Joe Pyfer earned the most significant win of his career at UFC 316 on June 7, 2025, scoring a unanimous decision victory over Kelvin Gastelum in Newark, New Jersey. Pyfer started strong, dropping Gastelum twice in the opening round with powerful right hands and threatening a finish with ground-and-pound. While Gastelum survived and rallied late, Pyfer’s composed striking and control carried him to a clear win on the scorecards (30–27, 29–27, 29–28), improving his professional record to 14–3 and bouncing back from his earlier loss to Jack Hermansson.
This win not only cemented Pyfer’s place in the top-15 middleweight conversation but also showcased his ability to manage a three-round fight against a seasoned veteran. Now riding momentum with six wins in his last seven outings, Pyfer is ready for another step up in competition.
Next up for Joe Pyfer should be a matchup with Brad Tavares. The 21-10 Hawaiian middleweight is coming off a unanimous decision win over Gerald Meerschaert at UFC on ESPN in April 2025. Despite recent losses to Park Jun-yong and Gregory Rodrigues, Tavares remains a durable, experienced gatekeeper who’s faced elite competition throughout his UFC tenure. A fight against Tavares would provide Pyfer with a valuable test of his cardio, composure, and fight IQ against a savvy, defensively sound opponent. It’s a classic rising prospect vs. proven veteran matchup that would help determine if Pyfer is ready for a top-10 push. If Pyfer wins convincingly, he could earn a ranked matchup or a main card slot on a pay-per-view by year’s end.
Last Five Fights – Joe Pyfer:
1. Win over Kelvin Gastelum – Decision (unanimous), UFC 316 (June 7, 2025)
2. Win over Marc-André Barriault – KO (punches), UFC 303 (June 29, 2024)
3. Loss to Jack Hermansson – Decision (unanimous), UFC Fight Night: Hermansson vs. Pyfer (February 10, 2024)
4. Win over Abdul Razak Alhassan – Technical Submission (arm-triangle choke), UFC Fight Night (October 7, 2023)
5. Win over Gerald Meerschaert – TKO (punches), UFC 287 (April 8, 2023)
Last Five Fights – Brad Tavares:
1. Win over Gerald Meerschaert – Decision (unanimous), UFC on ESPN: Emmett vs. Murphy (April 5, 2025)
2. Loss to Park Jun-yong – Decision (split), UFC Fight Night (October 12, 2024)
3. Loss to Gregory Rodrigues – TKO (punches), UFC Fight Night: Hermansson vs. Pyfer (February 10, 2024)
4. Win over Chris Weidman – Decision (unanimous), UFC 292 (August 19, 2023)
5. Loss to Bruno Silva – TKO (knee and punch), UFC Fight Night (April 22, 2023)