Joe Pyfer provided more details as to why he didn’t compete against Kelvin Gastelum on Saturday at UFC Mexico — while also promising that because of those circumstances, he’ll not only never fight in Mexico, but he won’t return there at all.
“I don’t care if it’s offensive to you, I will never go back to that country,” Pyfer said on his Instagram stories. “I did everything right: I slept in a tent, I did all this work to still get sick.
“Some people are saying it wasn’t the food, that I got altitude sickness. I’m not a f*cking geographic f*cking elevation f*cking scientists, but I was told as long as I acclimated — which I did for two months, slept in a tent on the f*cking floor — I did everything I could to prepare. And if that’s what altitude and elevation is, f*ck that country. I will never fight there again. Shit hole. Not going back.
“Don’t care if that’s offensive to you. You’re not the one fighting, Suck my balls, literally.”
The UFC announced just hours before UFC Mexico was set to begin that Pyfer was pulled due to an illness. The past Dana White’s Contender Series contract winner revealed that after waking up on Saturday following a team dinner the night before that he agreed fighting Gastelum was not a smart idea.
“Had some food at a place that was supposedly trusted,” Pyfer said. “A couple of hours later, I had the runs. I think I shit at least 10, 11 times. I went from, I think, 209 pounds to … about 194 pounds. …
“The doctor, as well as I did, didn’t find it smart to fight like that, and I know that’s not what everybody wants, but I have to look out for me, and my health, and my best interests.”
Gastelum was set for his middleweight return, and began fight week as a massive underdog. However, the betting line began to close in a big way as each day went on.
While the past interim title challenger has teased “good news” soon, Pyfer is hopeful the UFC will rebook the bout with Gastelum.
“Look, I believe I’m going to absolutely destroy Kelvin when I get the opportunity again — if he accepts [for us to] run it back,” Pyfer said. “I feel bad for Kelvin as well. I didn’t give that man a chance to make his money. I don’t know if they’ll take care of him, or not, but it’s never my intention to leave somebody high and dry.
“We deserve to fight. It’s an entertaining fight… he bangs, I bang, and [I hope] in the future we can run it back. Sorry to my true fans that were excited to watch me fight. I was in the best shape of my life and couldn’t wait to fight.”
