Joe Pyfer left UFC 316 with the biggest win of his career—but not the reaction he expected. After outclassing Kelvin Gastelum in three rounds, the rising middleweight received more than just applause. He heard criticism, and it came from the top—Joe Rogan, no less. Instead of enjoying his decisive decision victory, ‘Bodybagz’ found himself defending it. Not inside the cage, but on the microphone.
It wasn’t about fans booing or online chatter. It was about the live broadcast team—Joe Rogan, Daniel Cormier, and Jon Anik—who analyzed Joe Pyfer’s performance in real time. The JRE host questioned if ‘Bodybagz’ was actually prepared for elite-level opposition.
The 28-year-old saw it as more than just criticism. It was a gut punch. After all, this wasn’t a close call—he dropped Gastelum twice in the first round and never appeared to be in danger. However, that didn’t seem to matter once the fireworks stopped. “Joe Rogan was a little hard on me,” Pyfer told Ariel Helwani.
He further added, “I just think the expectation is set so high for me that if I don’t get a devastating finish, then everybody kind of starts being like, ‘Oh, well, if he wants to fight the higher competition, he’s got to do this, he’s got to do that.’ I’m like, ‘Man, I just beat a guy who’s been a top 10 guy for 10 years.’” Pyfer was not making excuses. But he surely held receipts.
To make his case even stronger, ‘Bodybagz’ also brought examples to the table. “Look at Abus [Magomedov], one win, he’s ranked No. 11,” Pyfer said. “It happens quick.” He’s not calling for special treatment, just justice. Especially after a performance where he was never in danger, never gassed, and never offered Gastelum any sort of hope.
Joe Pyfer’s problem wasn’t what he didn’t do; it was what people expected him to do and how fast they soured when he didn’t deliver exactly what they had in mind. This wasn’t the first time Pyfer heard commentary go sideways, and he knows it won’t be the last time either. But as he moves up the middleweight rankings, the buzz around him grows louder.
For a fighter who is accustomed to letting his hands speak for him, nights like UFC 316 show that winning isn’t always enough in this game. Sometimes, you have to fight for the win after the fight. It is worth noting that Joe Pyfer isn’t the only man who called out Joe Rogan for being disrespectful at UFC 316, as another UFC fighter took to X to call the JRE host out!
Joe Rogan gets called out by Gilbert Burns for massive disrespect
Joe Pyfer’s dissatisfaction with how his performance was viewed was more than just a personal issue; it tapped into something bigger that other fighters at UFC 316 felt as well. He wasn’t the only one who felt disrespected. Just ask Gilbert Burns, who couldn’t remain silent after witnessing another fighter being snubbed—this time in the most physical way possible.
While Joe Pyfer was at least allowed to express some of his opinions after the bout, Mario Bautista was not even given that opportunity. After defeating the deadly Patchy Mix, Bautista should have had his moment on the mic, under the lights, with Joe Rogan on his side. But what did he get? Nothing. No interview. No words. Just silence.
It didn’t sit well with Burns, who called Rogan out directly on X, writing, “Bautista fought a great fight! No interview due to disrespect #UFC316.” And Burns was not wrong to feel this way. Mario Bautista didn’t just have a lucky win; he handled business against a streaking Mix, who entered the UFC with a lot of fanfare.
It was a clean, powerful performance, which Rogan generally compliments. Instead of celebrating a major victory, Bautista walked away silently. On a night where respect seemed to depend on star power, the snub landed harder than any punch.
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