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UFC Seattle weigh-in results: Israel Adesanya vs Joe Pyfer headlines High-Stakes Middleweight Showdown UFC Seattle weigh-in results: Israel Adesanya faces rising contender Joe Pyfer in High-Stakes main event

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(Photo: Mark Evans/Getty Images)

SEATTLE – Ultimate Fighting Championship returns to the Pacific Northwest with stacks of fight cards UFC Seattle: Adesanya vs. Pyfer will take place on March 28, 2026 at the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle.

The main attraction of the event will be a decisive middleweight fight between former UFC champion Israel Adesanya and rising challenger Joe Pyfer. This fight is a classic matchup between veteran superstars and an emerging knockout artist who could reshape the middleweight division.

Adesanya wants to regain momentum

Adesanya enters the fight as one of the most decorated strikers in UFC history. The former two-time middleweight champion built his legacy on elite kickboxing, precise counter-punching and tactical fighting IQ.

Over the years, “The Last Stylebender” has defeated some of the biggest names in the sport while becoming one of the promotion’s most recognizable stars. Now the 36-year-old veteran returns to the octagon, wanting to prove that he still belongs to the division’s elite.

A victory in Seattle could push Adesanya back into the title conversation and confirm his position as a top contender in the 185-pound weight class.

Joe Pyfer wants a victory that will decide his career

Opposite Adesanya will be one of the UFC’s fastest-rising middleweight fighters, Joe Pyfer.

Known for his explosive power and aggressive finishing skills, Pyfer gained a reputation as one of the most threatening knockouts in the division. His performances in the Octagon showcased both devastating striking and the ability to finish fights quickly.

Defeating a legend like Adesanya would immediately catapult Pyfer up the middleweight rankings and potentially land him a future title shot.

Co-main event: Grasso vs Barber II

The event also features a major women’s flyweight bout as former champion Alexa Grasso will face top contender Maycee Barber in a highly anticipated rematch.

With both fighters seeking another flyweight title shot, this fight could play a key role in determining the next contender in the division.

Seattle Deep Fight Card

In addition to the main event, UFC Seattle offers a number of thrilling fights in various weight classes. The most critical fights scheduled for the gala include:

  • Michael Chiesa vs. Carlston Harris – welterweight
  • Terrance McKinney vs. Kyle Nelson – Lightweight
  • Chase Hooper vs. Lance Gibson Jr. – featherweight
  • Casey O’Neill vs. Gabriella Fernandes – flyweight
  • Marcin Tybura vs Tyrell Fortune – heavyweight

The event marks the promotion’s return to Seattle and continues the UFC’s growing presence in the Pacific Northwest fight scene.

Experience versus power in the main event

The main event between Adesanya and Pyfer is a classic MMA storyline. On one side stands a seasoned master known for his technical excellence and mastery of experience. On the other hand, there is a youthful fighter with devastating knockout power and momentum.

The main question heading into tonight’s fight remains whether Adesanya’s elite striking and experienced veteran will be able to neutralize Pyfer’s explosiveness.

One thing is certain – when the Octagon doors close in Seattle, the middleweight division may look completely different by the end of the evening.

Event details

Event: UFC Fight Night: Adesanya vs. Pyfer
Date: March 28, 2026
Premises: Climate Promise Arena
Location: Seattle, Washington
Program: Most critical+
Main event: Israel Adesanya vs. Joe Pyfer (middleweight)

UFC Seattle weigh-in results – Israel Adesanya vs. Joe Pyfer:

Start time: 8:00 p.m. Eastern time

Middleweight main event

  • Israel Adesanya () vs. Joe Pyfer ()

Flyweight fight

  • Maycee Barber () vs. Alexa Grasso ()

Welterweight fight

  • Michael Chiesa () vs. Niko Price ()

Featherweight fight

  • Lerryan Douglas () vs. Julian Erosa ()

Middleweight fight

  • Mansur Abdul-Malik () vs. Yousri Belgaroui ()

Featherlight fight

  • Terrance McKinney () vs. Kyle Nelson ()

