The Samoan pe’a will be seen in the Octagon under the bright lights of Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, as Tai “Bam Bam” Tuivasa is set to be featured on the UFC 331 fight card on September 19. On a stacked night of mixed martial arts, the Australian-born heavyweight will once again step into the UFC Octagon, carrying with him the heritage, identity and cultural pride that have become an unmistakable part of his presence in combat sports.
For Pacific Island fans, Tuivasa’s appearance carries a significance that reaches beyond the fight itself. The 33-year-old heavyweight is of Samoan heritage, and his traditional pe’a, the sacred tattoo worn by Samoan men, is a visible connection to his culture that will be on display as he competes on one of the UFC’s biggest stages.
In Los Angeles, a city with one of the largest Pacific Islander communities in the United States, that connection feels particularly fitting. With thousands of fans expected inside Crypto.com Arena, Tuivasa will walk into the Octagon with his Samoan identity literally etched into his skin, bringing a piece of Samoa with him onto one of the world’s most recognizable combat sports stages.
Tuivasa is scheduled to face Cuban heavyweight Robelis Despaigne at UFC 331. Despaigne, a former Olympic bronze medalist in taekwondo, enters the matchup with a professional record of 6-2 and is beginning his second run with the UFC. Tuivasa brings considerably more UFC experience, along with 14 career knockout victories and a reputation built on his willingness to stand and trade with some of the division’s biggest hitters.
The matchup also represents an important moment for Tuivasa.
His most recent fight came on May 2, 2026, when he faced Louie Sutherland at UFC Fight Night: Della Maddalena vs. Prates in Perth, Australia. Sutherland earned a unanimous decision victory after three rounds, with all three judges scoring the bout 30-26.
Tuivasa will now return to the Octagon looking to change the direction of his recent run. The veteran heavyweight has experienced a difficult stretch of results, but his reputation as one of the division’s most recognizable personalities and dangerous punchers has kept him firmly in the UFC conversation. According to his UFC profile, 14 of his professional victories have come by knockout, including 12 first-round finishes.
And while the stakes inside the cage will be about getting his hand raised, there will be another story unfolding around Tuivasa when he makes the walk.
The pe’a is not simply body art. It is a deeply significant part of Samoan tradition, representing identity, heritage, responsibility and connection. Seeing Tuivasa compete with his pe’a visible beneath the lights in Los Angeles offers a powerful visual reminder of the Pacific roots represented throughout combat sports.
For Samoan and Pacific Islander fans watching from Los Angeles, Samoa, Australia, New Zealand and around the world, there is something special about seeing one of their own step into the Octagon carrying that identity with him.
Tuivasa has long embraced the cultural side of who he is, and his Samoan heritage has remained part of the public identity surrounding “Bam Bam.” Now, that heritage will once again share the spotlight with him as he prepares for another heavyweight battle in the UFC.
UFC 331 will be headlined by a flyweight championship rematch between Joshua Van and Alexandre Pantoja, while Arman Tsarukyan and Maurício Ruffy are set to meet in the co-main event. The card also features a number of notable matchups across the UFC roster, including Renato Moicano vs. Brian Ortega, Patricio “Pitbull” Freire vs. Doo Ho Choi, Charles Jourdain vs. Marlon Vera, Ryan Gandra vs. Ozzy Diaz, Casey O’Neill vs. Eduarda Moura, Edmen Shahbazyan vs. Brunno Ferreira, Gable Steveson vs. Sean Sharaf, Iwo Baraniewski vs. Alonzo Menifield, Giga Chikadze vs. Joanderson Brito, Michael Aswell Jr. vs. Joo Sang Yoo, and Tai Tuivasa vs. Robelis Despaigne. Fight card order remains subject to change.
UFC 331 takes place September 19, 2026, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California.
