Tag: Joe Pyfer

Following UFC Mexico cancellation, Kelvin Gastelum vs. Joe Pyfer rebooked for UFC 316

Kelvin Gastelum vs. Joe Pyfer has been rebooked following their last-minute cancellation at UFC Mexico nine days ago.

It looks like second time might be the charm for [autotag]Kelvin Gastelum[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Joe Pyfer[/autotag].

The middleweight bout, which was originally scheduled to go down at UFC Mexico a little more than a week ago, has been rebooked for UFC 316 on June 7 in Newark, N.J.

MMA Junkie confirmed the news following an announcement by Pyfer’s head coach on MMA on SiriusXM on Monday.

Gastelum (19-9 MMA, 13-9 UFC) and Pyfer (13-3 MMA, 4-1 UFC) were supposed to fight on the main card of UFC on ESPN 64 in Mexico City on March 29, but Pyfer withdrew from the fight hours before the card due to illness. He blamed Mexico for food poisoning and vowed to never return to the “sh*thole” country.

Gastelum looks to keep the momentum going following a unanimous decision win over Daniel Rodriguez at UFC on ABC 6 on June 22. Pyfer beat Marc-Andre Barriault in 85 seconds and earned his third Performance of the Night bonus for the highlight moment in his most recent fight.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 316.

VIDEO: ‘Gutted’ Kelvin Gastelum shares moment he found out about UFC on ESPN 64 fight cancellation

Kelvin Gastelum couldn’t hide his disappointment when he knew he was no longer fighting at UFC on ESPN 64.

[autotag]Kelvin Gastelum[/autotag] couldn’t hide his disappointment when he knew he was no longer fighting at UFC on ESPN 64.

[autotag]Joe Pyfer[/autotag](13-3 MMA, 4-1 UFC) was forced out just hours before Saturday’s main card middleweight bout against Gastelum (19-9 MMA, 13-9 UFC) at CDMX Arena in Mexico City due to illness.

Gastelum took to Instagram to share the moment where he got the call from the UFC that his fight vs. Pyfer was off.

“I got the call that my opponent got sick and had to pull out the fight.
Obviously I’m gutted to the core about this situation that is out of my control but I believe is in Gods hands.
Something better always comes from mishaps like this.
So I’m very eager and excited to seeing what it is.
Wish my opponent all the best in the future.
We should hear good news soon.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/DH1xA–v4WT/

Pyfer opened up on his withdrawal by going off on Mexico in a rant. He vowed not to compete overseas again after falling ill. Gastelum was looking to make another run at 185 pounds after deciding on a permanent move there.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 64.

Joe Pyfer unsure what caused illness, but vows to never return to ‘sh*t hole’ Mexico: ‘F*ck that country’

Joe Pyfer’s last-minute fight cancellation at UFC on ESPN 64 prompted an unfiltered rant with a promise to never return to Mexico.

UFC middleweight [autotag]Joe Pyfer[/autotag] isn’t exactly sure what caused the illness that forced him out of a fight against Kelvin Gastelum at the last minute, but that didn’t stop him from ripping an entire country for his issues.

Pyfer (13-3 MMA, 4-1 UFC) was set for a main card showdown against Kelvin Gastelum at UFC on ESPN 64. The matchup was one of the most anticipated fights on the entire card, but Pyfer was forced out just hours before the event due to illness.

Shortly after the news was confirmed, Pyfer shared a message on social media saying he was heartbroken about having to pull out of the fight, and hoped he would be able to reschedule the fight against Gastelum (19-9 MMA, 13-9 UFC) in a few weeks.

Following the event, Pyfer shared a lengthier explanation of what went down from his perspective, while also issuing an apology to Gastelum. Pyfer said he went to a team dinner, but did not drink the water during his entire stay in Mexico before the fight.

“Went to dinner, had some food at a place that was supposedly trusted, and yeah – a couple hours later, I had the runs,” Pyfer said in a video posted to Instagram Stories. “I think I sh*t at least 10, 11 times. I went from I think 209 pounds, something like that, as I was still hydrating, down to 194 pounds the morning of with a puddle I was sleeping in.

