Former two-time UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya will make his long-awaited return to the Octagon on March 28 when he takes on surging contender Joe Pyfer in the main event of UFC Seattle at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington. UFC CEO Dana White announced the highly anticipated matchup on Tuesday via social media, marking Adesanya's first appearance in over a year.

“The Last Stylebender” faces a critical crossroads in his storied career as he enters the bout riding a career-worst three-fight losing streak. The 36-year-old Nigerian-born New Zealander hasn't tasted victory since his spectacular knockout of Alex Pereira at UFC 287 in April 2023, when he reclaimed the middleweight title. Since that triumphant moment, Adesanya has suffered consecutive losses to Sean Strickland, Dricus du Plessis, and most recently, a devastating second-round TKO at the hands of Nassourdine Imavov in February 2025.

Despite the recent setbacks, Adesanya remains one of the most accomplished middleweights in UFC history. With eight victories in UFC middleweight title fights, he trails only the legendary Anderson Silva, who holds 11. His tally of 13 knockdowns is tied with Silva for the most in division history, showcasing the elite striking ability that has defined his career. Now ranked sixth in the division, Adesanya has expressed a renewed focus on fighting with greater freedom and taking more risks rather than solely chasing championship gold.

Standing across from him will be the 29-year-old Pyfer, who represents the new wave of dangerous middleweights looking to break into the elite tier. Currently ranked 15th, “Bodybagz” brings a 15-3 professional record and has won six of his seven UFC appearances. The Dana White's Contender Series graduate is riding a three-fight winning streak, including back-to-back Performance of the Night bonuses for his knockout of Marc-André Barriault and submission victory over Abus Magomedov at UFC 320. His only UFC defeat came against Jack Hermansson, but Pyfer has since rebounded impressively, including a decision win over former title challenger Kelvin Gastelum.

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Confirmed Fights for UFC Seattle (UFC Fight Night 271)

The Seattle card also features a compelling co-main event rematch between former women's flyweight champion Alexa Grasso and rising contender Maycee Barber. Grasso won their initial encounter by decision in February 2021, and both fighters are eager to settle the score. The matchup is particularly significant for Grasso, who is seeking her first victory since losing her title back to Valentina Shevchenko, while Barber enters on a seven-fight winning streak.

This marks the UFC's second consecutive year returning to the Emerald City after last February's event broke the North American live gate record for Fight Night events, generating $3.84 million in revenue from 18,000 attendees. White promised after that sellout success that the promotion would not wait another decade to return, and he has delivered on that commitment with this star-powered lineup streaming exclusively on Paramount+.

  • Middleweight: Israel Adesanya vs. Joe Pyfer
  • Women's Flyweight: Alexa Grasso vs. Maycee Barber
  • Heavyweight: Valter Walker vs. Marcin Tybura
  • Women's Flyweight: Casey O'Neill vs. Gabriella Fernandes
  • Women's Strawweight: Nicolle Caliari vs. Caroline Foro
  • Middleweight: Mansur Abdul-Malik vs. Yousri Belgaroui
  • Featherweight: Zhu Kangjie vs. Márcio Barbosa
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