Pyfer defeats Gastelum by unanimous decision after a tough battle, showcasing powerful striking and resilience to secure a key win at UFC FIght Night. Joe Pyfer vs. Kelvin Gastelum was one of the anticipated co-main events at UFC 316, where Pyfer secured a dominant victory over Gastelum via unanimous decision.
Joe Pyfer didn’t waste any time making his presence felt inside the Octagon. In the very first round, he dropped Kelvin Gastelum twice with crushing overhand rights that landed clean and heavy. The power was evident, but so was Gastelum’s trademark toughness—he dug deep and stayed in the fight, even as Pyfer pressed forward with serious heat.
From the opening bell, Pyfer came out swinging, dropping Gastelum with a heavy overhand right in the first exchange. He followed up quickly, but Gastelum survived the onslaught and scrambled back to his feet. After a brief reset, Gastelum tried to settle in and find his rhythm, but Pyfer wasn’t done—he connected with a high kick and another overhand that dropped Gastelum again right before the end of the round.
In the second round, Gastelum looked to close the distance and landed his own shots. Pyfer remained composed and patient, occasionally firing stiff counters down the middle. Though Gastelum landed a few clean combinations, he also had to stay cautious, constantly aware of Pyfer’s power.
As Pyfer’s sriking slowed down in the third round, Gastelum started to come alive. He found success with his left hand and moved with more confidence, even forcing Pyfer to shoot for a takedown—a rare move that signaled a shift in momentum. They quickly returned to their feet, and Gastelum kept pressing, but time wasn’t on his side.
In the end, Pyfer’s early knockdowns and heavy shots gave him the edge. It’s his second straight win as he continues to climb the middleweight ranks and rebound from his lone UFC loss. For Gastelum, it’s another tough result, dropping him to 2-4 in his last six—but once again, he proved he’s one of the grittiest fighters on the roster.
Main Card
Merab Dvalishvili def. Sean O’Malley via submission (north-south choke)
Kayla Harrison def. Julianna Peña via submission (kimura) (R2, 4:55)
Joe Pyfer def. Kelvin Gastelum via unanimous decision
Mario Bautista def. Patchy Mix via unanimous decision
Kevin Holland def. Vicente Luque via submission (D’Arce choke) (R2, 1:03)
Main Prelims
Joshua Van def. Bruno Silva via third-round TKO (4:01)
Azamat Murzakanov def. Brendson Ribeiro via first-round TKO (3:25)
Waldo Cortes-Acosta def. Serghei Spivac via unanimous decision
Andreas Gustafsson def. Khaos Williams via unanimous decision
Early Prelims
Wang Cong def. Ariane da Silva via unanimous decision
Joo Sang Yoo def. Jeka Saragih via first-round KO (0:28)
Quillan Salkilld def. Yanal Ashmouz via unanimous decision
MarQuel Mederos def. Mark Choinski via unanimous decision
