UFC middleweight Joe Pyfer has sent a message to his critics as he prepares to face Abus Magomedov at UFC 320.
For the longest time now, Joe Pyfer has been seen as a pretty intriguing contender at 185 pounds. He has, at times, looked pretty incredible since arriving in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, and he’s currently riding a two-fight win streak following his first Octagon loss to Jack Hermansson.
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Now, Pyfer is set to collide with Abus Magomedov at UFC 320 on Saturday night. While he’s still got a solid fanbase, some of his comments on social media and interviews have rubbed people the wrong way.
During his media scrum as part of fight week, Pyfer really opened up on how he feels about the whole thing.
Pyfer responds to recent criticism
“I’ve emotionally detached myself from social media, so I think kind of everything everybody says is really funny,” Pyfer said at the UFC 320 media day on Wednesday. “I’ve also said things to trigger people and piss them off, so it is what it is.
“I’m a blunt person, I’m an honest person. If you ask me a question, I’ll answer honestly. I’m subject to criticism, so it is what it is. You’re dammed if you do, you’re dammed if you don’t. I’m always going to be me, and I’m not shameful to be myself, and that’s why I’ve stood behind some of the things that I’ve said and that’s it.
“I’m Joe Pyfer, nobody else. I don’t have to please nobody else. I’m the one that has to put my head on the pillow, wake up, be motivated, come here and be happy, and try to make a living for myself. At the end of the day, everybody else, just like I said about a certain country, you can suck my balls. I’m me.”
“I absolutely had to work on emotionally separating myself,” Pyfer explained. “When I got in the UFC, everybody connected with my story and were really happy about me. When you fast-forward to now, because I’ve said some things that people don’t like, because you have to remember, in the beginning you’re grateful and all these things, and I’m still grateful, but now I have to get in the business side of it.
“Now I have to fight these people and say these things and talk about opponents. It’s hard to talk about opponents. I don’t like somebody that’s trying to beat my ass and take money from me. If i lose, I don’t make money. So I’m an intense person, but I had to emotionally detach myself, and that took a little bit of time.”
Quotes via MMA Junkie