Back when Francis Ngannou and the UFC were on good terms, the company liked to showcase his exceptional punching power.
The UFC Performance Institute has a machine capable of measuring the force behind a punch, and Ngannou has been the undisputed record-holder since 2017. His fearsome punching prowess was a promotional highlight. However, the UFC and Ngannou recently parted ways.
On a recent episode of the JRE MMA Show, UFC color commentator Joe Rogan and top-ranked welterweight contender Sean Brady dropped a surprising take. The pair claims that emerging middleweight star Joe Pyfer has broken Francis Ngannou’s record. However, the submission expert hasn’t established any punching records that we are aware of.
Rogan was in awe of Pyfer’s punching prowess and said: “That motherf—ker hits so hard. We should tell everybody that he broke Francis Ngannou’s record on that punch machine.”
Brady then replied: “They weren’t trying to give it [the record] to him.”
Surprised by the lack of acknowledgement, Rogan questioned why Pyfer’s record wasn’t recognized. He said: “They didn’t want to register it, and I don’t understand why. Why didn’t they want to give it to him?”
Brady shed light on the situation, stating: “I don’t know. The guy was saying something was weird with the machine … He [Pyfer] did it like three times! Three times in a row.”
Rogan then came to the conclusion: “Oh, so the guy didn’t want to believe it?”
Despite the controversy, the focus remains on Pyfer’s undeniable punching power. The 27-year-old boasts an impressive cage record, with eight of his 12 wins coming via knockout.
Scheduled for his first main event against Jack Hermansson in February at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Pyfer aims to solidify his position in the promotion.
While Pyfer takes the spotlight, Ngannou is not one to be overshadowed. Still in the process of testing his punching limits, Ngannou gears up for a high-stakes bout against Anthony Joshua in Saudi Arabia. He is set to earn a hefty $20 million in March.