UFC Seattle: Main Event fighter makes bold claim

Whether it is just fight promoting or trying to prop himself up before Saturday’s UFC Seattle main event, Joe Pyfer is making bold remarks.

Pyfer will square off with former UFC champion Israel Adesanya this weekend live on Paramount+. The middleweight bout headlines the card from the Climate Pledge Arena.

During the pre-fight press conference, Pyfer laid out just how impressed he is with what Adesanya has accomplished. Even proclaiming him to be better than former UFC middleweight kingpin Anderson Silva.

“He’s the greatest middleweight of all time in my opinion,” Pyfer said (thanks to MMA Fighting for the quotes). “It’s a great opportunity. It’s a great privilege to be able to do what I do and be able to say that I fought one of the best in the world, so I really look at this as a win-win.

“I’m honored that I got the opportunity. Could have been anybody else, but it’s me.”

For seven years, Silva wore the UFC middleweight title, including a string of 16 consecutive wins to begin his UFC career before a stunning loss to Chris Weidman. He ranks second for consecutive defenses with 10 in UFC history, just one behind Demetrious Johnson.

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Adesanya won the belt with a finish of Robert Whittaker, defending it fight times before a loss to Alex Pereira. He reclaimed it in the rematch, and does hold a win over Silva when they met.

Pyfer reflected on the resumes of both Silva and Adesanya in making his decision.

“No disrespect to guys like Stephon Bonnar or Forrest Griffin or Rich Franklin but they weren’t at the level that I think MMA fighters are today,” he said, “so that’s why I tip the cap to Israel as the greatest middleweight of all time.”