On the main card of UFC 316, we are going to see a fun middleweight matchup between two men who were originally supposed to fight back in March. Former interim title challenger Kelvin Gastelum (19-9) will take on the very dangerous Joe Pyfer (13-3). Pyfer got sick ahead of their first scheduled matchup and that fight was then moved to tomorrow night.
For Kelvin Gastelum, he’s back at 185 after failing to make weight in his last welterweight matchup. In that fight, he took on Daniel Rodriguez and picked up a decision win. Joe Pyfer was looking to win his second in a row after he lost his first fight inside the octagon to Jack Hermansson. He was looking to pickup the biggest win of his career tonight.
UFC 316 Recap
Round 1
The UFC 316 middleweight contest kicks off with both men running to the center. Low kick from Pyfer starts the striking. Gastelum holding the center and he’s light on his feet here. Body kick from Pyfer lands. Huge right hand from Pyfer drops Gastelum badly. Gastelum is back up here but Pyfer is hunting the knockout.
Gastelum appears to have recovered but Pyfer just misses another huge right. Nice left hand from Gastelum and Pyfer goes to the body with a huge right hook. Check left hook now from Pyfer and now a big jab. Elbow from Pyfer and Gastelum circles away. Pyfer being very patient here and Gastelum is holding the center plotting forward. Low kick from Gastelum.
Step-in jab from Pyfer and Gastelum lands a nice shot to the body. Nice left from Gastelum and Pyfer waves him on. Right hand to the body from Pyfer and Gastelum looks pretty tentative here for obvious reasons. Left to the body from Gastelum. Head kick from Pyfer and that stunned Gastelum. Big jab from Pyfer and now he drops Gastelum with another right. Gastelum gets up and eats a left. Round ends but it’s a dominant round for Joe Pyfer.
Round 2
Entering the second at UFC 316 and Gastelum has to do something to get some respect. Pyfer opens the round with a jab. Gastelum tries to throw a looping right but he’s way out of range. Big jab from Pyfer again. Lead left uppercut from Pyfer stiffens Gastelum up. Gastelum has a helluva chin to survive the shots he’s taken so far.
Gastelum looks lost in there right now. Left over the top from Gastelum comes close but then he eats a nasty 1-2 from Joe Pyfer. Gastelum trying to do anything he can to get some distance and Pyfer is just stalking him here. Another nasty right hand lands from Pyfer. Gastelum tries a combination but Pyfer’s head movement is on point there.
Head kick from Pyfer gets blocked by Gastelum. Low kick from Gastelum and now Gastelum is trying to push forward. He lands a jab and Pyfer is just looking for the big shot here. Gastelum fires a combination but Pyfer fires one back. Gastelum has at least landed some in this round but it still feels like Pyfer is in control. Big shots from Gastelum and Pyfer just looks like he’s hunting the knockout. The round ends and I lean Pyfer but I can easily see it for Gastelum.
Round 3
Entering the final round and I think Gastelum needs something big here at UFC 316. Lots of pressure from Gastelum and he lands a nice left hand. Big combination from Gastelum and Pyfer fires one back. Gastelum is a dog and he lands a right hand. Gastelum fighting with much more urgency here and he lands a left.
Right over the top from Pyfer and Gastelum shakes it off. Another nice right hand from Pyfer. The lack of volume from Pyfer is hurting him a bit as he’s been way too predictable. Jab from Gastelum and another. Huge 1-2 from Gastelum and that stung Pyfer. He smiles but that one hurt. Another big left and now another from Gastelum.
Gastelum is gaining momentum here. Pyfer shoots for a takedown and he gets it but Gastelum scrambles. Gastelum reverses things and pushes Pyfer against the fence with two minutes left. They break and Pyfer lands a nice elbow. Big left over the top from Gastelum and now a body shot. Right hand now from Pyfer and now another. Low kick from Gastelum and a big left against the fence. The round ends and I give it to Kelvin Gastelum. This one is going to come down to how the judges at UFC 316 scored the second round.
Joe Pyfer def. Kelvin Gastelum by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-27, 30-27)