Rising Star Joe Pyfer Wants Wants One Thing More Than Being UFC Champ
A new documentary centered around the up-and-coming middleweight is coming out soon, and you have to see his story to believe it. “Journey to the UFC” will give some great insight into how Pyfer achieved his dream and overcame many obstacles.
MMA Knockout sat down with Pyfer and “Journey to the UFC” director Chandler Henry to get an inside look at the upcoming documentary. It was clear early on that, even after being in an abusive home and even being homeless for a time, Joe is not short on confidence.
Chandler Henry, and Joe Pyfer, Attend Journey to the UFC Premiere Screening on Thursday, May 4th, 2023 at Dream Live in East Rutherford, New Jersey"
“I want to hold the [championship] belt one day," Pyfer said. "I believe I will hold that belt one day, but that’s not at the forefront of my goals right now. My goal is to stay undefeated in the UFC, and I want to hold the knockout record across everything.”
The current UFC knockout record is 13, set by Derrick Lewis and Matt Brown, and he thinks that is attainable. Pyfer has a ton of power in his hands and his two first-round knockouts since joining the UFC have placed him amongst the division’s heavy hitters.
“I wholeheartedly believe there’s not anybody in that division that hits as hard as me," Pyfer said. "I just don’t see it. I don’t believe it. I don’t think Alex Pereira hits harder than me. I really don’t.”
This confidence may seem unearned at first as a relative newcomer to the UFC, but after going through what he’s been through, perhaps it wouldn’t be wise to bet against him.
Joe Pyfer Attends Journey to the UFC Premiere Screening on Thursday, May 4th, 2023 at Dream Live in East Rutherford, New Jersey
It’s also important to him that he gets a platform to share his message. One of the things that means most to him now, is being able to be a role model for other kids growing up in similarly rough situations.
“Hey, as long as you believe in yourself, I don't care if your mom, dad, aunt, uncle doesn't believe in you, as long as you believe in yourself and you put in the work, you will get what you deserve and what you desire. And the only way that's not gonna come to fruition is if you quit on yourself. That’s kind of my message is don't quit on yourself. Always gamble on yourself.”
It’s no surprise why Henry gravitated to this story, and why he is so excited for the rest of the world to see the documentary.
“I am about as excited as someone can get. This is a superhero story I watched unfold first-hand over the past six years” Henry said, “Every moment was dramatic, tense, raw, emotional, and motivating. Joe's story is one that is so unbelievable, if you pitched it to a Hollywood director as a work of fiction they would say it's too unbelievable to be true.”
It looked like Pyfer had missed his chance at UFC greatness when he suffered a career-threatening elbow injury on Dana White’s Contender Series. It was gruesome, but even at that moment, he showed grace to his opponent, Dustin Stoltzfus, who was taking his chance at the big leagues.
Fighting had saved his life, and it was snatched away in an instant. The rehab was brutal. Fights outside the cage were nothing new for Joe, and he had to fight incredibly hard to get back.
Luckily, he had built strong relationships along his journey. Those friendships, and a lot of hard work, helped him get another chance.
“To know that there are still people out there that'll give you the shirt off their back or give you the mentorship because they see potential means a lot," Pyfer said. "And look, I had to fight for it too. You know, there were some people that didn't want to help me. There were some people that didn't wanna help me, and I convinced them to help me because I was that obsessed with showing them like, yo, I’m serious”
Joe Pyfer and his team Attend Journey to the UFC Premiere Screening on Thursday, May 4th, 2023 at Dream Live in East Rutherford, New Jersey
“Journey to the UFC” is a rollercoaster of emotions. It really does feel like a hero’s journey. Pyfer’s story is riddled with moments you have to see to believe. Henry has had a front row seat, and he even has a hard time believing what he has seen.
“If Joe didn't exist, and this was just a story that I came up with in my head, as a work of fiction, and I was presenting the script to a Hollywood director, they would say that's a little bit too unbelievable”, Henry said. “But that's what I love about documentaries and true stories like this, because the proof's right there, this all happened, this is all real stuff that he overcame.”
Another interesting note about Pyfer is he is doing things differently than fighters have in the past. The UFC has already offered him a fight against a top-15 middleweight. The fight was on short notice, but a huge opportunity nonetheless. Pyfer turned it down.
“I'm not going to be stupid," Pyfer said. "I feel like these people put this pressure on themselves to rush to the title and you know, they might take a fight that they're not ready for. I think I could beat anybody in the UFC, don't get me wrong, but I'm not going to be impulsive with my career or rush my career.”
Pyfer also has an injury that might need a “small surgery” to fix, which was a factor. The fight would have been a chance to put himself on the map, but Pyfer knows how long it can take to get back if he were to rush the fight and lose. Getting his cardio right with a full camp is important to him as well.
The UFC is an unforgiving business, and Pyfer is focused on getting the business side of things right. He credits Disruptive Sports Group for taking care of their athletes and letting him focus on his fights.
“[Disruptive Sports Founder] Alex Davis was a huge monumental role in being able to get this documentary, let alone just being able to elevate my career in a way that other fighters can't due to the fact that they have unlimited resources and the financial backing to really just make this as easy as possible.”
Alex Davis, Joe Pyfer, Thomas Blake, and the Disruptive Sports Group Team Attend Journey to the UFC Premiere Screening on Thursday, May 4th, 2023 at Dream Live in East Rutherford, New Jersey
The fight game is not super lucrative, especially early on, and taking fights because you need the money can be dangerous. By building the right team around him on the business side, he has allowed himself to carve his path on his own terms. He keeps doubling down on himself, and he keeps winning.
This is not a surprise to those who know him. Chandler Henry is not only the director of the documentary but has also been Pyfer’s friend for over a decade. Henry didn’t have any doubts that Joe would find success because of that drive that he has seen personally.
“Relentless self-belief," Henry said. "Joe never had a plan B for his life. He never allowed those thoughts to creep in... ‘What will I do if I lose? What if I don't make it?’ No matter the obstacle or adversity he faced, he always found a way through it, never shifting the end goal. I think that sort of ‘all in’ approach leads to a focus and motivation that will lead to success.”
“Body Bagz” may have turned down a top-15 fight, but it may not be long before his name is mentioned amongst the best at 185 pounds. He will likely be an underdog in his upcoming fights, but that is a role he is comfortable with.
Pyfer has set lofty goals for himself, and when he says he wants the UFC knockout record, I tend to believe him. Riding a four-knockout winning streak is going to earn him much tougher opponents, but these fights will pale in comparison to what he has already overcome. The hardest fights in his life are over, and now he can focus on what he does best. Putting people to sleep.