Joe Pyfer has thanked Dana White for securing him a home for a year after his standout win on the Contender Series.
Pyfer, 26, earned himself a UFC contract by winning his Contender Series fight by knockout on the opening week of the season in July. White typically gives contracts to two or three fighters who impress him each week, but Pyfer was the only fighter to be awarded a UFC deal in week one.
The middleweight showed his knockout power was no fluke when he stopped Alen Amedovski in his promotional debut this past weekend. Pyfer also banked a $50,000 performance bonus for his win and he revealed after the fight that despite the criticism White often gets for fighter pay, the UFC boss has been nothing but nice to him.
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“I told [UFC matchmaker Sean Shelby] I need to talk to him [White] because I need to thank him, he gave me a home for a year,” Pyfer told reporters. “He gave me money on the side of Contender and that secured me being able to have a place to live for the next year, on the house of Dana. I think the guy gets s*** on a lot for not being a good dude or whatever bulls*** that people say sometimes.
"I don’t know any of the other stories, but as far as how he’s treated me, he’s treated me gracefully. He’s my boss, and I want to like him, I want to respect him, and I have all the respect in the world for him. So, to me, it means something to go shake my boss’ hand after I go to work for him.”
White infamously told other UFC hopefuls to "be Joe Pyfer" when competing on the Contender Series. The UFC boss has insisted he pays no attention to fighters records and their past fights when appearing on the show and awards contracts based off of their performances on the night.
“If you want to get into the UFC and this is where you want to be. Act like Joe Pyfer. Be Joe Pyfer," White said. "Be excited to be here, be fired up to fight. Try to finish the fight, try to win, be Joe Pyfer and you will get into the UFC. I don’t care what you did in your career the last five years. What are you going to do tonight? So, next week, when you roll in here, the next crew on Tuesday, show me who you are Tuesday night. That’s the only thing I’m concerned with now."
