Joe Pyfer on lessons from upset loss in first UFC main event

As a result of he says he “wasn’t alleged to be right here anyway,” Joe Pyfer appeared to be taking issues in stride within the early hours after Jack Hermansson put a halt to his momentum.

Hermansson (24-8 MMA, 11-6 UFC) was down two rounds on the scorecards to Pyfer (12-3 MMA, 3-1 UFC) in Saturday’s UFC Battle Night time 236 most important occasion, however rallied to win the final three rounds for a 48-47 unanimous choice sweep of the scorecards on the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

After a much-documented arm harm TKO loss from a Dustin Stoltzfus slam on Dana White’s Contender Sequence in 2020, Pyfer labored his means again and bought one other crack on the UFC on DWCS and got here via with a TKO win. When he advised White afterward he was on the verge of homelessness, White made certain he had a spot to dwell for a 12 months after which advised future DWCS fighters they wanted to “Be Joe Pyfer” of their attitudes and energy in the event that they wished to make it into the UFC.

Pyfer’s first three middleweight fights within the UFC had been stoppage wins, together with for a pair of $50,000 bonuses, and it regarded each bit like he was on an ascension towards title contender standing – particularly in a 185-pound division that by no means has been extra chaotic within the UFC.

After his loss to Hermansson, who was the third greatest underdog on the cardboard, Pyfer mentioned a punch within the eye affected his imaginative and prescient and, together with calf kicks from Hermansson, had been the tales of the struggle.

“I’m OK, regardless of how my face seems to be,” Pyfer mentioned in a video posted to social media. “I wasn’t rocked. I bought punched within the eyeball (and) couldn’t see. I did a superb job on the calf (kicks). However I really feel like the attention, after I misplaced imaginative and prescient, I fell that spherical; I misplaced that spherical and simply couldn’t get it again, and he did a superb job on the calf.

“To all my haters, suck a fats d*ck. I wasn’t alleged to be right here anyway. I give it 100% each time. We’ll make changes and we’ll come again. Thanks to all my sponsors, thanks to everyone who helps me, and yeah – good job, Jack.”

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The struggle was the primary time in his profession Pyfer had been previous the third spherical, and that point – the one earlier choice of his profession, win or loss – was practically six years in the past. Hermansson has greater than twice as a lot expertise as Pyfer and had been 5 rounds within the UFC 3 times previous to Saturday. However after a four-fight successful streak had him in middleweight title competition in 2019, Hermansson has alternated wins and losses for 9 fights.

For extra on the cardboard, go to MMA Junkie’s occasion hub for UFC Battle Night time 236.