- Junior Tafa replaces his injured brother, Justin, in a heavyweight bout at UFC 298.
- Tafa successfully weighs in at 249 pounds, just under the 266-pound limit.
- Despite the last-minute change, Marcos Rogerio de Lima accepts Tafa as his new opponent.
Junior Tafa is stepping in to fight Marcos Rogerio de Lima in a heavyweight match at UFC 298 this Saturday. The twist? He’s replacing his brother, Justin Tafa, who got injured and had to pull out of the bout just a day before.
The UFC announced Justin Tafa’s injury during the official weigh-ins at 9:14 a.m. on Friday. With the clock ticking, the promotion scrambled to find a replacement and landed on Junior Tafa. Despite the last-minute change, Rogerio de Lima agreed to face Junior, and the California State Athletic Commission had no problem with the switch.
Junior Tafa, who is 27 and hails from New Zealand, was originally set to fight Karl Williams on March 23. His last fight was a knockout win against Parker Porter in August. Meanwhile, his brother Justin, 30, has been on a winning streak with four victories in a row.
Rogerio de Lima, a 38-year-old fighter from Brazil, is coming off a loss to Derrick Lewis in July.
Junior Tafa weighed in at 249 pounds just five minutes before the weigh-in window closed. The heavyweight limit is 266 pounds, so he’s comfortably within the range for the fight.
It’s not every day you see a sibling swap in the UFC, but Junior Tafa is ready to step up and take on the challenge. With both fighters eager to prove themselves in the octagon, this match promises to be an exciting one for fans.
