“Bodybagz” is getting the biggest opportunity of his career in “Rain City.”
As promised, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) CEO, Dana White, today announced that former Middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya, will headline UFC Seattle against surging 185-pound contender, Joe Pyfer, on Sat., March 28, 2026, inside Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington.
For Adesanya (24-5), the bout represents a pivotal moment in his legendary career.
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The former champion is currently riding the longest losing streak of his time in the Octagon. In his most recent appearance, “The Last Stylebender” was knocked out by Nassourdine Imavov in UFC Saudi Arabia’s main event (watch highlights). Before that, he lost his title to Sean Strickland at UFC 293 and was later submitted by Dricus du Plessis at UFC 305 (watch highlights).
Despite the recent three-fight skid, Adesanya — who currently sits at No. 6 in the Middleweight rankings — remains among UFC’s most reliable headliners.
Across the cage will be Pyfer (15-3), who finally scores a long-awaited step into elite company. After suffering his first UFC loss against Jack Hermansson in his first UFC main event, the Philadelphia, Pa., knockout artist has rebounded in emphatic fashion.
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Pyfer rattled off three straight victories, starting with a brutal knockout of Marc-Andre Barriault at UFC 303 (watch highlights), followed by a decision win over Kelvin Gastelum at UFC 316. Most recently, he showcased his evolving skill set by submitting Abus Magomedov at UFC 320 (watch highlights).
A win over Adesanya would instantly vault Pyfer into the Middleweight Top 10.
Here is what UFC Seattle currently looks like:
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Israel Adesanya vs. Joe Pyfer
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Casey O’Neill vs. Gabriella Fernandes
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Nicolle Caliari vs. Carol Fiori
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Mansur Abdul-Malik vs. Yousri Belgaroui
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Zhu Kangjie vs. Marcio Barbosa
