UFC middleweight fighter Joe Pyfer expressed dissatisfaction with commentator Joe Rogan and the broadcast crew during UFC 316.
Although Joe Pyfer seemed close to securing another first-round knockout against Kelvin Gastelum at UFC 316 after a strong start, the fight slowed down in the later rounds. This led to criticism of his performance from some fans and experts.
Pyfer won the bout, considered the most significant of his career, by unanimous decision on the UFC 316 main card, extending his UFC win streak. However, commentators Daniel Cormier, Joe Rogan, and Jon Anik were notably critical of his performance live during the event.
Speaking with Rogan immediately after the fight, Pyfer acknowledged his own dissatisfaction with his showing and praised Gastelum`s resilience. Yet, upon reviewing the commentary from UFC 316, Pyfer was displeased with the remarks made about his victory.
Pyfer Labels Rogan`s Commentary `Unfair` Regarding His UFC 316 Win
Rogan, in particular, seemed critical of Pyfer`s effort, suggesting the former Contender Series participant might lack the drive for top-tier middleweight challenges. To be fair, this fight was only the second time Pyfer has gone to a decision in the UFC, the first being a loss to Jack Hermansson in 2023.
Appearing recently on *The Ariel Helwani Show*, Pyfer discussed his reaction to how Rogan and the UFC broadcast team evaluated his unanimous decision win at UFC 316.
“They were a bit tough on me, especially Joe Rogan. I believe the expectations for me are so high that if I don’t deliver a knockout, people start questioning if I`m ready for tougher opponents,” Pyfer commented. “And it’s like bro, Abus Magomedov fought Michel Pereira when he was 2-2 in the UFC and is now ranked 11th. You can move up significantly in one fight.”
“I`ll face better competition, just calm down! I felt their assessment of the fight`s reality was slightly unfair. It wasn`t a close contest, and I was never in jeopardy.”
Pyfer and Rogan have generally had a positive relationship, with Pyfer even appearing on *The Joe Rogan Experience* podcast last year. However, Pyfer joins a list of fighters who have publicly criticized Rogan and Cormier`s commentary during live events.
The fight against Gastelum had been anticipated for months, as the two were originally scheduled to fight earlier in the year at UFC Mexico City. Pyfer had to withdraw from that event just hours before due to illness experienced during fight week.
