Ce Liu Calls Out Tafa After UFC Shanghai Win

Ce Liu has unfinished business with Junior Tafa after knocking out a short-notice replacement at UFC Shanghai.

Liu was slated to face Tafa in front of a home crowd on Aug. 29, but Tafa pulled out five days before the event for undisclosed reasons, per Sherdog. Levi Rodrigues stepped in on short notice and lasted less than a round before Liu stopped him with a late flurry. The Chinese heavyweight/" class="internal-link text-bone underline decoration-ash/30 hover:decoration-gold underline-offset-2">light heavyweight improved to 4-1 and opened his UFC account in style.

Liu Wants Tafa Rebooking After Rodrigues Finish

Liu wasted no time calling for the original matchup backstage. "I want to challenge someone — my last opponent," Liu said, per Sherdog. "I want to settle the score with him in our next match." The 4-1 fighter has finished every pro victory so far and has gone past the first round only once in a win.

Tafa sits at 3-6 inside the octagon and is coming off a first-round knockout loss to Iwo Baraniewski. The New Zealander withdrew from the Shanghai card without public explanation, leaving Liu to face Rodrigues in a fast-paced back-and-forth bout that saw both men land before Liu piled on the pressure late in the opening frame.

Liu has yet to receive a response from the UFC regarding a potential rebooking with Tafa.

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• Sherdog — UFC newcomer wants to 'settle the score' following brutal debut KO