Joe Pyfer vs. Kelvin Gastelum Rescheduled for UFC 316 in New Jersey

A middleweight showdown pitting Joe Pyfer against Kelvin Gastelum has been rebooked for UFC 316.

Multiple outlets confirmed the booking after an announcement on Monday from Pyfer’s coach on MMA Today on Sirius XM. Pyfer and Gastelum were initially slated to square off at UFC Mexico on March 29, but Pyer withdrew on the day of the event due to illness. UFC 316 takes place on June 7 at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., and is headlined by a bantamweight title rematch between Merab Dvalishvili and Sean O’Malley.

Pyfer has been victorious in six of his last seven professional outings. After earning a UFC contract on Dana White's Contender Series in 2022, “Bodybagz” finished his first three Octagon foes before fallling to Jack Hermansson in the UFC Fight Night 236 main event this past February. The 28-year-old Pennsylvania native rebounded in his most recent appearance, when he knocked out Marc-Andre Barriault in the opening stanza of their encounter at UFC 303.

Gastelum will be making his 24th Octagon appearance against Pyfer. “The Ultimate Fighter 17” winner has been triumphant in two of his last three in UFC competition — including a three-round verdict over <Daniel Rodriguez in his lone outing of 2024. Gastelum’s resume includes victories over the likes of Ronaldo Souza, Michael Bisping, Johny Hendricks, Nate Marquardt and Jake Ellenberger, among others.