Closing out the televised preliminary card at Saturday’s UFC 303 in Las Vegas were a couple of hard-hitting middleweights in Joe Pyfer and Marc-Andre Barriault.
The potential banger found “Power Bar” Barriault looking to bounce back from a loss in his native Canada against Chris Curtis. Pyfer, who Dana White once infamously told fighters to be like, was also looking to rebound, having suffered his first loss under the UFC banner against Jack Hermansson earlier this year.
To start the first round Pyfer immediately fired off a jab and a couple of hard leg kicks. Barriault began to circle as Pyfer stalked his opponent and landed another thudding leg kick. Marc-Andre fired a leg kick of his own and a teep, but whiffed both. Pyfer cracked Marc-Andre Barriault on the side of the head with an overhand. The shot hurt Barriault and Pyfer, smelling blood, started to swarm. After landing a left-right-left combo to the body, Pyfer went back up top and clipped Barriault behind the ear with another vicious shot. As Barriault slumped to the canvas, Pyfer landed one last cold-blooded strike for good measure. It rendered Marc-Andre completely unconscious, and he fell face first into the canvas.
In his fiery post-fight interview, Joe Pyfer talked about how his loss to Jack Hermansson in his last fight had motivated him and that he’s always game to compete. He also took the opportunity to spiritedly call out his next opponent as he shouted into the mic, “Paul Craig, come see me in the fall!”
Official Result: Joe Pyfer def. Marc-Andre Barriault by KO, Round 1, 1:25
