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

Ce Liu claims he has unfinished business with Junior Tafa.

Liu (4-1) was scheduled to make his Ultimate Fighting Championship debut against Tafa (7-6) in front of a home crowd in Shanghai, China, on Aug. 29. However, Tafa withdrew due to undisclosed reasons five days before fight night and was replaced on short notice by Levi Rodrigues, who suffered a first-round knockout loss to Liu.

Ce Liu calls for Junior Tafa fight after first-round UFC Shanghai knockout
The Liu vs. Rodrigues bout was a fast-paced back-and-forth affair, with both fighters having moments of success before Liu piled on the pressure in the final minute of the first round. The Chinese light heavyweight ultimately flatlined his Brazilian counterpart, opening his account in the UFC in style.

Liu subsequently called for a rebooking against Tafa.

“I want to challenge someone -- my last opponent,” Liu said backstage after his win. “I want to settle the score with him in our next match.”

“The Oriental Dragon” has finished all four of his pro wins so far, going past the first round only once in victory. Meanwhile, Tafa is 3-6 in the UFC and coming off a first-round knockout loss against Iwo Baraniewski.

🚨FIGHTER CALLOUT🚨

Liu Ce Calls Out Junior Tafa After His #UFCShanghai Win To Rebook a Fight With Him!

Who Wins This Matchup If Rebooked 🧐 pic.twitter.com/tTrWTLJXR1— Kevin (@realkevink) August 30, 2026