Adesanya walloped by Pyfer in 2nd-round finish

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Adesanya walloped by Pyfer in 2nd-round finish
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Adesanya walloped by Pyfer in 2nd-round finish1hBrett OkamotoFlyweight great Johnson to enter UFC Hall of Fame3hBrett OkamotoUFC fighter called back to cage after scorecard flub4hBrett OkamotoEx-UFC fighter Sanchez sentenced on gun charge2dBrett Okamoto'Definitely not my final chapter': A refreshed Israel Adesanya isn't done yet3dSam BruceGold medalist Steveson signs with RAF wrestling3dHughes off PFL's Belfast card due to knee injury4dJeff WagenheimAdesanya walloped by Pyfer in 2nd-round finish1hBrett OkamotoMMA divisional rankings: Evloev is back near the top at featherweight2hBrett OkamotoTyrell Fortune: Living to fight another day after they pronounced me dead5hTyrell FortuneEight standout fights on the PFL slate over the next five weeks3dJeffrey WagenheimPFL Pittsburgh: How to watch Eblen vs. Battle on ESPN3dKeith JenkinsHughes off PFL's Belfast card due to knee injury4dJeff WagenheimEnding his career at UFC fight No. 22 is serendipitous for veteran Michael Chiesa4dBrett OkamotoHouse advances boxing-reform act, but questions remain4dMichael RothsteinDos Santos latest add to inaugural MVP event5dAndreas HaleIslam 'beatable', JDM says despite UFC wipeout5dSam BruceDana White 'doesn't get' Hearn-Aspinall deal6dAiman KhalidEvloev edges Murphy, stays on target for title shot7dAiman KhalidVan Steenis finishes Edwards to defend PFL title8dAiman KhalidSerena Williams, Shaq, Tony Hawk among athletes joining viral '90s throwback trend8dESPN StaffLerone Murphy: From escaping death to headlining UFC London9dAiman KhalidHow Chuck Norris Facts gave birth to the modern meme9dRyan HockensmithHow to watch PFL Madrid: Van Steenis vs. Edwards 2 on ESPN10dKeith JenkinsBrett OkamotoMar 28, 2026, 11:31 PM ETCloseBrett Okamoto has reported on mixed martial arts and boxing at ESPN since 2010. He has covered all of the biggest events in combat sports during that time, including in-depth interviews and features with names such as Dana White, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Conor McGregor, Nate Diaz, Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao and Georges St-Pierre. He was also a producer on the 30 for 30 film: "Chuck and Tito," which looked back at the careers and rivalry of Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz. He lives in Las Vegas, and is an avid, below-average golfer in his spare time.Follow on XMultiple AuthorsEmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsAll week, Joe Pyfer said his recent spiritual transformation would not change his performances inside the Octagon -- he proved that Saturday night against two-time UFC champion Israel Adesanya.
Pyfer (16-3) scored the biggest win of his career at UFC Fight Night in Seattle, finishing Adesanya (24-6) via TKO at the 4:18 mark of the second round. The finish came after Pyfer hurt Adesanya with strikes, threw him to the canvas and forced the referee to intervene with vicious ground strikes from the back.
It was Pyfer's first appearance since he committed himself to Christianity earlier this year, and he revealed his personal life had been even more dire than he'd previously let on.
"I almost took my own life a couple weeks ago, but I found God," Pyfer said. "I don't like crying, so I'm going to keep it together. God restored me, that's the only reason I'm here."
Before this year, Pyfer had developed the reputation of something of an antagonist in MMA. Several of his previous fights have involved public animosity with his opponent, and he had been known to sling insults on social media. The buildup to Saturday's main event was completely different, with Pyfer showing nothing but respect for Adesanya, whom he repeatedly referred to as the greatest middleweight of all time.
Adesanya, 36, looked good in the opening seven minutes, defending several Pyfer takedown attempts and even appearing to have him hurt in the second round. Adesanya put Pyfer on his back foot with forward pressure and leg kicks but was eventually forced to back off after Pyfer hit him with a counter left hook. Pyfer followed with a good body shot moments later, and then a flush right hand that visibly had Adesanya rocked.
Pyfer eventually wrestled Adesanya down with a body lock and quickly moved to his back. Adesanya defended a rear-naked choke attempt but had no answer for Pyfer's ground-and-pound from the back.
Joe Pyfer scored the biggest win of his career Saturday night, a second-round TKO that resulted in Israel Adesanya's fourth consecutive loss. Steven Bisig-Imagn ImagesAdesanya suffered his fourth consecutive loss dating back to September 2023. He has been finished in his past three appearances but was defiant about his UFC future immediately after the bout.
"You keep going -- again and again and again and again," Adesanya said. "I'm not f---ing leaving. You'll never stop me. I might get beat, but I'll always remain undefeated."
For Pyfer, who fights out of Pennsylvania, it's a massive win that should catapult him up the rankings. He went into Saturday's contest ranked No. 14 in the division. Adesanya was ranked No. 4.
"Izzy is not the most powerful guy in the world, we know that, but he's one of the highest fight IQ champions of all time," Pyfer said. "There's nobody better. In my book, he's the best middleweight of all time. I love you as a champion, love you as a person. Congratulations to Israel. My man was [ranked] No. 4, I'm in the top five [now]. As Izzy said, 'They need me and here I am.' I'm 16-3, 29 years old."
In the co-main event, former UFC flyweight champion Alexa Grasso (17-5-1) picked up her first win since March 2023 with a highlight-reel knockout over Maycee Barber (15-3). Grasso rocked Barber with a left hand at 2:42 of the opening round. Barber spun around from the shot and Grasso jumped on her back and applied a rear-naked choke, but Barber was already out from the initial punch. The loss snapped a seven-fight winning streak for Barber.



