Joe Pyfer is in the area for UFC Austin to support Sean Brady, and Middle Easy’s Michael Owens was able to speak with the rising middleweight.
Brady will be taking on Gastelum inside the Moody Center in Austin, Texas on December 2. While Pyfer wasn’t a part of Brady’s camp, the two are close friends and training partners. Pyfer wasn’t going to miss out on seeing this massive opportunity for Brady.
Joe Pyfer Discusses Sean Brady’s State Of Mind Ahead Of UFC Austin
During the interview with Middle Easy, Joe Pyfer talked about Sean Brady being in a good frame of mind ahead of the Kelvin Gastelum fight.
“I think he’s ahead of schedule, man, with the weight cut.” Pyfer said. “I think he’s in a really good mental space, I think he changed a lot. Got the help that he needed I think, mentally.”
Pyfer then mentioned there are some up-and-comers who helped mimic Gastelum’s fighting style.
“So, we got a couple of guys you won’t have heard of, they’re on the amateur scene and a lot of them are on the beginning pro scene,” Pyfer revealed. “They’re really good, they’re natural southpaws, they kind of bounce, they did a really good job.”
Pyfer Doesn’t Care About Jack Hermansson’s UFC Ranking
Joe Pyfer’s next outing will be against number 10-ranked middleweight Jack Hermansson at a UFC Fight Night event on February 10, 2024. Pyfer will debut in the official UFC 185-pound rankings with a win, but he isn’t concerned with the number placed next to his opponent’s name.
“I don’t give a f*ck about his number,” Pyfer said. “He’s 35 years old, he’s 10 and 6 in the UFC, he’s a tough guy. I like him, he’s a good guy, he’s not a piece of sh*t. So, I don’t really have that many nerves. I just understand that I’m pushing myself. Once I get back from here it’s full steam ahead.”
Pyfer also isn’t considering this fight to be a massive jump up in competition despite the respect he has for Hermansson.
“I just don’t think this is a terrible big step up like everybody else thinks because I’ve been in the sport for so long, and I have not had as many fights but I’ve had my mind conditioned,” Pyfer said.
If Pyfer wins his next fight in impressive fashion, he might just get the fast track to the top of the heap. When asked whether or not he’d like to take the slow road to a UFC title, Pyfer had the following to say:
“I wanted to take it slow because I wanted to get my contracts right,” Pyfer said. “I was very verbal about that. When you get into the rankings all the fights are super tough.”
Here is Middle Easy’s full interview with Joe Pyfer:
