Israel Adesanya is out to prove that UFC Seattle isn’t the last ride for “The Last Stylebender.”
It’s difficult to look past the potential worst-case scenarios looming over Adesanya, a two-time UFC middleweight champion and one of the best fighters of his generation. Four months shy of his 37th birthday, Adesanya finds himself in an unprecedented slump, having lost three straight fights dating back to April 2023. A loss to the relatively unheralded Joe Pyfer in Saturday’s main event would truly send
Adesanya into a tailspin.
Since a standout performance on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2022, Pyfer has scraped and clawed his way up the rankings, winning six of his past seven fights. He can emphatically announce himself as a top 10 contender if he upsets Adesanya.
On top of all that, a disappointing performance from Adesanya could mean Michael Chiesa isn’t the only guy that retires this weekend.
In the flyweight co-main event, Alexa Grasso and Maycee Barber meet in a rematch with Barber looking to avenge a 2021 loss. That’s the last time Barber tasted defeat as she has since rattled off seven consecutive victories and despite a few bumps in the road, she could challenge for UFC gold next if she evens the score with Grasso.
As has been the case with several notable matchups in 2026, we’re going to find out if it’s time for the old guard to give up their spots.
What: UFC Seattle
Where: Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle
When: Saturday, March 28. The seven-fight early preliminary card begins at 5 p.m. ET, followed by a six-fight main card at 8 p.m. ET. The entire event streams live on Paramount+.
(Numbers in parentheses indicate standing in the MMA Fighting Global Rankings and Pound-for-Pound Rankings)
Israel Adesanya (7) vs. Joe Pyfer
Allow me to pick Israel Adesanya to win a fight just one more time. Please.
It’s close, I know. You can feel it. We’re one more “oh no, Izzy was doing great until he got caught” away from flirting with Tyron Woodley/B.J. Penn/Tony Ferguson territory. All it takes is one good shot from Joe Pyfer to put him down. He hasn’t won a fight in three years. He’s closer to the end than the beginning, sixteen years in the combat sports game.
I know.
But this is Adesanya, arguably the second-best middleweight ever. His recent losses are to Sean Strickland, Dricus du Plessis, and Nassourdine Imavov, three of the five best middleweights right now. Context. Looking at it the other way, he’s huge step up from anyone Pyfer has faced. Who is Pyfer’s best win? Kelvin Gastelum? It was only two years ago that Pyfer was getting tuned up by Jack Hermansson.
A lot can change, and Pyfer is surely better than he was then. Good enough to win a striking battle or wrestle his way to a win against Adesanya? Doubtful. Highly doubtful.
One more time. Adesanya by decision.
Pick: Adesanya
Also, since I asked and y’all were so kind to oblige, here are your thoughts on Saturday’s main event.
Alexa Grasso (6, P4P-11) vs. Maycee Barber (T7)
Similar vibes here in the co-main event as it feels like Alexa Grasso’s championship days are far in the rear-view mirror in the eyes of many fans. Just 32, Grasso has been in this game a long time. Pro debut in 2012, Invicta debut in 2014, and then her UFC journey began in 2016. She’s put in a lot of rounds against high-level competition, including Maycee Barber, funnily enough.
Since that first encounter, Barber’s striking has gotten sharper, though she hasn’t lost that aggressive style that’s helped her to get the edge in a number of decision wins. One thing I’ve always liked about Barber is that she goes in there to do damage. She lacks true finishing power, but you’re rarely going to see her lose due to inactivity.
Speaking of inactivity, Alexa Grasso, everyone! Let’s address that particular elephant because, yeah, the numbers from Grasso’s past two losses don’t look good. She’s landed a little over 60 strikes in her past two fights, one of those a five-rounder, but there’s a reasonable explanation for all this. Valentina Shevchenko grounded her for 25 minutes, a strategy Barber can’t replicate, and Silva is just a better striker than Grasso. Doesn’t sound so bad when you put it that way, right?
If anything, it’s Grasso who I expect to mix the martial arts if Barber leaves openings for this fight to be taken to the mat. Outside of that, Grasso has a sharp counter game, so she’ll box Barber up if “The Future” carelessly wanders into range. Grasso wins this on points unless she wilts again and allows Barber to impose her will on the action.
