I still have a lot to prove, says UFC star Joe Pyfer

One of the rising stars of Dana White's Contender Series in 2022 was Joe Pyfer. Let's just say that the 27-year-old has kept up his impressive form in the UFC, where he currently boasts a 12-2 record. Joe Pyfer's route to the UFC was quite difficult. The chances didn't seem in his favor, but he overcame adversity after a terrible upbringing made worse by an abusive relationship with his father, being left behind by his family, and having to spend nights on a park bench.
UFC Debut: Pyfer made his UFC debut in September 2020 at UFC Fight Night 178.In his debut fight, he faced Dustin Jacoby. Unfortunately, Pyfer lost the fight via knockout in the first round.
Fighting Style: Pyfer is known for his well-rounded fighting style, combining striking and grappling skills. He has the ability to finish fights both on the feet and on the ground.
So Joe, you are heading into the fight against Abdul Razak Al Hassan on the back of 6 consecutive victories. Does that give you added confidence for this fight?
No, not at all. I think what gives me confidence is knowing my skill set versus and how it matches up. My size versus my power, my speed, I would just say all my actuals physically and technically are what are giving me confidence going into this fight. I respect Abdul. I don't know him. But you know, I just don't think he's going to be able to match the levels that I am at versus himself.
You're predominantly a boxer, but you have tackled the ground game expertly in your previous fights. And have even secured victories through submission. Is that something you have focused on improving or does it come instinctively?
I'm improving everything in my skill set. I'm never relying on one part of this, you know. So, I'm never relying just on my boxing. And the thing I started jujitsu at 4 1/2 years old that was my first love. So, for other people that think I'm a boxer. I'm not a boxer, I'm just good at boxing, and the same thing, good at jujitsu. I'm good at wrestling. I don't have a crazy wrestling pedigree. It's just something that I've gotten good at because I've done repetition after repetition, so you know I trust each and every one of my skill forms being boxing, kick boxing and grappling. So I think it's really up to me on how this flight plays out and where I take it and how I take it there. So yeah, I mean I'm getting to answer your question. I'm getting better at everything.
What do you think is so special about boxers in the UFC?
I think it's the ability to be able to get hit and not get hit back. You know, boxing, that's boxing is different than MMA boxing. So I pride myself on being one of the better boxers in the UFC. Yeah, I think I still have a lot to prove. You know what I mean? So I don't mean that as everybody else in the UFC isn't good at boxing, but I don't think that there are many good MMA boxers, so it's very hard to do considering you have to watch out for kicks, knees, other things of that matter. So you kind of neglect some things if you are better in the boxing area. But yeah, I mean, I have a lot of respect for it. And I pride myself in being on the upper tier of boxers in the UFC.
So how did you earn your name “Bodybagz” Can you tell us?
A story I used to get made fun of. I used to get bullied as a kid. I used to get bullied by my father specifically, and I used to go cold bags all the time and I used to have big bags under my eyes, and it was just an annoying name. It was like a nuisance. It wasn't really anything that had a great meaning and was really a terrible insult. It was just more or less said so frequently that it was used. I used to hate it. When I got into the high school wrestling team, I remember I used to slam kids, throw them and one kid said one time quoting The Karate Kid movie - He was like, Dang, you put that kid in the body bag. I hit him with like a judo throw. And I always used to sit there and think because this is always something I wanted to do. I always picture myself in the UFC and, you know, fighting on the big stages and they used to be like, man, like, what can my fight name be? Joe Jersey, or Joe Pfeiffer because I was born in New Jersey. I'm like, Nah. Like we are. Yeah. Jersey Joe Walcott, who was a boxer and. Yeah, Joe ‘bodybagz’. Pyfer seemed to fit my demeanor, my style, my aggression and my intention. So. That's why I stuck with it.
What are your thoughts on the Dana White contender series and how has it encouraged more and more aspiring athletes to take up MMA and the dream of UFC?
Yeah, I mean, look, I think the contender series obviously is a platform to give kids a shot at their dreams in a big way and get paid more than they do on the regional scene. As far as the way I view it, I view it as a UFC fight, when people say you're fighting in front of Dana White. You're fighting in front of the matchmakers. The pressure of the UFC fighting is the same. I can tell you now my contender series fight the second time around was harder than my UFC debut by far. You know, just as far as what was on the line and everything of that sort. So I think it's a very good thing. It's very entertaining, puts a lot of pressure on fighters to come out and, you know, go swing for the fences. And I mean, obviously we've seen how much talent has come from there. So I think it was a wonderful thing for drafted talent regionally.
How do you plan to tackle Abdul Razak Al Hassan’s striking ability in the upcoming fight?
I mean, I'm taller and longer. I think being able to be diversified in my attack, being patient especially you know and just not engage in brawls. This guy's best chance of beating me in my mind is he has to knock me out. And if he doesn't knock me out, he's not going to have enough volume to outpace me. He's not going to have enough wrestling to out-grappled me, and he's not going to have enough speed to out punch me. So he literally has to land a big bomb and put me to sleep. You know no disrespect to his power. I'm sure he could put me out in one shot, but from what I see as a once upon a time welterweight, he has to hit you multiple times. He has to bludgeon you. He doesn't have that- Boom to me out. I haven't really seen that in the UFC too much. I've seen it at 170. I just haven't seen it at 185, so I don't really believe he belongs in the middle weight. So yeah, I mean, I think it's just using my length and letting him know you're not taking an inch from me. You know, everything that we're going to do is going to be on my terms. And the second he thinks that I'm going to engage with you, I'm going to disengage. Well, I'm going to mix it up. I'm going to take him down. I'm going to strangle the life out of this guy. I'm better than him in every aspect. I'm telling you right now, the only way this man can beat me is if this man knocks me out and that's a very slim route to victory.
What are your predictions for Dawson versus Green?
I'm a Bobby Green fan. I like Bobby Green. I've been watching him for years and years. I like Grant Dawson too. May the best man win, that's how I feel about it.
That if I was to choose. Who's going to win? Stylistically, I think Grant Dawson, but as far as someone that I've watched for 10 plus years in the UFC, I would take Bobby Green.
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