What To Do After Fight Night: Adesanya vs Pyfer

by Zak Drapeau and Matt Hylen

Sportz Nation - 3/30/2026

Photo by Steven Bisig/ Imagn Images

Joe Pyfer

vs Anthony Hernandez

Zak Drapeau -

Pyfer started his fight with Izzy slow but showed us all what he's capable of with devastating power and controlled grappling. Now it's time for him to get another Top-5 fight where a lot more will be on the line.

I have him against Fluffy next as a more complete fighter than Izzy and one still in his prime. Hernandez's grappling will be a great test for Pyfer and give both men a chance to ascend to the Top-4 where they will likely get a title eliminator first.

I have to shout out a match with Dricus Du Plessis as well, who was Matt's pick here. The fight does make sense especially if Pyfer takes Izzy's #4 ranking, but to me, it's too much of a leap and doesn't make sense for the UFC, who should be doing everything to see both of these men stay at the top.

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Israel Adesanya

vs Gregory Rodrigues

Matt Hylen -

Yikes, Izzy

Israel Adesanya was winning that fight until he wasn't. He was picking Joe Pyfer apart, but then decided it would be a good idea to stand right in front of him and become a punching bag for Pyfer. It was a really weird way for that fight to go, with Adesanya now in an even weirder position.

I think Izzy might be more of a gatekeeper now, so what better fight than against a man who has been knocking on the door. Gregory Rodrigues is one fight away from being a big-time contender, so given Adesanya's name value and status in the sport, it would be a perfect way for Adesanya to start a new era of his career while potentially jumpstarting another.

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Alexa Grasso

vs Manon Fiorot

Zak Drapeau -

Grasso was the underdog in her fight with Maycee Barber, and both Matt and I picked the latter... and BOY did she seem motivated. As clean of a straight as I have seen since Usman vs. Masvidal 2, Alexa Grasso proved that her kickboxing is still elite and she belongs at the top of Women's 125.

Unfortunately for the former champ, Natalia Silva should be next in line for Shevchenko, but with her and Manon Fiorot likely sharing the #2 and #3 rankings and the two never having met before, this fight should be made as soon as possible as the next challenger for the belt.

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Maycee Barber

vs Tracy Cortez

Matt Hylen -

As a fan of Barber's game, I really thought that fight would go differently. Never would I have thought the fight would end with her more unconscious than I have ever seen a fighter before. That said, Barber is not entirely out of the fight in my opinion.

First and foremost, we should not see Barber for a while. After the past few months she has had, she should allow herself plenty of time to recover and return at 100%. With that said, when she does eventually come back, Tracy Cortez makes the most sense to me. Both were a fight away from title contention, with a win against the other likely propelling them back to where they were before their most recent loss.

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Lerryan Douglas

vs Giga Chikadze

Zak Drapeau -

Douglas just had his UFC debut against a really good Julian Erosa in the 3rd fight from the top, no less, and immediately showed me that he could be a star. He has grit, power, and is vicious and should get another fight right around the end of the Featherweight rankings.

I have a fight with Chikadze next for him. Giga is recently on the outs of the VERY stacked 145 rankings and is looking to bounce back after a 3-fight skid, so why not give him this uber-talented kickboxer and make a fight that should have fireworks from start to finish.

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Tofiq Musaev

vs Grant Dawson

Matt Hylen -

Tofiq may have cheated twice to get this win, but it was a win nonetheless. If the referee did not call it, then I have to act as if it was a clean victory for Musaev.

Beating Bahamondes puts Musaev right in contention for a ranked opponent soon. Considering Grant Dawson was ranked not too long ago, a fight between the two with the winner getting a ranked fighter next makes the most sense to me. Dawson can provide Musaev with a career-propelling victory, while a Dawson win would reclaim his status among the potential top 15 contenders.

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Tyrell Fortune

LOSER of Volkov v Cortes-Acosta

Zak Drapeau -

Fortune finally made his 4-year awaited UFC debut last week and may have looked as though he was gassed early, but was clearly good enough to earn a Top-10 ranking in the Heavyweight division where fighters are getting catapulted up the rankings.

So... let's throw him up there too and give him the LOSER of the Volkov vs. Cortes-Acosta fight scheduled for UFC 328 on May 9th. The winner will be in the title picture, but the loser should be fair game, right around the #6 mark in the division, and in need of a prove-it fight where a guy like Fortune would be a prime candidate.

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Casey O'Neil

vs Rose Namajunas

Matt Hylen -

This was a really impressive win from Casey O'Neil. To come back after a serious injury, multiple years since your last fight, and TKO your opponent in the first round deserves huge recognition.

I think a step up is well deserved for O'Neil. With Rose Namajunas stuck in an awkward middle ground currently, a matchup between her and O'Neil could allow the winner to put themselves in top-5 contention next. This would be a huge fight not only for O'Neil's resume but also to potentially cement herself where she could have been years ago prior to the injury.

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Navajo Stirling

vs Volan Oezdemir

Zak Drapeau -

So Navajo Stirling has proved over the last year that he is coming for the light heavyweights, and with his first UFC knockout this past weekend, he's ready. Not only is he ready for a ranked fight, but I'm ready to see him in a top-10 fight where a guy like Oezdemir would be perfect.

The former title challenger is a beast on the feet and as battle-tested as you'll find in the division. Oezdemir is an elite kickboxer even at his age and should really test the youngster's striking while also leaving room for Stirling to show off his grappling. Let's be honest, the UFC will want to push this kid, and a guy like Oezdemir, who is still great but past his prime and could give him a quick top-10 billing, just checks off all the boxes.

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Terence McKinney

vs Michael Johnson

Matt Hylen -

Another fight, another Terence McKinney 1st-round finish. I mean, just when you think it can't happen again, McKinney keeps producing insane results in such a short time.

With his highly entertaining style and ability, McKinney deserves a fight on the upward trajectory. Michael Johnson could be a very interesting matchup on the feet, potentially producing another 1st-round thriller. Both are high-volume strikers with weak chins, so whoever gets the big shot landed first will likely win this fight.

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Other Fights to Make:

Ignacio Bahamondes vs Alexander Hernandez

Julian Erosa vs Sean Woodson

Marcin Tybura vs WINNER of Tuivasa v Sharaf

Chase Hooper vs Daniel Zellhuber

Gabriella Fernandes vs Regina Tarin

Yousri Belgaroui vs Marvin Vettori

Lance Gibson Jr. vs Mateusz Rębecki

Ricky Simon vs Adrian Yanez Rematch

Alexa Thainara vs Jessica Andrade

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-Z.D. (@DrapeauZak)