Yahoo Sports Joe Pyfer: Jack Hermansson not ‘a terrible big step up like everybody else thinks’
Joe Pyfer doesn’t see Jack Hermansson as a big leap in competition.
Pyfer (12-2 MMA, 3-0 UFC) takes on Hermansson (23-8 MMA, 10-6 UFC) in the main event of UFC Fight Night on Feb. 10 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The event is expected to stream on ESPN+.
Pyfer will headline an event against a ranked opponent after just three octagon appearance, but “Bodybagz” is confident that he’s more than ready for the stage.
“I think that my skills are – bar none – better than his,” Pyfer told Middle Easy. “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 may not have as many fights. But I’ve had my mind conditioned.”
Hermansson has faced the likes of current UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland, Marvin Vettori, Kelvin Gastelum and more during his promotional tenure. Despite the discrepancy in experience, Pyfer isn’t intimidated.
“It’s another fight,” Pyfer said. “He’s a guy who has a heart, lungs, and breathes air like me. I don’t give a f*ck about his number. He’s 35 years old, 10-6 in the UFC, he’s a tough guy. I like him. He’s a good guy. He’s not a piece of sh*t.
“I don’t really have that many nerves. I just understand that I’m pushing myself. I got to search in my soul to push myself to a new level because I’m going to give him that much respect.”
A win over Hermansson could catapult Pyfer into middleweight contention. Pyfer doesn’t mind a quick path as long as purse increases with the level of competition.
“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.”
Joe Pyfer
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Gerald Meerschaert vs. Joe Pyfer
Gerald Meerschaert vs. Joe Pyfer
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MMA: UFC 287 - Meerschaert vs Pyfer
Apr 8, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Gerald Meerschaert (red gloves) fights Joe Pyfer (blue gloves) during…
Apr 8, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Gerald Meerschaert (red gloves) fights Joe Pyfer (blue gloves) during UFC 287 at Miami-Dade Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rich Storry-USA TODAY Sports
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MMA: UFC 287 - Meerschaert vs Pyfer
Apr 8, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Gerald Meerschaert (red gloves) fights Joe Pyfer (blue gloves) during…
Apr 8, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Gerald Meerschaert (red gloves) fights Joe Pyfer (blue gloves) during UFC 287 at Miami-Dade Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rich Storry-USA TODAY Sports
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MMA: UFC 287 - Meerschaert vs Pyfer
Apr 8, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Gerald Meerschaert (red gloves) fights Joe Pyfer (blue gloves) during…
Apr 8, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Gerald Meerschaert (red gloves) fights Joe Pyfer (blue gloves) during UFC 287 at Miami-Dade Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rich Storry-USA TODAY Sports
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MMA: UFC 287 - Meerschaert vs Pyfer
Apr 8, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Gerald Meerschaert (red gloves) fights Joe Pyfer (blue gloves) during…
Apr 8, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Gerald Meerschaert (red gloves) fights Joe Pyfer (blue gloves) during UFC 287 at Miami-Dade Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rich Storry-USA TODAY Sports
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MMA: UFC 287 - Meerschaert vs Pyfer
Apr 8, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Gerald Meerschaert (red gloves) fights Joe Pyfer (blue gloves) during…
Apr 8, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Gerald Meerschaert (red gloves) fights Joe Pyfer (blue gloves) during UFC 287 at Miami-Dade Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rich Storry-USA TODAY Sports
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MMA: UFC 287 - Meerschaert vs Pyfer
Apr 8, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Gerald Meerschaert (red gloves) fights Joe Pyfer (blue gloves) during…
Apr 8, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Gerald Meerschaert (red gloves) fights Joe Pyfer (blue gloves) during UFC 287 at Miami-Dade Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rich Storry-USA TODAY Sports
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MMA: UFC 287 - Meerschaert vs Pyfer
Apr 8, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Gerald Meerschaert (red gloves) fights Joe Pyfer (blue gloves) during…
Apr 8, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Gerald Meerschaert (red gloves) fights Joe Pyfer (blue gloves) during UFC 287 at Miami-Dade Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rich Storry-USA TODAY Sports
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MMA: UFC 287 - Meerschaert vs Pyfer
Apr 8, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Gerald Meerschaert (red gloves) fights Joe Pyfer (blue gloves) during…
Apr 8, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Gerald Meerschaert (red gloves) fights Joe Pyfer (blue gloves) during UFC 287 at Miami-Dade Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rich Storry-USA TODAY Sports
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MMA: UFC 287 - Meerschaert vs Pyfer
Apr 8, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Gerald Meerschaert (red gloves) fights Joe Pyfer (blue gloves) during…
Apr 8, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Gerald Meerschaert (red gloves) fights Joe Pyfer (blue gloves) during UFC 287 at Miami-Dade Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rich Storry-USA TODAY Sports
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MMA: UFC 287 - Meerschaert vs Pyfer
Apr 8, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Gerald Meerschaert (red gloves) fights Joe Pyfer (blue gloves) during…
Apr 8, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Gerald Meerschaert (red gloves) fights Joe Pyfer (blue gloves) during UFC 287 at Miami-Dade Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rich Storry-USA TODAY Sports
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MMA: UFC 287 - Meerschaert vs Pyfer
Apr 8, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Joe Pyfer (blue gloves) celebrates defeating Gerald Meerschaert (red gloves)…
Apr 8, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Joe Pyfer (blue gloves) celebrates defeating Gerald Meerschaert (red gloves) during UFC 287 at Miami-Dade Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rich Storry-USA TODAY Sports
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MMA: UFC 287 - Meerschaert vs Pyfer
Apr 8, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Joe Pyfer (blue gloves) celebrates defeating Gerald Meerschaert (red gloves)…
Apr 8, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Joe Pyfer (blue gloves) celebrates defeating Gerald Meerschaert (red gloves) during UFC 287 at Miami-Dade Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rich Storry-USA TODAY Sports
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MMA: UFC 287 - Meerschaert vs Pyfer
Apr 8, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Joe Pyfer (blue gloves) celebrates defeating Gerald Meerschaert (red gloves)…
Apr 8, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Joe Pyfer (blue gloves) celebrates defeating Gerald Meerschaert (red gloves) during UFC 287 at Miami-Dade Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rich Storry-USA TODAY Sports
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MMA: UFC 287 - Meerschaert vs Pyfer
Apr 8, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Gerald Meerschaert (red gloves) reacts after fighting Joe Pyfer (blue…
Apr 8, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Gerald Meerschaert (red gloves) reacts after fighting Joe Pyfer (blue gloves) during UFC 287 at Miami-Dade Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rich Storry-USA TODAY Sports
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MMA: UFC 287 - Meerschaert vs Pyfer
Apr 8, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Joe Pyfer (blue gloves) celebrates defeating Gerald Meerschaert (red gloves)…
Apr 8, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Joe Pyfer (blue gloves) celebrates defeating Gerald Meerschaert (red gloves) during UFC 287 at Miami-Dade Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rich Storry-USA TODAY Sports
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MMA: UFC 287 - Meerschaert vs Pyfer
Apr 8, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Gerald Meerschaert (red gloves) share words with Joe Pyfer (blue…
Apr 8, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Gerald Meerschaert (red gloves) share words with Joe Pyfer (blue gloves) after their fight during UFC 287 at Miami-Dade Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rich Storry-USA TODAY Sports
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Joe Pyfer vs. Gerald Meerschaert, UFC 287 Scorecard
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Joe Pyfer
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