Start time: 5:00 p.m. Eastern time

Featherlight fight

  • Ignacio Bahamondes () vs. Tofiq Musayev ()

Featherlight fight

  • Lance Gibson Jr. () vs. Chase Hooper ()

Heavyweight fight

  • Tyrell Fortune () vs. Marcin Tybura ()

Flyweight fight

  • Casey O’Neill () vs. Gabriella Fernandes ()

Featherlight heavyweight fight

  • Bruno Lopes () vs. Navajo Stirling ()

Bantamweight fight

  • Ricky Simon () vs. Adrian Yanez ()

Strawweight fight

  • Bruna Brasil () vs. Alexia Thainara ()

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MMA

Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua finally has a date and location set: "The time for talking is over"

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Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua finally has a date and location set: "The time for talking is over"

Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua has finally found a date and location.

Chairman of the Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority, Turki Alalshikh, announced that Fury vs. Joshua will be taking place at Principality Stadium in Cardiff on Dec. 11.  The long overdue heavyweight grudge match will be streamed live on Netflix.

“For 15 years no one has been able to make this fight,†Alalshikh said. “Back in April, I said that any announcement would come from me. I can now confirm that Fury Vs Joshua will be coming to the UK, as I promised British boxing fans. The time for talking is over ……..â€

Prior to the announcement, Fury vowed to put Joshua to sleep early in a video clip posted on his Instagram account (via MMAFighting).

“I'm gonna knock him out so bad, it's gonna be unbelievable,†Fury said. “It's gonna be the quickest knockout ever. Man's chinny and a poppadom, paper chin. I'm taking him out. The last two real fights he had, it was over in both first rounds — not including Jake Paul, obviously. So the last two fights he had, he was down in the first round twice. I'm taking this cunt out. One round.â€

There had been a disagreement between both sides over the location of the bout. Per the initial terms agreed to by Joshua's camp, the fight was to take place in the United Kingdom. Fury's team was reportedly pushing for the bout to emanate from Madison Square Garden in New York City. The general consensus is that Fury vs. Joshua should've always been planned for England.

Not long before the announcement, Matchroom's Eddie Hearn, who represents Joshua, was confident that the bout would indeed come to fruition under the original terms. It's clear that he had good reason to be optimistic.

Now that Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua finally has a date and location, who are you leaning towards picking for the long-awaited showdown? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM


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Miki Motono overwhelms Satomi Takano with 50-plus Punches at Pancrase 366

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Miki Motono overwhelms Satomi Takano with 50-plus Punches at Pancrase 366

Strawweight Queen of Pancrase champion Miki Motono
successfully retained her title with a dominant second-round TKO
victory at Pancrase
366 in Tokyo. Motono stopped reigning atomweight champion
Satomi
Takano, whose bid to become a two-division titleholder was
dashed by an onslaught of punches.

Miki Motono retained her Queen of Pancrase title with a
second-round TKO of Satomi Takano

The southpaw Motono (11-5) repeatedly connected with straight left
hands, which were the most significant strikes of the opening
round. Takano (20-15) secured a brief takedown after catching a
kick, but Motono continued to win the boxing exchanges after
returning to her feet.

Takano took Motono down in the second round, but Motono quickly
reversed into the scarf-hold position and landed dozens of punches
to the face of a defenseless Takano. Takano refused to submit to
two scarf-hold armlocks, but the fight was finally stopped after
she absorbed more than 50 additional punches. Motono retained her
title via TKO at the 4:09 mark of Round 2.

After the fight, Motono credited one of her teammates who had
doubted her. The teammate felt Motono would not be able to finish
Takano, which provided extra motivation for the champion to retain
her title inside the distance. Motono, who previously held the
interim Deep Jewels title in 2020, has now won three straight
fights since making her Pancrase debut this past year.

Competing for the final time, reigning flyweight Queen of Pancrase
champion Shizuka
Sugiyama (25-8-1) won her retirement bout in the co-main event
at 119 pounds. Sugiyama earned a unanimous decision over Emi Fujino
(31-17-1, 1 NC), who celebrated a milestone of her own by competing
in her 50th professional fight.

