Mike Pyle Tops TUF 16 Payroll, Wants Top 10 Fighter Next
Veteran fighter Mike Pyle walked away from Saturday’s TUF 16 Finale as the top earning with a win / show purse totaling $78,000. Pyle closed out the preliminary portion of the card with a TKO finish of James Head just under two minutes into the first round. The impressive win was his third consecutive win, all by way of knockout.
Since making his UFC debut on just one weeks notice, Mike Pyle (24-8-1) has amassed a record of 7-3 inside the Octagon. After losing his short notice debut to Brock Larson, only welterweight contenders Jake Ellenberger and Rory MacDonald have defeated the Xtreme Couture fighter. Having now won six of seven bouts, Mike Pyle considers himself as a top 10 welterweight in the UFC and wants another fighter in the top 10 as his next opponent. He didn’t call out anyone in particular following his fight this past weekend, only requesting a fellow top 10 fighter next time he enters the Octagon.
Mike Pyle has been fighting every four to six months since entering the UFC so that puts him fighting again between April and June next year. Six of the top welterweights in the UFC are already scheduled to fight at UFC 158 on March 18th. This likely takes Georges St. Pierre, Nick Diaz, Carlos Condit, Rory MacDonald, Johny Hendricks and Jake Ellenberger out of the equation.
So who will stand across from Mike Pyle next?
Josh Koscheck – The Ultimate Fighter season 1 fighter will probably not want this fight as he’d feel it as a step backwards but he is coming off a loss. Koscheck hasn’t fought since May and if his back he heeled they could possibly even fight on the UFC 158 welterweight stacked card. The winner would likely vault themselves into the top 5 of the division and an even bigger fight next out.
The Winner of Jon Fitch and Demian Maia at UFC 156 – Fitch is coming off one f his most impressive wins to date that ended a two fight winless streak. Since moving down to welterweight Maia has also looked impressive, recording two first round finishes. Both have fought for a title in the past and are looking to quickly climb that ladder. Should the winner come out clean medically from the fight they could be ready to fight Pyle next. The loser of this fight could also be an option depending on their performance and how other fights play out.
Thiago Alves – The Pitbull has fallen out of the top 10 since winning seven in a row and earning a title shot and was force to withdraw from his last bout in July due to injury. Should he be healthy and Pyle still needs an opponent, Alves holds the name recognition that Pyle would likely not pass up on.
Tyron Woodley – Should the January Strikeforce card in fact be their last Woodley would likely be one of the promotions fighters that come over to the UFC. One fight removed from a title shot, a fight between him and Mike Pyle wouldn’t be a bad idea for either fighter.
Welterweights Jay Hieron and Martin Kampmann were not mentioned above because the two are close teammates with Pyle at Xtreme Couture. Mike Pyle wants a top ten fighter but the UFC might not think the same thing, either way though you cannot argue with what “Quicksand” has done in his last three fights.
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