Pick: Grasso
Michael Chiesa vs. Niko Price
Niko Price, come on down and collect your paycheck, sir. You know what you’re here to do.
It was Price who had the thankless job of helping Robbie Lawler have a feel-good ending to his career and now he plays the part once more for Washington’s own Michael Chiesa. Originally, Chiesa was supposed to fight Carlson Harris, a fine choice for a retirement bout. But Niko Price on a week’s notice? Chef’s kiss.
It should be noted Price has actually been pretty good about not getting submitted in his career, usually because he’s too busy walking into his opponent’s punches. So there’s an outside shot he survives Chiesa’s dangerous grappling and lands something big on the feet and spoils the party. Unlikely.
Chiesa will allow himself to trade some shots on the feet, because why not, but he’ll eventually take this fight where he needs it to go and batter Price on the ground. And you know what? In support of my dude Jed Meshew’s favorite bet this week, I’m picking Chiesa to score his first (non-Ultimate Fighter) knockout. Let’s go!
Pick: Chiesa
Julian Erosa vs. Lerryan Douglas
Julian Erosa can pull off the upset here… just don’t make Lerryan Douglas angry.
If you’ve watched any of Douglas’ recent LFA fights, you know the Brazilian is just getting started when his opponent gains an advantage. He’s a classic “nobody makes me bleed my own blood” guy who locks in when he’s wounded, coming forward and throwing with power in both hands. He won’t shy away from a grappling contest either and there could be some fun scrambles if the lanky Erosa wants to go hold for hold.
It just so happens that Erosa’s biggest weakness, a shaky chin, happens to be something Douglas can capitalize on, so the wide odds favoring the UFC newcomer are justified. Douglas catches him in the second round and puts him down for the count.
Pick: Douglas
Mansur Abdul-Malik vs. Yousri Belgaroui
We’ve got a nice trio of intriguing middleweight prospects with Mansur Abdul-Malik, Ateba Gautier, and Damian Pinas in the mix right now, and for the most part the matchmaking for the trio has been solid. Abdul-Malik arguably gets the toughest test this group has seen yet with experienced kickboxer Yousri Belgaroui.
At 6-foot-6, Belgaroui is a headache for anyone at 185 pounds, though Abdul-Malik’s impressive 80-inch reach will mitigate some of the size differential. You have to imagine Abdul-Malik’s best approach is to tackle Belgaroui and Hulk Smash him into oblivion, but Belgaroui has functional grappling defense so if Abdul-Malik doesn’t see early returns, the wrestling could deplete his gas tank as the fight goes on.
Even though I don’t see Belgaroui as having the upside as the above-mentioned prospects, I like him as the slight underdog here based on his overall combat sports experience. We’re going to find out fast if Abdul-Malik can deal with a high-level striker, because if he can, he jumps to the front of the prospect line.
I’m going Belgaroui by knockout.
Pick: Belgaroui
Terrance McKinney vs. Kyle Nelson
Terrance McKinney wins a methodical decision after a tactical three-round ba—hahahahahaha, I kid, I kid.
Take the under. Between Terrance McKinney being an insane finisher and also possibly the most defensively suspect fighter on the active roster, I cannot possibly pick a winner with confidence. Especially given Kyle Nelson’s nasty habit of playing the spoiler.
For the vibes, I’m picking McKinney to get the finish (in Round 1, of course) and pick up, at the very least, one of those mandatory $25,000 bonuses after somehow being passed over for post-fight awards despite all seven of his UFC finishes happening in the first round.
The only guarantee: excitement!
Pick: McKinney
Preliminaries
Tofiq Musayev def. Ignacio Bahamondes
Chase Hooper def. Lance Gibson Jr.
Marcin Tybura (14) def. Tyrell Fortune
Casey O’Neill def. Gabriella Fernandes
Navajo Stirling def. Bruno Lopes
Adrian Yanez def. Ricky Simon
Alexia Thainara (14) def. Bruna Brasil
