Sometimes, there is no substitute for experience inside the Octagon.
Saturday night in Las Vegas, Scandinavian veteran Jack Hermansson slowed the ascent of promising prospect Joe Pyfer, handing the Dana White’s Contender Series graduate his first UFC loss to close out the promotion’s Super Bowl Saturday fight card at the UFC APEX.
Pyfer started well, taking the fight to Hermansson through the early stages of the five-round affair, landing clean shots to the body and head while mixing in low kicks to keep “The Joker” off balance. But the veteran warmed into the fight, utilizing more forward pressure beginning in the third round, where he stung Pyfer with a clean shot that hit him flush in the eye.
As the bout hit the championship rounds, Hermansson continued to lean on his experience, upping his pace and output to keep his younger foe on his heels before salting things away in the fifth by dragging Pyfer to the canvas. When the scores were tallied, Hermansson came away with a clean sweep of the scorecards, earning 48-47 scores across the board.
The way this contest played out is specifically why matchups like this are frequently booked and always intriguing.
Hermansson was a considerable step up in competition for Pyfer, who had looked outstanding through his first three UFC outings, flashing serious upside in registering a trio of impressive finishes. Heading in, most forecasted a fight that hinged on when it ended, with Pyfer favoured early and the 35-year-old veteran expected to thrive as the middleweight headed into deeper waters, and that’s exactly how things played out.
Those early rounds are the moments that illustrate the importance of experience, which is something Pyfer dismissed in the build to this contest, as Hermansson literally and figuratively rolled with the punches, never getting particularly bothered by the heavy artillery coming his way. He simply weathered the storm, bided his time, and rallied when Pyfer’s confidence and defences began to wane.
Getting the best of Pyfer won’t necessarily elevate Hermansson’s standing in the 185-pound ranks, but the victory does get things moving in the right direction for him again following more than a year spent on the sidelines. He’s been a staple in the middleweight rankings for the last several years and close to title contention in the past, but needs to do a little more in order to get back into the mix.
His polite request to potentially share the Octagon with Nassourdine Imavov, who out-worked Roman Dolidze last week, makes a great deal of sense.
As for Pyfer, this should become a key teachable moment that helps him long-term, though it’s sure to sting for a day or two.
A slight step back from facing ranked competition (and the main event spotlight) is likely in store for the 27-year-old Philadelphia native, who is now 3-1 in the UFC and 12-3 in his professional career. He still has a ton of room to grow, and between the team he’s surrounded by and the lesson learned on Saturday night, the best is surely still to come for Pyfer, and a pairing with the likes of Junyong Park feels like a reasonable landing spot for him next time out.
Dan Ige delivered a statement victory in the co-main event, posting a blistering knockout win over Andre “Touchy” Fili.
Originally scheduled to face Britain’s Lerone Murphy who was forced to withdraw, Ige struggled with the reality of sharing the Octagon with his friend, but the two set that aside in order to compete on Saturday. Early in the contest, the two men pawed at one another, looking to establish their ranges and find a way to draw out shots from the other in order to land big shots in return. Midway through the opening stanza, Fili pushed a lazy jab forward and Ige fired over the top, finding the Team Alpha Male member’s chin, sending him to the canvas in a heap.
The first-round finish produced a one-of-a-kind double for Ige, who scored an even quicker first-round finish of Canadian Gavin Tucker the last time his wife was 37-weeks pregnant, as she is now.
A fixture in the Top 15 at featherweight, the 32-year-old Hawaiian is entrenched as a miserable matchup for anyone looking to scale the rankings or build back after a defeat, and his performance on Saturday only further reinforces that fact. He’s won three of his last four and should be in line for a date with another ranked opponent whenever he’s ready to return to action in the second half of 2024.
For now, it’s time to welcome his daughter to the world and enjoy some well-earned quality family time.
It was mixed results for two of the UFC’s most tenured talents early on Saturday’s main card.
A cast member on Season 12 of The Ultimate Fighter, Michael Johnson has spent the last decade taking on all comers inside the Octagon, predominantly in the lightweight division. After more than a year on the sidelines, “The Menace” got things moving in the right direction to begin his 2024 campaign, flashing quick hands and a sound tactical approach to out-hustle Darrius Flowers and collect a unanimous decision win.
Things didn’t work out as well for Season 11 alum Brad Tavares, as the Las Vegas-based Hawaiian ran afoul of “Robocop” Gregory Rodrigues. The Brazilian took the fight to Tavares out of the chute, showcasing his considerable power before ramping up the pressure and securing the finish in the opening minute of the third round. Rodrigues is now 6-2 in the UFC, with one of those losses coming by way of debated split decision, and could very well find himself facing someone with a number next to their name next time out.
In the main card opener, Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion Rodolfo Vieira showed off his elite grappling, putting Armen Petrosyan on the canvas before climbing into mount, attacking an arm-triangle choke and securing the tap. Vieira has collected submission finishes in all five of his UFC victories, with four of those wins coming by way of arm-triangle choke.
The preliminary card was a showcase for recent graduates of Dana White’s Contender Series, as all three newcomers that earned contracts last season on the annual 10-week talent search posted victories.
Hyder Amil overwhelmed Fortis MMA staple Fernie Garcia, while Bolaji Oki landed on the happy side of a split decision verdict against Las Vegas local Timmy Cuamba in bouts where each of the vanquished athletes were short-notice replacements.
But the real star of the early slate was Carlos Prates, as the 30-year-old welterweight picked up his eighth straight win overall with a second-round knockout of Trevin Giles. After attacking the Octagon veteran with a series of step-in knees to the body, Prates stepped into a straight left hand that found the mark, ending the fight instantly and giving the Fighting Nerds representative a statement win in his first UFC appearance.
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