Tai Tuivasa wants the UFC heavyweight title — and the western Sydney fighter has his eye on big-punching champion Francis Ngannou

Tai Tuivasa has visions. He can see things in his head before they happen.

That's how the pride of Mt Druitt knew he was going to knock out Derrick Lewis at UFC 271 two weeks ago and it's how he knows he's going to become the UFC heavyweight champion.

«It kind of went exactly how it was supposed to go. I'm a bit of a head fighter – I watch things happen in my head, then they happen.

»I knew what he does, he's a heavy puncher and I was in a tough position there and I was a bit shocked he wanted to wrestle.

«But once he started hitting me I was like 'f**k, I've got to hit him back or he's going to punch the f***ing shit out of me'.

»I saw it. I knew it was going to go like that.

Hit him back he did – Tuivasa levelled Lewis with an elbow strike that sent the towering American crashing to the canvas and established Tuivasa as a top contender for Francis Ngannou's heavyweight title.

Tuivasa isn't sure if his next fight will be for the title – right now, he's focused on enjoying his time back in Australia after almost two years overseas – but he can imagine what it'll be like once he claims the UFC belt.

«I'll be walking around with it (the belt) on my waist like a clown. I'll be that old clown at the pub telling everyone how great he was when I was young. It's going to happen. It will happen,» Tuivasa said.

«As long as you have a crack, what's the worst that can happen? You might lose. That's it.

»I have a team and I believe as long as everyone in the team does their job it's going to go well. I have a few business things to take care of, but I'm back into training next week and I'll regroup with my team.

«They understand the fight game a bit better than I do, they know who's who, I just love fighting. I'm not far from the belt now and