Despite being the underdog, Jack Hermansson defeated Joe Pyfer in UFC Vegas 86’s main event, securing a unanimous decision victory after dishing out significant punishment in the final three rounds.
Don’t ever underestimate Jack Hermansson. The hype was all about Joe Pyfer before UFC Vegas 86’s main event. But Hermansson? He showed the world what experience brings to the table in this sport.
He took some hard hits early on. But boy, did he bounce back. The last three rounds were a masterclass in punishment, securing him a unanimous decision victory.
Devastating calf kicks. A lead jab that kept snapping Pyfer’s head back. Over five rounds, Hermansson dismantled his opponent systematically. When the dust settled, all three judges scored the fight 48-47. Hermansson took the unanimous decision.
Hermansson knew what he was about. “People underestimate my boxing skills because of some less good performances,” he said. “But I believed in myself, especially in a long fight — nobody has the cardio I have.” He admitted he took more hits early on than he should’ve. But his strategy was to increase the pace as the fight went on. “I drown people when I do that,” he said.
And that’s pretty much how it went down. Pyfer was all about the knockout in the first two rounds. He threw every punch with fight-ending power. He connected a few times, but Hermansson rolled with the punches. He kept moving, never allowing himself to be cornered.
As the fight wore on, Pyfer’s output dwindled. His combinations disappeared. He became predictable, throwing one shot at a time. Hermansson saw it coming. He countered with his own offense.
Hermansson’s jab was brutal. It opened a cut on Pyfer’s nose. He kept hitting that same spot, again and again. He also targeted Pyfer’s lead leg with a series of devastating calf kicks. The damage piled up over the final three rounds.
As the final horn neared, Hermansson scored a takedown. He hammered away at Pyfer on the ground. Pyfer, exhausted, had no answer to Hermansson’s relentless pace. That was the game-changer.
“Listen, I don’t think anything surprised me,” Pyfer said after his first UFC loss. “Jack was better tonight. I guess he would have won the last three rounds. I feel like the shift in this fight was literally the calf kicks.”
It had been over a year since Hermansson last appeared in the UFC. His last fight was a shocking loss to Roman Dolidze. But in his return, he took out Pyfer, a highly touted middleweight. He reestablished himself as one of the top-15 fighters in the division.
With this win, Hermansson has his sights set on another ranked opponent. He’s targeting the man who recently defeated Dolidze in the UFC.
“I’d love to have at least two more fights this year,” Hermansson said. “First of all, legalize MMA in Norway, it’s really important for me. Second of all, I would love to fight in Sweden again. And third of all, what about Nassourdine Imavov from last weekend? I think that would be a great opponent.”