Daniel Cormier reacts to Joe Pyfer’s win over Israel Adesanya, Alexa Grasso’s KO

Daniel Cormier has weighed in on two headline results from UFC Paris on 14 June 2025, praising Joe Pyfer’s split-decision victory over Israel Adesanya and calling Alexa Grasso’s first-round knockout of Maycee Barber “insane.”

What happened in Paris?

Pyfer (15-4) edged Adesanya (24-3) via split decision in the co-main event, handing the former middleweight kingpin his second straight loss. Grasso (16-3), meanwhile, needed just 67 seconds to put Barber (13-4) away with a brutal liver shot before finishing with hammer fists on the canvas.

Why it matters for Daniel Cormier

Cormier, a former two-division UFC champion, has long been a vocal observer of the middleweight division’s shifting landscape. After Pyfer’s win, he took to social media to highlight the young contender’s composure and striking accuracy against a legend. Grasso’s performance also caught his eye, with Cormier calling the knockout “one of the sickest finishes we’ve seen in women’s MMA this year.”

The results tighten the middleweight title picture and keep Grasso in the title hunt at flyweight, where she’s the reigning champion.

What comes next for the division?

Adesanya is now 0-2 in his last two fights and faces an uncertain future at middleweight. Pyfer, ranked No. 12, could vault into the top five with another strong showing. At flyweight, Grasso’s next challenger is still TBA, but Barber’s brutal loss drops her further down the rankings.

Cormier’s reaction underscores how quickly fortunes can change in the UFC. Two fights, two different divisions, and two seismic results in one night have reshaped the conversation overnight.