coaches keep telling me to take my time and it will come but I'm here to fight, if you call me on a weeks' notice I'll come - it doesn't matter who it is.

"I'm a big fan of Tai so to get a win over him is bittersweet and it feels like a changing of the guard."

The win takes Sutherland's overall record to 11 wins and five defeats, while Tuivasa's future in the UFC is uncertain following a seventh successive defeat.

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Londoner Sutherland's start to life in the UFC has been chaotic. What should have been his debut fight in Perth in September was cancelled on 24 hours notice when opponent Justin Tafa withdrew through illness.

He went on to lose his actual debut the following month when agreeing to face Valter Walker on 10 days' notice.

His place in the UFC was under threat when he lost against Brando Pericic in his home city earlier this year.

Victory over Australia's Tuivasa and his willingness to jump in at the drop of a hat will earn Sutherland some credit in the bank.

"It's overwhelming because I took a short notice fight against Walter, who I thought I could win against. I finally came here on a week's notice and it feels sweet, it feels amazing," Sutherland said.

"Me and my coaches said it, we did a big 360. We started here and it didn't go to plan with Tafa pulling out, but listen, that's on a week's notice."

In the main event, Carlos Prates put in a career-best performance to upset former welterweight champion and home favourite Jack della Maddalena.

Brazil's Prates dropped Perth's Della Maddalena with a leg kick in round three before forcing the referee to step in as he attacked with heavy elbow strikes.

It is the second former welterweight champion that Prates, 32, has stopped, having beaten Birmingham's Leon Edwards at UFC 322 in November.

Della Maddalena, 29, was fighting for the first time since losing his welterweight title to Islam Makhachev on the same card.