What’s next for Jack Hermansson and Joe Pyfer after UFC Vegas 86?

In the main event of UFC Vegas 86, middleweight contenders threw down as Jack Hermansson took on Joe Pyfer.

Hermansson entered the fight as the 10th-ranked middleweight and hadn’t fought since December of 2022 when he lost to Roman Dolidze by TKO. Pyfer, meanwhile, was unranked and was 3-0 in the UFC and was set for his first UFC main event.

Ultimately, it was Hermansson who won a unanimous decision as he won the final three rounds by using his veteran experience to get the win and hand Pyfer his first loss in the UFC. Following UFC Vegas 86, here is what I think should be next for both fighters involved in the main event.

Jack Hermansson

Jack Hermansson proved he still is a middleweight contender, which is what he wanted to do at UFC Vegas 86. Hermansson entered the fight as the betting underdog, but the Swede returned to the win column in a big way as he derailed the hype of Joe Pyfer. It was a solid performance from Hermansson who took over in the later rounds and controlled the final round with his wrestling.

Following the win, Hermansson called out Nassourdine Imavov which is a fight that makes a lot of sense. Imavov is coming off a main event win over Roman Dolidze last weekend, so the timelines make sense for the matchup to happen in the summer, with it likely being a main event.

Joe Pyfer

Joe Pyfer had a massive step up in competition as he headlined UFC Vegas 86 in just his fourth fight in the promotion and took on the 10th-ranked Jack Hermansson. Pyfer did have success early on but he started to fade in the later rounds as Hermansson took over to win a decision.

Although Pyfer lost, he still showed some promise in the fight and will likely get another chance at a ranked opponent after a win or two. However, he will need a slight step-down in competition, and a logical next opponent is Brad Tavares who suffered a TKO loss to Gregory Rodrigues on this card.

Tavares is a veteran who has been used as a bit of a gatekeeper for people to enter the top 15. It would be a good test for both men and if Pyfer wins, a ranked opponent could be next for him.