Former middleweight champion Israel Adesanya slumped to a fourth consecutive defeat after a second-round technical knockout loss to American contender Joe Pyfer at UFC Fight Night in Seattle on Saturday night.
Pyfer (16-3) delivered a statement performance, stopping Adesanya (24-6) at 4:18 of the second round inside the Climate Pledge Arena.
Adesanya started brightly, controlling the opening round with his trademark movement and striking precision. However, Pyfer weathered the early pressure and turned the tide with heavy punches and a crucial takedown.
In the second round, Pyfer pinned Adesanya against the fence before taking him down, advancing to full mount and unleashing sustained ground-and-pound, forcing referee Herb Dean to halt the contest.
“I just have this mentality where I don’t care; I’m going to search and destroy,” Pyfer said after the fight.
Despite the setback, Adesanya remained defiant, insisting he would keep pushing forward.
The loss raises fresh concerns over the 36-year-old’s future in the division, following previous defeats to Sean Strickland, Dricus du Plessis, and Nassourdine Imavov.
For Pyfer, the victory extends his winning streak to four fights and strengthens his credentials as a rising middleweight contender, potentially moving him closer to a title shot.
