Louie “The Vanilla Gorilla” Sutherland has accepted a huge opportunity, stepping in on just over one week’s notice to face Australian heavyweight star Tai “Bam Bam” Tuivasa at UFC Perth on May 2.

The fight was made after Tuivasa’s original opponent, Sean Sharaf, was forced out of the bout with a broken nose in training. With the event just days away, Sutherland answered the call and agreed to travel from the UK to Australia for the heavyweight clash.

Sutherland enters the fight with a 10-5 professional record and will be looking for his first UFC victory. Standing opposite him will be one of the UFC’s most recognisable heavyweights. Tuivasa brings a 14-9 professional record into the matchup, along with 13 career knockout victories. However, the Australian will be desperate to change his fortunes after suffering six consecutive defeats. His last victory came against Derrick Lewis at UFC 271 in February 2022.

The matchup therefore represents a major opportunity for both men. For Tuivasa, it is a chance to end the longest losing streak of his UFC career in front of his home crowd. For Sutherland, it is an opportunity to make an immediate statement against one of the biggest names in the heavyweight division.

Adding another layer to the matchup, both fighters are known for their finishing ability. Eight of Sutherland’s 10 wins have come by knockout, while 13 of Tuivasa’s 14 victories have come inside the distance.

Sutherland has already made his mindset clear: short notice is no problem.