The UFC has announced another big fight for UFC 303, which caps off this year’s International Fight Week.
The middleweight affair sees Dana White’s Contender Series alum Joe Pyfer (12-3) looking to get back in the win column against the always-game Canadian Marc-Andre Barriault (15-7, 1NC). Promotion officials recently announced the booking on social media.
Pyfer was last seen in action at UFC Vegas 86 on February 10, where he suffered his first defeat under the UFC banner, falling to Jack Hermansson via decision in the Fight Night card’s main event. Prior to that, “Bodybagz” had racked up three straight wins in the organization, after earning a contract on the first episode of DWCS in 2022.
Barriault, a.k.a. the “Power Bar,” will likewise be looking to bounce back from a loss. That’s after the Quebec native lost a split decision against Chris Curtis at home in Canada at UFC 297 in Toronto. Barriault is 2-2 across his last four, with victories against Eryk Anders and Julian “The Cuban Missile Crisis” Marquez.
Neither man is ranked in the UFC’s middleweight top 15, though both have flirted with the rankings previously.
UFC 303 takes place on June 29, 2024 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, and is the landing spot for Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler. That fight is both the return of McGregor following his leg break in a 2021 fight with Dustin Poirier, and the long-overdue TUF 31 coaches’ fight.
The following match-ups have been reported for UFC 303 to date:
- Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler
- Joe Pyfer vs. Marc-Andre Barriault
- Michelle Waterson-Gomez vs. Gillian Robertson
- Andre Fili vs. Cub Swanson
- Rei Tsuruya vs. Carlos Hernandez
- Jamahal Hill vs. Khalil Rountree Jr.