The longtime friends circled one another and traded jabs in the
opening round, with Sugiyama landing a few lead right hooks from a
southpaw stance. Fujino replied with two right hands and stuffed a
Sugiyama takedown attempt.

Fujino knocked Sugiyama down with a right hook early in the second
round. Sugiyama returned to her feet, and Fujino continued to win
the boxing exchanges until Sugiyama took her down into side
control. Sugiyama mounted Fujino and landed punches and elbows, but
time was called when Fujino landed an illegal upkick. The fight
resumed on the ground, where Sugiyama maintained top position.

Sugiyama took Fujino down into half guard in the final round and
kept her pinned to the mat until the midway point. Just as Fujino
looked to reestablish her boxing, Sugiyama put her on the canvas
once more and landed punches from top position until Fujino kicked
her off.

In the final minute, Fujino marched forward, but Sugiyama cracked
her with left hooks to the jaw. All three judges scored the fight
30-27 for Sugiyama, who ended her 18-year career with a
victory.

In her post-fight retirement speech, Sugiyama thanked Fujino for
making her final fight a memorable one, along with her fans and
supporters. While many fighters view losses as negative points in
their careers, Sugiyama highlighted her eight defeats as positive
experiences that each taught her something and made her a better
competitor.

Bellator veteran Chiara
Penco (12-5) extended her winning streak to four by defeating
former strawweight Queen of Pancrase champion Karen
(10-4).

Penco's reach advantage allowed her to land early jabs and two
right hands. Karen had some success with leg kicks, but Penco's
punches continued to find their mark, and she briefly took Karen
down late in the round.

Penco opened the second round with more jabs and right hands, but
she noticeably winced when Karen landed a kick to the liver. Karen
was unable to follow up, and her right eye swelled from the damage
caused by Penco's hard jabs. Karen held her own in the clinch
during the final round, but Penco dealt more damage with jabs and
knees to the body.

The close fight went to the scorecards, with one judge scoring it
29-28 for Karen. The remaining two returned scores of 29-28 for
Penco, who may have earned herself a title shot with the split
decision victory.

A featured lightweight showdown saw Chikaya
Suzuki (3-0) maintain his perfect professional record with a
split decision victory over veteran Kengo
Fujimura (11-8-2).

Early on, Fujimura took Suzuki down and threatened with a
rear-naked choke, but his inability to secure both hooks allowed
Suzuki to escape to his feet. Suzuki scored a takedown of his own
and then held Fujimura against the cage in a prolonged clinch.
Fujimura pulled his arm free just in time to avoid a dangerous
standing kimura.

Suzuki fought off rear-naked choke and armbar attempts in the
second round, which Fujimura largely controlled on the ground. The
final round was the opposite, as Suzuki controlled the grappling
while a fatigued Fujimura willingly conceded takedowns.

One judge scored the fight 29-28 for Fujimura. The remaining two
scored it 30-27 and 29-28, respectively, for Suzuki, who took the
split decision.

Stepping in on very short notice, Tokumitsu
Takagi (6-2) made the most of his opportunity with a unanimous
decision victory over Da Eun Jung
(9-7) in a 141-pound catchweight bout.

Following early clinch battles against the cage, Takagi landed a
spinning backfist on the break. Both men exhibited excellent
takedown defense as the clinch battle continued.

Takagi got the better of the early boxing exchanges in the second
round. Jung was unable to take Takagi down, and Takagi floored him
with a counter right hook. Jung returned to his feet, but his
attempts to secure a takedown remained unsuccessful.

The final round was contested entirely in the clinch until referee
Takarada separated the fighters with 70 seconds remaining. Takagi
scored a brief takedown late in the fight and walked away with the
unanimous decision via scores of 29-28 and 30-27 twice.