“(I had) a fever, nausea obviously. Vomit, excrutiating stomach pain, and the doctor, as well as I did, didn’t find it smart to fight like that. And I know that’s not what everybody wants, but I have to look out for me and my health, and what’s my best interest. Trust me, I am upset as well.”

Pyfer explained that going through the process of bringing his family and friends out for the fight, but being unable to compete was a financial blow as well because he did not get paid. He hopes to keep the Gastelum matchup, because he believes it’s a good fight that makes sense.

In closing his video, Pyfer went scorched earth on Mexico as a country. While admitting he wasn’t sure what caused the illness, Pyfer made a promise to never return to Mexico, labeling the nation a “sh*t hole.”

“I don’t care if it’s offensive to you, I will never go back to that country,” Pyfer said. “I did everything right. I slept in a tent. I did all this work to still get sick. Some people are saying it wasn’t the food, saying I got altitude sickness. I’m not a f*cking geographic f*cking, you know, elevation f*cking scientist, but I was told as long as I acclimated, which I did for two months, slept in a tent on the f*cking floor – you know, I did everything that I could to prepare.

“If that’s what altitude and elevation is, f*ck that country. I will never fight there again. Sh*t hole. Not going back. Don’t care if that’s offensive to you. You’re not the one fighting. Suck my balls. Literally.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 64.

UFC on ESPN 64 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Program total passes $33 million

UFC Mexico fighters took home Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay, with Kelvin Gastelum and Drew Dober leading the way.

MEXICO CITY – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 64 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $168,500.

The program, a comprehensive plan that includes outfitting requirements, media obligations and other items under the fighter code of conduct, replaces the previous payments made under the UFC Athlete Outfitting Policy.

UFC on ESPN 64 took place at Arena CDMX in Mexico. The card aired on ESPN2 and streamed on ESPN+.

The full UFC on ESPN 64 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Brandon Moreno[/autotag]: $16,000
def. [autotag]Steve Erceg[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Manuel Torres[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Drew Dober[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Edgar Chairez[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]CJ Vergara[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Raul Rosas Jr.[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Vince Morales[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]David Martinez[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Saimon Oliveira[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Kevin Borjas[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Ronaldo Rodriguez[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Ateba Gautier[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Jose Daniel Medina[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Melquizael Costa[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Christian Rodriguez[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Loopy Godinez[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Julia Polastri[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Rafa Garcia[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Vinc Pichel[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Jamall Emmers[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Gabriel Miranda[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]MarQuel Mederos[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Austin Hubbard[/autotag]: $11,000

Under the UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance program’s payout tiers, which appropriate the money generated by Venum’s multi-year sponsorship with the UFC, fighters are paid based on their total number of UFC bouts, as well as Zuffa-era WEC fights (January 2007 and later) and Zuffa-era Strikeforce bouts (April 2011 and later). Fighters with 1-3 bouts receive $4,000 per appearance; 4-5 bouts get $4,640; 6-10 bouts get $6,000; 11-15 bouts earn $11,000; 16-20 bouts pocket $16,000; and 21 bouts and more get $21,000. Additionally, champions earn $32,000 while title challengers get $42,000.

In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-64 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.

Full 2025 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $2,118,000
2024 total: $8,280,500
2023 total: $8,188,000
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $33,135,500

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 64.

UFC on ESPN 64 loses Joe Pyfer vs. Kelvin Gastelum hours before Mexico event

One of the biggest fights on UFC Mexico has been canceled.

(Editor’s note: This story was updated with comment from Joe Pyfer at 1:55 p.m. ET)

One of the most notable fights expected for UFC on ESPN 64 is off.

Hours before Saturday’s event in Mexico, [autotag]Joe Pyfer[/autotag] was removed from his bout vs. [autotag]Kelvin Gastelum[/autotag] due to illness, the promotion announced.

The welterweight fight was the featured bout on the main card planned for CDMX Arena. Both fighters made weight seemingly without issue during Friday’s weigh-ins. The card continues with 12 fights.

“Just wanna say my heart is broken I couldn’t fight today I got super sick and hopefully we can reschedule this fight for a few weeks from now,” Pyfer wrote in an Instagram story after news of the cancellation broke. “Unfortunately comes with the territory of traveling outside the states. Never again my apologies guys. We’ll be back.”

