Brett OkamotoJan 14, 2026, 09:37 AM
CloseBrett Okamoto has reported on mixed martial arts and boxing at ESPN since 2010. He has covered all of the biggest events in combat sports during that time, including in-depth interviews and features with names such as Dana White, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Conor McGregor, Nate Diaz, Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao and Georges St-Pierre. He was also a producer on the 30 for 30 film: “Chuck and Tito,” which looked back at the careers and rivalry of Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz. He lives in Las Vegas, and is an avid, below-average golfer in his spare time.
Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya will look to snap a three-fight skid when he faces Joe Pyfer on March 28 in Seattle, UFC CEO Dana White announced Tuesday.
The 185-pound matchup will headline UFC Fight Night at Climate Pledge Arena.
Editor’s Picks
1 Related
Adesanya (24-5) is widely recognized as one of the greatest middleweights of all time, but he will be seeking his first win since a thrilling knockout of Alex Pereira in a 2023 title fight. He is amid the longest skid of his MMA career, with losses to Sean Strickland, Dricus Du Plessis and Nassourdine Imavov. Adesanya, 36, has not fought since a knockout loss to Imavov in February 2025.
Pyfer (15-3), of Pennsylvania, is on a three-fight win streak after suffering the first loss of his UFC career to Jack Hermansson in 2024. He is coming off a submission win over Abus Magomedov in October.
A women’s flyweight bout between former champion Alexa Grasso (16-5-1) and Maycee Barber (15-2) was also announced for the March 28 event.