Joe Pyfer Upsets Israel Adesanya at UFC Fight Night in Seattle

Joe Pyfer Upsets Israel Adesanya at UFC Fight Night in Seattle

Joe Pyfer delivered a significant upset against former Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight champion Israel Adesanya in the main event of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night in Seattle, concluding the match with a technical knockout (TKO) at 4:18 of the second round.

Prior to the TKO, the bout featured a dynamic exchange of strikes as both fighters engaged in a striking contest until Pyfer's (16-3 MMA) takedown shifted the momentum, ultimately leading to the finish from top position.

“I just have this mentality where I don’t care; I’m going to search and destroy,” Pyfer remarked after claiming victory.

Adesanya (24-6 MMA), who is competing out of New Zealand, has not secured a victory since reclaiming the middleweight title in April 2023 at UFC 287. He expressed his determination to continue fighting, stating, “I’m just going to keep going and going and going.”

Grasso Dominates Barber in Rematch

In another noteworthy bout, former champion Alexa Grasso faced Maycee Barber in a rematch that had been five years in the making, capturing a TKO victory at 2:42 of the first round. Grasso, hailing from Mexico, initially dropped Barber with a left hook and quickly followed up as the referee intervened. This win improved Grasso's record to 17-5-1 MMA and snapped her two-fight losing streak. Conversely, Barber's record stands at 15-3 MMA following her seven-fight unbeaten streak since their previous encounter.

Welterweight Michael Chiesa (20-7 MMA) received a fitting farewell in his final MMA bout, submitting Niko Price (16-11 MMA) with a rear-naked choke in the first round, accomplishing this in just 63 seconds. Chiesa’s career in the UFC spans over a decade and includes winning the 15th season of The Ultimate Fighter in June 2012.

Chiesa concluded his UFC tenure with a record of 15-7, while Price, who has competed in the promotion for over ten years, currently stands at 8-11, with two no contests in the Octagon and has faced defeat in four consecutive bouts.

The evening was marked by emphatic finishes, starting with featherweight Lerryan Douglas (14-5 MMA) from Brazil, who triumphed with a decisive TKO against Julian Erosa (31-13 MMA) in just 3:33 of the opening round. Douglas has claimed victory in his last six fights, while Erosa faces difficulties, now sporting a 9-9 record in the UFC.

In middleweight action, Yousri Belgaroui of the Netherlands achieved a third-round TKO over Mansur Abdul-Malik, utilizing a perfectly timed knee to conclude a back-and-forth engagement. Belgaroui (10-3 MMA) has maintained a five-fight winning streak and remains undefeated in the UFC, marking the first professional loss for Abdul-Malik (9-1-1 MMA), who previously secured seven of his 11 victories by KO/TKO.

The main card kicked off dramatically as lightweight Terrance McKinney needed just 24 seconds to secure a victory over Canadian Kyle Nelson, landing a sequence of punches following a head kick. McKinney (18-8 MMA) has achieved wins in three of his last four contests, whereas Nelson (17-7-1 MMA) has now encountered losses in two of his last three fights.