UFC Fight Night: Adesanya vs. Pyfer Preview and Predictions

The UFC returns stateside this weekend and they head out to the Pacific Northwest for a Fight Night in Seattle, Wa. Headlining the card are a pair of middleweight contenders on opposite trajectories as former champion Israel Adesanya takes on Joe Pyfer. Adesanya has lost three consecutive fights, including two straight fights that did not go the distance. He was stopped with strikes by Nassourdine Imavov in his last outing and before that was submitted by former champion Dricus du Plessis. Pyfer has rattled off three wins in a row, with a submission and a TKO over that stretch.

In the co-main event, we have a rematch between top female flyweights Alexa Grasso and Maycee Barber. Since the pair’s first meeting five years ago, Grasso has gained and lost the division’s championship. Barber is entering the prime of her career and has not lost since that bout. She has fought seven times and scored six decision wins and one ground and pound TKO win over Amanda Ribas.

The event airs live on Paramount+ starting at 5 p.m. ET. Combat Press writer Matt Petela previews the action this week.

Former champion Israel Adesanya has lost three consecutive fights; can he stop the skid and halt the momentum of surging contender Joe Pyfer?

Petela: If ever there was a changing of the guard fight, this is it. Israel Adesanya’s legacy as one of the greatest fighters of all time is secure, perhaps even the greatest middleweight of all time. However, the days when he was leaps and bounds above the competition are gone and now he finds himself looking up at the most impressive fighters in the division. He made a career out of being difficult to take down and even more difficult to hit. At his advanced age in fighter years he has lost a step and therefore those two key aspects of his game have suffered. He doesn’t have devastating power, his knockouts come from perfectly placed strikes after forcing his opponents out of position.

Joe Pyfer is not a good matchup at this stage in his career. Pyfer hits as hard as anyone in the division and he can wrestle offensively. I don’t see how Adesanya gets the job done this weekend; if he is able to avoid the biggest power shots of Pyfer he will end up getting taken down and once he is on his back he will struggle to get up and the fight will be one way traffic. If he can’t avoid the power, he will get knocked out early. I don’t know exactly how this one ends but I am confident that the result will be Pyfer getting the biggest win of his career and Adesanya realizing his days as an elite middleweight are long gone.

Alexa Grasso and Maycee Barber fought once before as prospects with Grasso getting a decision win; will the outcome be different with both of these women five years older and more mature as fighters?

Petela: The one thing that stands out for me about their first fight is that Maycee Barber was throwing punches from fifteen feet away from Alexa Grasso that looked like she was a video game player trying to figure out the buttons. I don’t think we will see a repeat of that this time around. Barber is a much better fighter and she will know that the best path to victory is by closing distance and getting this fight to the canvas.

If Grasso ends up on her back, she will struggle. We have seen this throughout her career, especially against the most elite fighters in her division. I don’t think her takedown defense holds up against this version of Barber. There won’t be a ton of ground and pound but this will be a lopsided decision win for Barber and she will undoubtedly call for a title shot after this victory.

What one fighter’s UFC career is on the ropes at this event?

Petela: Lance Gibson Jr. He looked bad in his UFC debut against King Green. He just didn’t do anything offensive whatsoever. He has been pretty inactive throughout his career and despite a couple decent wins under the Bellator banner I don’t think he’s got enough of a draw to earn a third fight inside the promotion if he falters once again, this time against Chase Hooper.

Which fight is the sleeper match-up on this card?

Petela: Marcin Tybura vs. Tyrell Fortune. Heavyweights are the most hit or miss fighters on the planet but Tybura is usually reliably entertaining. Squaring off against Fortune, he should have a willing dance partner in order to deliver an exciting fight early on in the card.

Who takes home the “Performance of the Night” honors?

Petela: Michael Chiesa. He is essentially fighting at home and likely for the last time in his career. Pair that with the fact that he is taking on another aging veteran in Niko Price and it is the perfect recipe for a standout performance in front of an enthusiastic crowd.

Pair this card with…

Petela: I don’t know much about Seattle other than the fact that it rains a lot but I think they are known for their seafood, specifically fish, so go ahead and put together a friendly little fish fry with your fight buddies and enjoy a pretty solid card from top to bottom.