Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya endured another difficult night in the octagon, suffering his fourth consecutive defeat after a technical knockout loss to rising American contender Joe Pyfer at UFC Fight Night on Saturday.
The bout, held at Climate Pledge Arena, saw Adesanya start brightly, showcasing his trademark movement and precision striking to control the opening round. However, Pyfer weathered the early storm and gradually turned the tide with relentless pressure, powerful punches, and a decisive takedown.
In the second round, Pyfer took full command—pinning Adesanya against the fence before dragging the fight to the canvas. From there, he advanced to full mount and unleashed a barrage of ground-and-pound strikes, forcing referee Herb Dean to stop the contest at 4:18.
Speaking after the victory, a confident Pyfer declared his fearless approach: “I just have this mentality where I don’t care; I’m going to search and destroy.”
Despite the setback, Adesanya remained defiant, insisting on his resilience: “I’m just going to keep going and going and going.”
This latest defeat adds to a troubling run for the 36-year-old, who has now fallen to Sean Strickland, Dricus du Plessis, and Nassourdine Imavov in previous outings—raising fresh concerns about his future in the middleweight division.
For Pyfer, however, the emphatic win marks a defining moment in his career. Extending his winning streak to four fights, he continues his rapid rise and edges closer to serious title contention.
