Israel Adesanya faced another significant setback on Saturday, suffering his fourth consecutive defeat in the UFC. He was handed a TKO loss by the in-form Joe Pyfer at the UFC Seattle main event.
In the opening round, the Nigerian-born fighter displayed his characteristic sharpness and strategic prowess, showcasing impressive takedown defense and fluid footwork. He effectively landed precise jabs and calf kicks, successfully keeping Pyfer on the back foot.
However, the momentum shifted dramatically in Round 2. Pyfer began to aggressively press forward, asserting control over the pace of the fight. He unleashed a series of powerful strikes, including several heavy uppercuts that found their mark against Adesanya.
Later in the second round, Pyfer managed to take Adesanya to the canvas, where he initially sought a rear-naked choke submission. When that attempt failed, “Bodybagz” transitioned to a relentless barrage of ground and pound, severely bloodying the 37-year-old former champion. Unable to defend effectively against the continuous heavy blows, Adesanya was forced to cover up, prompting the referee to intervene and stop the fight, declaring Pyfer the winner by TKO in Round 2.
Despite this fourth straight loss, which led many fans and analysts to speculate about his potential retirement from the sport, Adesanya was quick to dismiss such rumors. Following the fight, he made his intentions clear, stating:
“You keep going again and again and again. I’m not f**king leaving, you’ll never stop me. I might get beaten, but I’ll always remain undefeated.”
In the wake of his tough defeat, Israel Adesanya received an outpouring of solidarity from prominent figures. Former One Direction member Zayn Malik took to social media to express his support, tweeting:
“@stylebender you’re still the goat bro !! ❤️”
Former heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou also offered words of encouragement, posting online:
“Keep your head up @stylebender 🤴🏿🙅🏿♂️”
