Despite doubts about his records, Joe Pyfer believes he deserves to headline the upcoming UFC Fight Night 236 event.
Pyfer will be having his fourth octagon fight this weekend when he faces Jack Hermansson in a five-round middleweight bout at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The main event bout is being questioned by some, especially since “Bodybagz” is considered a newcomer who is given an opportunity to fight a ranked UFC fighter.
Hermansson is currently the No. 11 middleweight fighter and has fought some of the biggest names in the UFC roster, including Sean Strickland and Jared Cannonier. Retired MMA referee John McCarthy believes the fight is a “strange matchup” and asked, “Who has Pyfer fought?” Despite that, Pyfer refuses to acknowledge the opponent’s rank and record to change his mind about the fight.
“I don’t care about the ranking – No. 10 (in the UFC’s official rankings) doesn’t make him have extra fighting skills or extra cardio or a better chin to take these punches,” Pyfer said on Sportsnet. “I’m just going to treat it like another fight, go out there and do my job and be exciting and talk my stuff.”
Ultimately, the 27-year-old is confident that he earned the opportunity through the right ways. For him, he has the qualities to be one of the promotion’s stars.
“I wouldn’t describe it as being thrusted into a spot,” Pyfer said. “I think I’ve earned this spot. I’ve finished three fights, I’ve made sure I’m exciting, I say what I’m going to do, I go out there, and I back it up. I think I’m a draw – I’m becoming a draw, anyway. I think I’m a trending superstar, and I think if everything goes as I expect it to Saturday, I think I’m on that superstar level. On the way to that level.
“I deserve the fast track. I have a story, I have the charisma, I know how to speak, and I’m an absolute freakin’ unit.”
