The fight was originally supposed to take place on March 29, 2025, at Arena CDMX, Mexico, but was cancelled due to Joe Pyfer’s last minute illness. Gastelum told the reporters that he wasn’t too thrilled about taking on Pyfer anyways, particularly because of Gastelum’s desire to fight someone ranked, and somebody with a bigger name.
Pyfer’s illness as revealed by him later on, was so bad that he claimed, “He (Gastelum) would have slapped me and I would have s**t myself.” The main card of UFC 316 will feature a rising star in Pyfer against a seasoned fight in Gastelum.
Pyfer hopes to break into the middleweight rankings after defeating the veteran, meanwhile for Gastelum, he will be taking on his 30th fight of his MMA career and is still trying to show the world that he is a contender for the middleweight title. While Pyfer is the favorite to win the fight, Gastelum’s chin remains unbeaten till this day, as he’s never been knocked out in his career. Keeping that in mind, you can easily expect the fight to go all the way into the decision round.
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Pyfer went pro in 2018 at the young age of 21 quickly rising in regional promotions like Ring of Combat with a 7-1 record, including 6 finishes, a unanimous decision win, and a submission loss. His defining moment came with a finish of Ozzy Diaz on Dana White’s Contender Series in July 2022, securing a UFC contract.
Since debuting, Pyfer has achieved a 4-1 record, highlighted by a brutal knockout of Marc-Andre Barriault, earning a Performance of the Night award and establishing himself as a middleweight prospect to watch.
| 16 fights | Wins | Loss |
| By KO/TKO | 9 | 1 |
| By Submission | 3 | 1 |
| By Decision | 1 | 1 |
Kelvin Gastelum’s MMA career has seen peaks and valleys. In 2013, at age 21, he won the Ultimate Fighter 17, defeating Uriah Hall. Turning pro, Gastelum holds a 20-9-0 record, facing reputed fighters like Michael Bisping, Israel Adesanya, Chris Weidman, Vitor Belfort, and others. His bout against Adesanya stands out the most, despite the loss.
Gastelum has competed in both welterweight and middleweight divisions, enduring multiple UFC losses but has showcased remarkable durability, never having been knocked out. Now that he’s 33, his resilience will be heavily tested against Joe Pyfer’s power.
| 29 fights | Wins | Loss |
| By KO/TKO | 6 | 0 |
| By Submission | 6 | 3 |
| By Decision | 8 | 6 |
| Tale of the Tape | Joe Pyfer | Kelvin Gastelum |
| Record | 13-3-0 | 20-9-0 |
| Height | 6’2″ | 5’9″ |
| Weight | 185 pounds | 186 pounds |
| Reach | 75″ | 71.5″ |
| Stance | Orthodox | Southpaw |
| D.O.B | September 17th, 1996 | October 24th, 1991 |
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