Jack Hermansson handed Joe Pyfer his first loss inside the Octagon at UFC Vegas 86 on Saturday night.
From the opening bell, Joe Pyfer was in control of the contest, putting Hermansson on his back foot and getting the Swedish standout to bite on every feint. ‘The Joker’ made some solid adjustments in the second round that began to pay dividends in the third with Hermansson softening up Pyfier via some well-placed jabs and stinging low kicks.
Pyfer got hit with a stiff jab that appeared to affect his vision just over the halfway point of the third. Undeterred, ‘Bodybagz’ caught Hermansson off balance with a big left hand that had the Swede backing up and looking to create some space. Pyfer ended the round on a good note, but the third likely went to Hermansson on the scorecards.
Hermansson’s jab continued to get the job done in the fourth, leading both corners to believe that the fight was 2-2 going into the fifth and final round. Pyfer’s corner stressed urgency, but it was the jab of ‘The Joker’ that continued to stifle his opponent’s offense in the later rounds.
With three minutes to go in the fight, Hermansson scored his first successful takedown of the fight, immediately getting into Pyfer’s half-guard. ‘The Joker’ pummeled Pyfer with a series of ground-and-pound strikes, never allowing ‘Bodybagz’ to get back to his feet before the final bell.
Official Result: Jack Hermansson def. Joe Pyfer via unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-47)