Who’s next for Joe Pyfer after loss?

(ALSO SEE: Mick Maynard’s Shoes: What’s next for Jack Hermansson after UFC Fight Night 236 win?)

If anybody ever underestimates the importance of expertise in MMA, level no additional than Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 236 predominant occasion, wherein Joe Pyfer suffered his first octagon loss towards Jack Hermansson.

Beaming with the arrogance of three consecutive finishes to start his UFC tenure, Pyfer (12-3 MMA, 3-1 UFC) got here into the middleweight headliner vs. Hermansson (24-8 MMA, 11-6 UFC) on the UFC Apex in Las Vegas with most confidence. It confirmed within the octagon to begin the combat, with Pyfer controlling the primary and second rounds.

The narrative modified within the third, nevertheless, when Hermansson landed a giant punch that hindered Pyfer’s imaginative and prescient. He shrunk within the second of adversity whereas Hermansson displayed veteran savvy and took over down the stretch to win a unanimous decision and take house the upset, leaving questions on whether or not Pyfer was overmatched and overhyped.

His subsequent efficiency can be extra telling on that entrance. If Pyfer discovered classes in output, pacing and the power to regulate the move of a combat, he’ll be higher for this. If not, than this predominant occasion is perhaps his pinnacle. At simply 27, nevertheless, the longer term may nonetheless be fairly shiny for Pyfer.

He must rack up one or two wins earlier than he will get one other crack at a ranked opponent, although. Many suppose he was fast-tracked to this spot, so the subsequent time he will get somebody with a quantity subsequent to his title, it must be fully warranted.

Somebody just like the winner of subsequent month’s UFC Struggle Evening matchup between Eryk Anders (15-7 MMA, 7-8 UFC) and Jamie Pickett (13-10 MMA, 2-6 UFC) is within the wheelhouse of a becoming rebound combat for Pyfer. Each males are skilled and have fought some marquee names within the division, and there’s so much to match and distinction in how Pyfer would deal with them. The combat doesn’t go down till March 2, that means Pyfer has time to heal up then make his timeline match up with that of the winner.

For extra on the cardboard, go to MMA Junkie’s occasion hub for UFC Fight Night 236.