LAS VEGAS – Marcin Tybura wasn’t thrilled when he received the call that his fight with Tai Tuivasa would happen a month later than expected.
Originally scheduled to be part of February’s UFC 298 lineup, the heavyweight bout between Tybura (24-8 MMA, 11-7 UFC) and Tuivasa (15-6 MMA, 8-6 UFC) was postponed to Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 239 main event at the UFC Apex (ESPN+).
Although it’s now a headlining bout with five rounds, Tybura admits the adjustment of date disrupted his preparation in a negative way.
“When the fight was moving it was a little bit hard because you already the camp and you’re just a little bit tired and you’re waiting for the final days, and it’s rescheduled,” Tybura told MMA Junkie and other reporters at Wednesday’s media day. “So that’s a little bit damaged to the camp schedule. But it was cool. It’s always nice to see your face on the fight posters. I agreed because I know there was some problems with Tai there.”
There’s positive and negatives to the situation for Tybura. As a durable grappler, he having five rounds and 25 minutes at his disposal could play into his favor. He would prefer to end it early, but he knows that’s an inherent advantage against Tuivasa, who has never been known for his cardio.
“I think Tai is an exciting fighter,” Tybura said. “Fans love him. For sure the first thing that comes to mind is his heavy hands. He’s strong. He tries to finish. He’s dangerous every second of the fight. That’s pretty much it. That’s how I would describe him.
“I don’t mind the cardio-wise going 25 minutes. I’ve been doing this before and I’m pretty sure about my cardio. But my approach is always go for the finish. Try to finish the fight. I’m hoping to get that done.”
For Tybura, UFC Fight Night 239 represents an important opportunity to get back on track. He faltered in his most recent bout, suffering a quick TKO loss to Tom Aspinall in July’s UFC Fight Night 224 main event in London. Tybura is uplifted to see that Aspinall has gone on to become interim heavyweight champion, but he wants to put that result in the past vs. Tuivasa.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 239.