“I’m always hunting for a knockouts,” Israel Adesanya’s Upcoming UFC Main Event Opponent Is Aiming for a Highlight Reel Finish
Israel Adesanya’s main event opponent Joe Pyfer plans to show a different side of himself when he faces the former champion on March 28 at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle. The 29-year-old middleweight contender told Ariel Helwani that his reputation as a knockout artist has overshadowed other aspects of his game.
Joe Pyfer Promises Complete Performance Against Israel Adesanya at UFC Seattle
“I’ve always envisioned fighting him one day, just never thought it would happen, and here we are,” Pyfer said on The Ariel Helwani Show. “I’m hyped, bro. We’re going to be well prepared. I have good jiu-jitsu, I’m a black belt, I have good wrestling, and a lot of parts of my game are still underrated because I’m always hunting a knockout. This fight will be different.”
Pyfer holds a black belt under former UFC competitor Jake Shields and has finished nine of his 15 career wins by knockout. He gained attention in January 2024 when he broke Francis Ngannou’s punch power record at the UFC Performance Institute, registering 129,000 units of force despite weighing 85 pounds less than the former heavyweight champion.
The Pennsylvania native enters the fight ranked No. 15 in the middleweight division and riding a three-fight winning streak. He knocked out Marc-André Barriault in the first round at UFC 303 in June 2024, defeated Kelvin Gastelum by decision at UFC 316 in June 2025, and submitted Abus Magomedov with a rear-naked choke at UFC 320 in October 2025.
Pyfer acknowledged the magnitude of facing a former two-time champion who many consider the greatest middleweight in UFC history alongside Anderson Silva.
“This is a life-changing moment for me,” Pyfer said. “He’s arguably, in my opinion, the best middleweight of all time. To have that fight, knowing that he doesn’t have that many more left, it’s an honor, man. I like Izzy.”
Adesanya has not won a fight since April 2023, when he knocked out Alex Pereira to reclaim the middleweight title at UFC 287. The 36-year-old has since lost three consecutive fights to Sean Strickland, Dricus Du Plessis, and Nassourdine Imavov. His most recent appearance ended in a knockout loss to Imavov in February 2025.
Adesanya successfully defended the middleweight title five times during his first reign and holds the second-most title fight wins in division history with eight, trailing only Anderson Silva’s 11. UFC CEO Dana White announced the matchup on January 14, marking the promotion’s fifth visit to Seattle and first since February 2025.