With the change, UFC on ESPN 64 lineup now includes:

MAIN CARD (ESPN2/ESPN+, 7 p.m. ET)

  • Brandon Moreno vs. Steve Erceg
  • Drew Dober vs. Manuel Torres
  • Vince Morales vs. Raul Rosas Jr.
  • David Martinez vs. Saimon Oliveira
  • Kevin Borjas vs. Ronaldo Rodriguez

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN2/ESPN+, 4 p.m. ET)

  • Edgar Chairez vs. CJ Vergara
  • Ateba Gautier vs. Jose Daniel Medina
  • Melquizael Costa vs. Christian Rodriguez
  • Loopy Godinez vs. Julia Polastri
  • Rafa Garcia vs. Vinc Pichel
  • Jamall Emmers vs. Gabriel Miranda
  • Austin Hubbard vs. MarQuel Mederos

Kelvin Gastelum vs. Joe Pyfer prediction, pick, start time for UFC on ESPN 64

MMA Junkie fight analyst Dan Tom goes inside the Kelvin Gastelum vs. Joe Pyfer fight at UFC Mexico.

(Editor’s note: This fight was officially canceled Saturday, a few hours before the start of the event.)

[autotag]Kelvin Gastelum[/autotag] and [autotag]Joe Pyfer [/autotag]meet Saturday on the main card of UFC on ESPN 64 at Arena CDMX in Mexico City. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom.

Last event: 4-2
UFC main cards, 2025: 25-22-1

Kelvin Gastelum vs. Joe Pyfer UFC Mexico preview

Gastelum (18-9 MMA, 13-9 UFC) apparently has decided he’s going to stay put at middleweight, and has said he thinks he can make another title run … Pyfer (13-3 MMA, 4-1 UFC) is a heavy favorite and has other ideas; he got back on track in June 2024 with a bonus-winning knockout after an upset loss to Jack Hermansson.

Kelvin Gastelum vs. Joe Pyfer UFC Mexico expert pick, prediction

Joe Pyfer

Filling out the main card is a middleweight matchup between [autotag]Kelvin Gastelum[/autotag] and [autotag]Joe Pyfer[/autotag].

After another failed campaign at 170 pounds, Gastelum finds himself in the division that’s sadly been his home all along: middleweight.

And the UFC matchmakers, who aren’t beyond going back to the Joe Silva methods of channeling their ire, are accommodating Gastelum’s feet-first attitude about a title run but putting him up against the red-hot Pyfer.

Pyfer’s slightly lower output and suspect gas tank could certainly rear its head against a durable fighter like Gastelum at high elevation, but I suspect that the Marquez MMA product takes a page out of his Philly stablemate’s book by taking this to the ground.

Pyfer may not be on the same level as his teammate Sean Brady, but “Bodybagz” is an underrated wrestler and submission grappler who regularly competes in those arts and knows when to use them in the octagon.

The pick is Pyfer by submission in Round 2.

Kelvin Gastelum vs. Joe Pyfer UFC Mexico odds

The oddsmakers and the public are favoring the younger fighter, listing Pyfer -320 and Gastelum +245 via FanDuel.

Kelvin Gastelum vs. Joe Pyfer UFC Mexico start time, how to watch

Gastelum and Pyfer are expected to walk to the cage at approximately 8:45 p.m. ET. The fight airs on ESPN2 and streams on ESPN+.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 64.

UFC on ESPN 64: Kelvin Gastelum vs. Joe Pyfer odds, picks and predictions

Analyzing Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 64 odds between Kelvin Gastelum vs. Drew Dober with MMA picks and predictions.

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In a 3-round middleweight bout on the main card, Kelvin Gastelum and Joe Pyfer meet at UFC on ESPN 64 Saturday at Arena CDMX in Mexico City. Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s UFC odds around the UFC on ESPN 64: Gastelum vs. Pyfer odds, and make our expert picks and predictions.

The prelims start at 4 p.m. ET with the main card beginning at 7 p.m. (ESPN2/ESPN+).

