Joe Pyfer Explains Why He Turned Down Anthony Hernandez Fight to Wait for Bo Nickal
Joe Pyfer turned down a replacement UFC 335 offer against Anthony Hernandez on December 12, 2026, opting instead to wait for a rescheduled clash with Bo Nickal in 2027. Bloodyelbow.com reported that Pyfer passed on the December matchup because he preferred facing an opponent with a big name rather than someone who does not have the same name popularity.
Why Joe Pyfer Waited Out the December Date
The middleweight division shifted when Bo Nickal announced last week that his anticipated December fight had been pushed back. Nickal revealed that the decision stemmed from his own need to tend to minor injuries. According to BJPenn.com, Nickal broke the news during a political rally for Vivek Ramaswamy, confirming that the pairing would no longer land on the final numbered event of 2026 in Las Vegas.
Instead of keeping the December 12 slot against Anthony Hernandez, Pyfer chose patience. Speaking on The Ariel Helwani Show, Pyfer explained the mathematical logic behind his career trajectory. He noted that Hernandez was coming off a different placement, whereas waiting for Nickal offered a higher-profile promotional ceiling. Pyfer currently sits on a four-fight winning streak, capped by a second-round TKO victory over Israel Adesanya in March 2026.
The Shift to a Cleveland Fight Night in 2027
The revised timeline moves the high-profile prospect collision out of a pay-per-view stadium atmosphere and into a winter Fight Night setting. Nickal stated that he will now headline an event in Cleveland in February 2027. Nickal bounced back from the first professional loss of his career in May 2025 by securing consecutive finishes against Rodolfo Vieira at Madison Square Garden and Kyle Daukaus at UFC Freedom 250.
Pyfer admitted he was initially surprised to receive an offer to fight Nickal given their current divisional rankings and momentum. With only five fighters sitting above him in the Meta rankings, Pyfer views the matchup as logical while the middleweight division remains stalled.
Disclaimer: The insights provided in this article are for informational and entertainment purposes only and do not constitute medical advice or sports betting recommendations.
🚨 Bo Nickal just announced that his fight against Joe Pyfer scheduled for UFC 335 in December got movedHe’ll instead be headlining an event in Cleveland in February 👀 pic.twitter.com/o3RjUF1MFG
More on Bo Nickal
🚨 Joe Pyfer confirms his fight against Bo Nickal will be postponed from December due to Nickal’s injury.Anthony Hernandez was offered as a replacement, but Pyfer turned it down.(via @TimwelchMT) pic.twitter.com/IPeUw59EdV