A middleweight bout between Joe Pyfer and Kelvin Gastelum was removed from UFC Fight Night: Moreno vs. Erceg mere hours before the event was slated to begin.
The organization announced Saturday afternoon that Pyfer was pulled from the matchup “due to illness” and that the bout was cancelled.
The anticipated 185-pound contest would’ve put the rising Pyfer to the test against a one-time title challenger and past winner of The Ultimate Fighter.
“Just wanna say my heart is broken I couldn’t fight today,” Pyfer wrote on social media. “I got super sick and hopefully we can reschedule this fight for a few weeks from now.”
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Former flyweight champion Brandon Moreno fights at home against Steve Erceg in the main event of a UFC Fight Night in Mexico City. Watch the action on Saturday, March 29, on Sportsnet 360 and Sportsnet+ with coverage beginning at 5 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT.
Gastelum is coming off a decision win over Daniel Rodriguez last summer and was looking for his first multi-fight win streak in nearly seven years. The 33-year-old has been in the UFC since 2013 and holds a 13-9 record in the promotion with one no-contest.
Pyfer, 28, was looking to build off his first-round knockout win over Marc-Andre Barriault last June that improved his UFC record to 4-1 since making his debut in 2022.
The UFC has not yet commented on whether Pyfer vs. Gastelum will be rebooked at a future event.
