Exclusive Q&A: Joe Pyfer plans to knockout Kelvin Gastelum

Joe Pyfer has promised to deliver a knockout victory inside two rounds when he finally faces Kelvin Gastelum this weekend at UFC 316.

The pair were originally due to meet in March before the former was forced to withdraw at short notice, and will now square off in New Jersey instead.

Pyfer (13-3) faces a tough challenge against ex-UFC Interim Middleweight Championship challenger Gastelum (20-9, 1NC), who lost previously to Israel Adesanya.

But in an interview with DAZN News ahead of his latest encounter, the former is confident he can deliver against a man he views as an inferior opponent. 

 

DAZN News: What do you think of Kelvin Gastelum?

Joe Pyfer: Yeah, he's a vet, right? He's battle-tested. He's fought everybody. He's definitely an OG, and I have mad respect for him unless he gives me a reason not to.

So he deserves his respect as far as a guy who's tough and durable and has fought the who's who of the division. But I think it's my time, and I think he's on his descent.

I think I'm more than ready for this. And I think I'm just, quite frankly, better everywhere - when it comes to skill, when it comes to tech, especially when it comes to power. So that's why we're fighting.

DN: Any predictions?

JP: Knockout inside two rounds.

DN: You were due to fight in Mexico, but the fight was finally cancelled. How do you feel now?

JP: I feel great. Unfortunately, Mexico did me dirty. It just wasn't a good environment for the fight. I’ve got 14 meals out of 15 that I wasn't able to trust, and it got me severely sick.

So it hit my pocket, it hit my heart, and I'm sorry it hurt Kelvin in some way too, not being able to fight after you go on a training camp.

So it was just a shitty situation for everybody, and I'm just thankful that he agreed and the UFC agreed. We got to run it back and actually do it the proper way.

When you're faced off with a guy and then you don't fight him, it feels like unfinished business. So we got to get in there and do this damn thing.

DN: You've come a long way. You lost in 2020 at the DWCS before winning in 2022. You were close to being homeless but Dana White helped you. Is that your greatest strength, coming back from so far?

JP: I wouldn’t say it's my greatest strength, but it's definitely - my resilience is probably - if that's what you're talking about, resilience is definitely one of my greatest strengths.

I don't accept being told no when it comes to my future and people telling me what I can and can't do. And yeah, a lot of people wrote me off after that, and they didn't believe I'd make it to the UFC ever, let alone have wins the way I have.

And yeah, it's still early on in my career, I haven't fought as much as I'd like to because of injuries and whatnot. But I'm healthy now and I'm ready to bang for Saturday, and I get to do it here in my home state.

So I'm very excited and just grateful for the opportunity to compete, and trying to keep myself as present as possible.

DN: You’re taller (6’1’’) than him (5’9’’). Can it will be one of the keys of the fight ?

JP: I don't think it's going to be that big of a deal. I mean, he's fought Israel Adesanya (6’4’’), who's taller than me, and pretty much everybody he fights is taller than him.

And it's not like I'm some skyscraper, 10 inches taller than him. I definitely think it's - with me and him in particular - because of power differences. I have a long reach too.

But I think the difference between me and Izzy is the power that I possess in my hands and my boxing. I don't think he'll be able to bully me and run me down the way he was - he wasn't even bullying Izzy - but Izzy's game is to stick and move.

So Izzy allowed him a little more opportunity to come forward, and I'm not going to if I feel that I don't have to. So yeah, I definitely think my size is going to be a problem, for sure.

But he's used to fighting bigger guys, so I can't really look too much into the physical attributes.

DN: You did two training camps because the first fight was canceled. It will be a big test for you. How have you prepared?

JP: I don't feel like it's a huge test. I think it's just another test. It's not a huge test, it's another test. And every fight is another test, no matter the skill level.

I think I've proven that I can hang with the best after I fought Jack Hermansson. I know everybody s---talked that just because they're like, “Oh, he's an old man, he's this, he's that.”

He's still a 23-fight veteran of the UFC, and I fought him to a decision and had never fought five rounds, and I'd never had a main event.

I dealt with all the media and all the hype, like they said. At the end of the day, I think this isn't a huge test - I guess you could say just another test to see if I'm really that guy. I think I will be.

DN: 4 wins the UFC, you lost against Jack Hermansson, what did you learn from that?

JP: A lot, a lot. I always learn a lot. And every loss, there's tons [to learn]. I just think I learned that I shouldn't put myself in a compromising position with my health, which is what I didn't do in Mexico.

So I learned from it and I grew from it, and we carry on. So there's a ton of lessons in every loss that you have.

DN: When you look at your career, where do you see yourself going?

JP: We'll find out. You have to wait and see. I don't like predicting the future. I used to do that a lot, and I think it's a negative mindset to have.

Because you're always looking towards the future instead of worrying about where you are now. So not to be a dickhead, but I don't look at the future. I’m worried about right now.

Watch UFC 316 in Canada on DAZN PPV