The preliminary card concluded with a flyweight matchup between
Daiki
Shimada (2-1) and Ruki Saito
(4-4). Shimada pressed the action early with body kicks and left
hands but was taken down into side control. Saito attempted a
rear-naked choke, and the fighters battled back and forth for
position.

Saito landed a hard elbow from the clinch in the second round, but
it was the only significant strike, and Shimada secured a takedown.
Shimada knocked Saito down with a counter right hook in the final
round. Saito recovered quickly, but Shimada snapped his head back
late in the round with an overhand right.

Shimada's performance in the second half of the fight was enough to
earn him a unanimous decision, with scores of 30-27 and 29-28
twice.

Yuki
Ito (1-3) earned his first professional victory with a split
decision over Daiki Mine
(2-5) at flyweight.

The first four minutes were fairly uneventful, but the pace picked
up late in the round. Mine landed elbows from the clinch against
the cage, and Ito took him down and secured back control. The round
ended with Ito landing punches to the side of Mine's head.

Mine connected with a left cross midway through the second round
before Ito took him down. Mine scrambled and took Ito's back but
willingly gave up the position and chose to stand.

Ito slowed in the final round, allowing Mine to land punches that
set up a takedown. Mine hunted for a rear-naked choke and landed
elbows and punches. The tired fighters traded wild haymakers in the
final seconds.

One judge scored the fight 29-28 for Mine, while the remaining two
had it 29-28 for Ito, who earned the split decision.

Soukichi
Maeda (3-4-1) and Takashi
Koyama (3-4) engaged in a back-and-forth bantamweight bout that
ended with Maeda's hand raised.

Koyama landed a combination that forced Maeda to dive at his ankles
in search of a takedown. Koyama attempted an inverted triangle
choke, which seemed to fire up Maeda, who responded with a steady
stream of right hands on the ground.

The two exchanged looping punches in the second round until Maeda
was dropped by a right hook. He recovered, however, and fought his
way out of a tight anaconda choke. Maeda finished the round on top,
landing punches from Koyama's guard.

Maeda picked Koyama up and slammed him to the mat in the final
round. Maeda remained in control until the final minute, when a
mistake allowed Koyama to take his back.

The judges were divided, with one scoring the bout 29-28 for
Koyama. The remaining two had it 29-28 for Maeda, who earned the
split decision.

The card kicked off with a lightweight matchup between Taisei
Hata (2-2) and Torao
Hamachi (1-1). Hamachi pursued takedowns during the opening two
minutes until he was stunned by a counter combination from Hatta.
Hamachi's left eye swelled, and Hatta hurt him again with ground
punches later in the round.

Hamachi opened the second round with a takedown and 90 seconds of
ground control, but Hatta's punches wobbled him once more after the
fighters returned to their feet. Hamachi stumbled around the cage
as Hatta pursued him with punches, and the bout was waved off.

Hatta earned the TKO victory at the 4:19 mark of Round 2.

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Dana White hands UFC contract to KSW standout following first-round TKO

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Dana White hands UFC contract to KSW standout following first-round TKO
Damian
Piwowarczyk made the most of his opportunity on
Dana White's Contender Series.

The Polish light heavyweight secured an
Ultimate Fighting Championship contract on
Week 7 of Season 10 of DWCS, defeating Emilio
Quissua via first-round technical knockout at Meta Apex in Las
Vegas.

Damian Piwowarczyk stops unbeaten Emilio Quissua at DWCS Week
7

Piwowarczyk stopped the previously undefeated Quissua with strikes
at the 4:55 mark of the opening round after overcoming an early
surge from his opponent. The victory earned praise from UFC CEO
Dana
White, who awarded him a contract.

Piwowarczyk later reflected on the victory and the achievement.

“It was really great. It's one of the best moments in my life,â€
Piwowarczyk said in a post-fight interview. “I put a lot of work
into this moment. My camp is really long, like three or four
months… I just put a lot of work to be here in top shape.â€

Piwowarczyk previously made a name for himself under the
KSW banner, establishing himself as one of the most exciting
fighters in the Polish organization before getting the DWCS
opportunity.

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