Joe Pyfer Declares Israel Adesanya the GOAT of Middleweight MMA
As Israel Adesanya prepares to face Joe Pyfer in the main event of UFC Fight Night in Seattle on Saturday, March 28, 2026, Pyfer has publicly lauded Adesanya as the greatest middleweight in mixed martial arts history. The bout, set to take place at the Climate Pledge Arena and broadcast live on Paramount+, pits the former champion Adesanya against the rising contender Pyfer.
During the pre-fight press conference, Pyfer expressed his admiration for Adesanya’s accomplishments, even placing him above former long-reigning champion Anderson Silva. “He’s the greatest middleweight of all time in my opinion,” Pyfer stated, as reported by MMA Fighting. “It’s a great opportunity. It’s a great privilege to be able to do what I do and be able to say that I fought one of the best in the world, so I really look at this as a win-win.”
Silva held the UFC middleweight title for seven years, achieving 16 consecutive wins at the start of his UFC career before losing to Chris Weidman. He is second in UFC history for consecutive title defenses with 10, trailing only Demetrious Johnson.
Pyfer Highlights Adesanya’s Resume
Adesanya initially won the belt with a finish of Robert Whittaker and successfully defended it five times before a loss to Alex Pereira. He later reclaimed the title in a rematch, and also holds a victory over Silva.
Pyfer explained his reasoning for ranking Adesanya above Silva, acknowledging the evolution of the sport. “No disrespect to guys like Stephon Bonnar or Forrest Griffin or Rich Franklin but they weren’t at the level that I think MMA fighters are today,” he said, “so that’s why I tip the cap to Israel as the greatest middleweight of all time.”