Records: Gastelum (20-9-0) | Pyfer (13-3-0)

The southpaw veteran Gastelum heads to Mexico City looking to win a second consecutive fight for the first time since 2018 against Michael Bisping and Jacare Souza. So, yeah, it’s been a while.

He picked up a unanimous-decision victory last time out on June 22, 2024 against Daniel Rodriguez, rebounding from a Round 3 submission loss against Sean Brady in a fight night Dec. 2, 2023.

Pyfer posted a Round 1 KO/TKO against Marc-Andre Barriault at UFC 303, rebounding from a unanimous-decision loss against Jack Hermansson in a fight night in Feb. 2024.

The UD loss to Hermansson was a rarity, as he had finished inside the distance in 4 of his 5 fights at the UFC level, going 3-0 via KO/TKO, while going 1-0 by way of submission.

Pyfer has a 4-inch reach advantage over the southpaw Gastelum. The latter has a slight 3.74-to-3.72 significant strikes landed per minute advantage, but he is much more accurate at 46.66% to 41.95%. Pyfer has a slight 1.45 takedown average to 1.10 for Gastelum. On the ground, Pyfer is much better to posting a 0.87 submission average.

Watch this card with ESPN+ by signing up here.

UFC on ESPN 64: Gastelum vs. Pyfer odds

Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 11:30 a.m. ET.

  • Fight result (2-way line): Gastelum +210 (bet $100 to win $210) | Pyfer -275 (bet $275 to win $100)
  • Total rounds: 2.5 (Over -130 | Under +100)
  • Will the fight go the distance? (Yes -110 | No -120)

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UFC on ESPN 64: Gastelum vs. Pyfer picks and predictions

Fight result (2-way line or moneyline)

Pyfer (-275) will set you back nearly 3 times your potential return against the veteran Gastelum. That’s way too much risk for not nearly enough reward. Even as part of a multi-leg parlay, there is no sense including this play, as it sucks all of the value out of your ticket.

Pyfer will use his 4-inch reach advantage to push and pull the veteran Gastelum in and out at his discretion.

For a better value, look to PYFER BY KO/TKO, DQ OR SUBMISSION (+125) at plus-money on the 5-way method of victory.

Over/Under (O/U)

UNDER 2.5 ROUNDS (+100) is a strong play at even-money, as Pyfer should be able to drop the veteran Gastelum.

If you want a little more wiggle room, going with NO (-120): WILL THE FIGHT GO THE DISTANCE? isn’t a terrible play, either.

Visit MMA Junkie for more fight news and analysis.

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For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.

Follow Kevin J. Erickson on Twitter/X. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and us on Facebook.

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UFC on ESPN 64 full card final faceoffs: Kelvin Gastelum vs. Joe Pyfer, Raul Rosas Jr., more

The entire 13-bout lineup for Saturday’s UFC Mexico had final staredowns with a range of emotions on display.

MEXICO CITY – The build to UFC on ESPN 64 is now complete after Friday’s ceremonial weigh-in session, where the entire card had the opportunity to face off in front of fans and media.

With 13 contests scheduled, including a Brandon Moreno vs. Steve Erceg flyweight headliner, there are some meaningful bouts set to go down on Saturday at Arena CDMX (ESPN2, ESPN+).

Supporting bouts include [autotag]Drew Dober[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Manuel Torres[/autotag], [autotag]Kelvin Gastelum[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Joe Pyfer[/autotag], and [autotag]Raul Rosas Jr.[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Vince Morales[/autotag].

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The athletes had a final opportunity to get a good look at what they will be sharing the octagon with, and you can watch the video of all the UFC on ESPN 64 pre-fight staredowns in the video above.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 64.

 

UFC Mexico’s Joe Pyfer: Kelvin Gastelum ‘trying to convince himself’ that he can make title run at middleweight

Joe Pyfer doesn’t see Kelvin Gastelum hanging with the new wave of UFC middleweight talent.

[autotag]Joe Pyfer[/autotag] doesn’t see [autotag]Kelvin Gastelum[/autotag] hanging with the new wave of UFC middleweight talent.

Pyfer (13-3 MMA, 4-1 UFC) takes on former interim title challenger Gastelum (18-9 MMA, 13-9 UFC) on Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 64 (ESPN2, ESPN+) main card at Arena CDMX in Mexico City.

