Adesanya Vows To Fight On After Losing To Joe Pyfer

Former middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya, has insisted he will not walk away from the sport after suffering a fourth straight defeat at UFC Fight Night 271 in Seattle earlier today, March 29.

The Nigerian-born fighter was stopped in the second round by fast-rising American contender Joe Pyfer, who secured a technical knockout at 4:18 of Round 2 after a dominant ground-and-pound finish.

Adesanya entered the contest with a 24-5 record and looked sharp early on, controlling distance and landing counters in the opening round. Pyfer weathered the pressure and turned the fight with heavy punches and a crucial takedown.

In Round 2, Pyfer pinned Adesanya against the fence, dragged him to the canvas and advanced to full mount before unleashing sustained strikes. Referee Herb Dean stepped in as Adesanya lay flattened.

A viral post-fight clip showed the former champion defiant despite the setback. Asked how he would move forward, he said, “I will keep going again and again and again and again. I’m not f***ing leaving. You can’t stop me.

“I might get beaten, but I’d always remain undefeated.”

The loss deepens uncertainty around the 36-year-old’s future in the middleweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He had previously fallen to Sean Strickland, Dricus du Plessis and Nassourdine Imavov, who stopped him in February 2025 in Saudi Arabia.

Pyfer, meanwhile, extended his winning run to four fights and strengthened his case as a rising contender. Reflecting on the victory, he said, “I just have this mentality where I don’t care; I’m going to search and destroy.”

Adesanya remained resolute in defeat. “I’m just going to keep going and going and going,” he said.