The middleweight bout between Kelvin Gastelum and Joe Pyfer, which was previously cancelled at UFC Mexico, has been rescheduled for UFC 316. The event will take place on June 7 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
Sources familiar with the UFC`s plans confirmed the rebooking to MMA media outlets after Joe Pyfer’s coach, John Marquez, initially announced the new date on the MMA Today show.
Their initial match was called off just hours before the March 29 event because Pyfer fell ill and was unable to compete. Following the cancellation, Pyfer expressed strong negative feelings towards Mexico, stating he would never fight there again due to his sickness.
“I don’t care if it offends anyone, I’m never going back to that country,” Pyfer stated on his Instagram stories. “I took all precautions: I slept in an altitude tent, did everything to prepare and still got sick.”
“Some suggest it wasn’t the food, but altitude sickness. I`m not an expert on geographic elevation, but I was assured that acclimation – which I did for two months, sleeping in a tent – would be sufficient. If that’s the reality of altitude sickness, then I’m done with that country. I won’t be fighting there again. It’s a s***hole. I’m not going back.”
Pyfer will not have to return to Mexico. Instead, he will compete in New Jersey as part of the UFC`s June return to the East Coast.
UFC 316 is headlined by a bantamweight title rematch between champion Merab Dvalishvili and Sean O’Malley. The co-main event features Julianna Peña challenging Kayla Harrison for the women’s bantamweight title.
