Hermansson decisions Pyfer for UFC Fight Night win،
Jack Hermansson put in a performance worthy of the veteran that he is, thus preventing the streak of one of the best prospects.
“The Joker” rallied after a slow start to defeat knockout artist Joe Pyfer by unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-47) Saturday in the middleweight main event of the UFC Fight Night in Las Vegas.
Hermansson withstood Pyfer's big punches early on, remained calm until the final rounds and used jabs and leg kicks to gain the advantage down the stretch.
“I was hit at the beginning more than I should have,” Hermansson said in his post-fight interview. “The plan was to increase the pace as the fight went on. And I knew that, like I said, I'm drowning people out when I do that.”
This was Hermansson's fifth fight in the UFC main event – with all five fighters competing in all five rounds. Pyfer had never competed in a UFC main event before Saturday. The difference in experience level seemed to make all the difference.
“I know people underestimate my boxing skills because of some poor performances,” Hermansson said. “But especially in a long fight, no one has the cardio that I have.”
Pyfer said the difference in the fight was Hermansson's calf kicks. He said he was hesitant to throw combinations to the body because he knew those kicks were going to come back. In the third round, Pyfer's left leg was damaged and Hermansson also landed a magnificent shot to the right eye during the same round. Pyfer thought it was a poke to the eye, but referee Mark Smith rightly pointed out that it was a legal – and damaging – punch.
All three judges saw Hermansson winning the last three rounds and Pyfer winning the first two.
A Pyfer win would have put him on the map as a UFC middleweight contender.
Hermansson (24-8) has alternated victories and defeats in his last nine fights. The Sweden native who lives and trains in Norway was coming off a second-round TKO loss to Roman Dolidze in December 2022.
Hermansson, 35, made the case for MMA to be legalized in his adopted country of Norway during his post-fight interview. Norway is one of the last European countries where the organization of sporting events is still illegal.
Pyfer (12-3) was on a five-fight winning streak, including wins in his first three UFC fights until the finish. The New Jersey native who lives and trains in Philadelphia was coming off a second-round submission victory over Abdul Razak Alhassan in October.
Pyfer, 27, lost his first chance at the UFC in “Dana White's Contender Series“, suffering a dislocated elbow in August 2020. He returned to win by knockout in the Contender Series to earn a spot on UFC roster in July 2022.
