Israel Adesanya suffers fourth straight loss after second-round knockout by Joe Pyfer

Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya has recorded his fourth consecutive defeat after being stopped by Joe Pyfer in the second round of their bout in Washington on Saturday night, March 28.

The fight ended via knockout after Pyfer took control in the second round, forcing referee Herb Dean to stop the contest with 42 seconds remaining.

Adesanya began the contest strongly and won the opening round, using movement and timing to manage distance. In the second round, he increased his offensive output while looking for a finish, but Pyfer responded with heavy strikes that shifted momentum.

Pyfer later secured a takedown and maintained top control on the ground, landing a series of strikes as Adesanya struggled to recover before the stoppage.

The defeat extends Adesanya’s difficult run. His downturn began after his knockout victory over Alex Pereira at UFC 287 in April 2023. Since then, he has suffered successive defeats, including a unanimous decision loss to Sean Strickland in a title fight at UFC 293.

He later lost his championship rematch when Dricus du Plessis submitted him in August 2024. His third defeat in the sequence came in February 2025, when Nassourdine Imavov secured a first-round knockout.

The latest result marks a continued decline in form for the former champion as questions grow around his next move in the middleweight division.