“Promise meets proven” could be a fitting tagline for Saturday’s UFC Fight Night main event between Jack Hermansson and Joe Pyfer. The bout marks Hermansson’s return after a 14-month absence following his defeat to Roman Dolidze in Orlando, with the 35-year-old Swedish grappler facing a rising middleweight star in Joe Pyfer. With Pyfer boasting an undefeated record in his young UFC career, there’s plenty to look forward to in this clash.
Pyfer has finished all three of his UFC fights and will look to capitalize on any potential ring rust from his opponent. While he hasn’t consistently strung together victories for a title shot across his career, Hermansson remains a top 10 mainstay for years. A well-rounded athlete capable of finishing fights anywhere, he boasts notable wins over Ronaldo Souza, Thales Leites, and Chris Curtis.
That said, the Swede will not be eager to look back on his last fight where he succumbed to a TKO. Unable to fight for more than a year because of injury, Hermansson won’t have much time to shake off the rustiness against an opponent who hardly qualifies as a warm-up.
Hermansson or Pyfer? Who will leave the UFC Apex on Saturday night with his head held high? We crunch the numbers from bookmaker William Hill ahead of the UFC Fight Night this weekend revealing the best bets for Hermansson vs. Pyfer.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: February 9th, 4:00 A.M. (GMT)
Unsurprisingly, Joe Pyfer enters this fight as the betting favourite. After captivating fans on the Contender Series and racking up a flawless 3-0 UFC record, he faces an opponent returning from a significant injury layoff. Given these factors, the former AOWCF Middleweight Champion stands as the clear victor at odds of 1.36, while Jack Hermansson is the underdog at 3.10.
Bookmaker William Hill odds suggest a Pyfer victory by KO/TKO/DQ or submission is the most obvious result. The likelihood of that is at 1.53, while the odds for a Hermansson victory by the same method is 4.50.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: February 9th, 4:00 A.M. (GMT)
Should you take the safer pick, or believe that Hermansson can upset the odds to make a triumphant return? One thing that makes us skeptical about a straightforward Pyfer win is the list of fighters he has defeated so far in the UFC. Alen Amedovski, Gerald Meerschaert, and Abdul Razak Alhassan are respectable fighters, but any MMA fan would tell you that Hermansson is a massive step up.
We still believe Pyfer will get the better of Hermansson because of his age and recent inactivity, but it could be a win by decision. So, we are backing a Jo Pyfer win by decision at 6.00.