After bouncing around from middleweight to welterweight, Gastelum declared that 185 pounds will be his permanent home. In a recent interview with MMA Junkie Radio, Gastelum said he told UFC brass to put him back on the title path, but Pyfer doesn’t think he’s capable of getting there.

“I think there’s a lot of good guys. Caio Borralho, I think, is very good, and if you look at the matchup, I think if they fought, I don’t think it would be close,” Pyfer told MMA Junkie. “I think Caio would trash Kelvin. So when he’s talking about making another title run, I don’t think that that’s really true. I think he’s trying to convince himself that this is home, and this is where he’s supposed to be.

“But he’s had so many ups and downs, and as of lately, his performances haven’t been what they used to be. That’s just my speculation from watching film, and watching him, seeing his performances. But yeah, it’s a talent-rich division, and I think we have the combination of athleticism and power.”

As Pyfer makes his way up the middleweight ranks, he sees Khamzat Chimaev as the most worthy No. 1 contender to face champion Dricus Du Plessis.

“He went out there and trashed Robert Whitaker, who was a great champion, and is still a great competitor, still out there at the top of the division,” Pyfer said. “Why not give Khamzat that shot?”

But does Pyfer think Chimaev can dethrone Du Plessis?

“Yeah, I do,” Pyfer said. “I think if he can beat him in the first two rounds, and if he can get him down in the first two rounds, I think he would beat him. And if he’s able to survive the first two rounds, I think Dricus would wind up finishing him by TKO.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 64.

Joe Pyfer confident he has power to be first to KO Kelvin Gastelum at UFC Mexico

Joe Pyfer is quite confident he has the power to become the first person to KO Kelvin Gastelum.

MEXICO CITY – [autotag]Joe Pyfer[/autotag] wants more than a win in his return to the cage Saturday.

The rising UFC middleweight contender is looking to become the first person to knockout [autotag]Kelvin Gastelum[/autotag] in MMA. He’ll get his chance to do so at Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 64, which takes place at Arena CDMX in Mexico City.

“I love the matchup. I thought it was very exciting,” Pyfer told MMA Junkie. “The guy likes to bring it, and he’s entertaining to watch. I would say as of lately, his performances haven’t been Kelvin of old, but I do believe he did his best work at middleweight. I know my teammate beat him in Sean Brady, but we’re two completely different fighters and that’s a question that’s been popping up a bunch, but our styles are different. Sean is an amazing grappler, I’m a good grappler. I’m a great striker, I think, and I want to be the first guy to knock Kelvin out. So yeah, when I saw the matchup, I thought it was a great fight for me.”

Gastelum (18-9 MMA, 13-9 UFC) has fought the who’s who of MMA. Israel Adesanya, Jared Cannonier, Robert Whittaker, Michael Bisping, Darren Till are just some of the many high-level strikers and power punchers Gastelum has faced. Yet, Pyfer (13-3 MMA, 4-1 UFC) thinks he brings something different to the table.

“I’m going to send a statement to him,” Pyfer said. “I don’t really care about what the rest of the division thinks. Obviously, yes, if I get a stoppage, it’s going to be impressive, but I have 13 wins and 12 finishes. I’m a guy that likes to go out there and look for the finish, and I have the power to get the finish. If you watch him against Israel Adesanya, I think that was his best self and I think that was the best he’s ever going to be, and he got dropped like three or four times by a guy who’s not really a power puncher.”

Gastelum is a pioneer in Mexican MMA. Although born in the U.S. but with Mexican parents, Gastelum has represented the Mexican audience for many years. He fought in the UFC’s first ever event in Mexico in 2018 and coached a season of “The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America.”

Pyfer knows he won’t be the crowd favorite, but is in no way letting that affect him.

“No, I don’t give a f*ck,” Pyfer said. “I’m here in enemy territory. … I’m super comfortable, and I’m not uncomfortable fighting here in Mexico. At the end of the day, I’ll be making the same walk to the cage, and in the cage it doesn’t matter where you’re from or what ethnicity you are. A fight is a fight.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 64.