Israel Adesanya has now suffered his fourth consecutive loss in the UFC following a defeat to Joe Pyfer in Washington on Saturday night, March 28.
The former two-time middleweight champion was knocked out in the second round, extending what has become the most difficult stretch of his professional MMA career.
Adesanya showed promise early on, taking the first round and pressing forward in the second in search of a finish. However, Pyfer turned the tide with powerful strikes as the UFC Seattle main event quickly escalated into a fierce exchange.
The 29-year-old contender then secured a takedown and took control on the ground, delivering multiple unanswered strikes. With Adesanya unable to respond, referee Herb Dean stepped in to stop the fight with 42 seconds remaining in round two.
Once regarded as one of the sport’s elite fighters, Adesanya’s form has declined since his knockout victory over Alex Pereira at UFC 287 in April 2023.
He later lost by unanimous decision to Sean Strickland at UFC 293, before being submitted by Dricus du Plessis in August 2024.
His losing streak stretched to three after a first-round knockout defeat to Nassourdine Imavov at UFC Saudi Arabia in February 2025.
This latest setback has further cast doubt on the future of Adesanya’s career as he struggles to regain top form.