Israel Adesanya will be a featured attraction at UFC Seattle. |
Getty/UFC

The card for the
Ultimate Fighting Championship’s upcoming trip to the Emerald
City is close to being finalized.

The Las Vegas-based promotion on Wednesday confirmed 11 bouts for

UFC Seattle, many of which had already been reported. UFC
Seattle — also known as UFC Fight Night 271 — takes place on March
28 at Climate Pledge Arena and is headlined by a middleweight
showdown pitting Israel
Adesanya against Joe Pyfer. In
the co-main event, ex-flyweight queen Alexa
Grasso will square off against Maycee
Barber at 125 pounds. The card will air in its entirety on
Paramount+.

Adesanya has lost four of his last five Octagon appearances dating
back to November 2022. In his lone appearance of 2025, “The Last
Stylebender” suffered a second-round technical knockout defeat to
Nassourdine
Imavov in the UFC Saudi Arabia headliner last February.
Adesanya captured 185-pound gold in October 2019 and authored five
successful title defenses before relinquishing the belt to
kickboxing rival Alex
Pereira at UFC 281.

A two-time competitor on
Dana White’s Contender Series, Pyfer has gone 6-1 in the
promotion since earning a UFC contract in 2022. After suffering his
lone career Octagon defeat to Jack
Hermansson in the UFC Fight Night 236 main event, “Bodybagz”
has rebounded to post successive triumphs against Marc-Andre
Barriault, Kelvin
Gastelum and Abusupiyan
Magomedov.

UFC Seattle Card

Israel
Adesanya vs. Joe Pyfer
Alexa
Grasso vs. Maycee
Barber
Marcin
Tybura vs. Valter
Walker
Chase
Hooper vs. Lance
Gibson Jr.
Michael
Chiesa vs. Carlston
Harris
Navajo
Stirling vs. Bruno
Lopes
Mansur
Abdul-Malik vs. Yousri
Belgaroui
Casey
O’Neill vs. Gabriella
Fernandes
Julian
Erosa vs. Lerryan
Douglas
Kangjie
Zhu vs. Marcio
Barbosa
Carol
Foro vs. Stephanie
Luciano

(Tuesday morning on Elliott Bay – photographed by Mike Burns)

Lots of possibilities for your Wednesday, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar, have numerous highlights:

WALKING FOR WELL-BEING: 10 am Wednesday walks leave from 47th/Fontanelle (so if you didn’t see this in the calendar in time, here’s a reminder for next week).

TODDLER READING TIME AT PAPER BOAT: 10:30 am at the bookstore. (4522 California SW; WSB sponsor)

PLAY AMERICAN MAH JONGG: 2-4 pm, play at the new location of Missing Piece (4707 California SW).

VR FOR TEENS’ MENTAL HEALTH: Try it out at 2:30 pm, Southwest Library (9010 35th SW).

ART WORKSHOP: Drop-in art for kids withRec ‘N The Streets at Delridge Library (5423 Delridge Way SW), 3-4:30 pm.

HOLY ROSARY FUNDRAISER AT LADY JAYE: “Eighth grade students from Holy Rosary are raising money to go to Washington DC after graduation this June. There will be a fundraiser tonight, Wednesday, February 4th, at Lady Jaye from 4 pm until close. It’s Whiskey Wednesday featuring Old Fitzgerald 7yr wheated bourbon for $8 all evening. Please make sure to mention Holy Rosary School to your server!” (4523 California SW)

DROP-IN HOMEWORK HELP: 4-7:30 pm at High Point Library (3411 SW Raymond), free drop-in help for students.

ROCK BAND GAMING AT MR. B’S MEAD CENTER: 5-10 pm, weekly event in South Delridge! (9444 Delridge Way SW)

16TH SW PARKING MEETING: As previewed here, a community discussion with city reps about possible parking restrictions on 16th SW is being hosted by South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor), 5:30 pm in Cascade Hall.

FIX-IT WORKSHOP: Repair your broken item instead of throwing it out! Weekly event, free (donations appreciated), 5:30-7:30 pm at West Seattle Tool Library (4408 Delridge Way SW, northeast side of Youngstown Cultural Arts Center).

PIANO NIGHT: 6 pm, monthly piano night at Upwell Wine & Coffee (4811 California SW).

‘LET’S TALK ABOUT THE S–T WE’RE PRETENDING IS FINE’: That’s the topic as a new women’s group called The Commwell convenes, 6 pm. (5446 California SW)

POTTERINGS OPEN STUDIO: 6-8 pm, drop in and create at this cozy pottery studio. (3400 Harbor SW)

CLASSIC SF BOOK CLUB: This month’s book is “On the Beach“ by Nevil Shute. Come to Paper Boat Booksellers (4522 California SW; WSB sponsor) to talk about it, 6 pm.

WEST SEATTLE URBANISM: You’re invited to this 6 pm meetup at Great American Diner/Bar (4752 California SW).

CRIBBAGE NIGHT AT THE EAGLES: Wednesdays at 6 pm are cribbage-tournament nights, all welcome, membership not required. (4426 California SW)

KUNDALINI YOGA – NEW TIME: Now at 6 pm at Inner Alchemy Studio/Sanctuary (3618 SW Alaska). $35.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT RUN: Get moving at midweek on the weekly 6:15 pm group run with West Seattle Runner (2743 California SW; WSB sponsor) tonight – all welcome, regardless of what pace you run at!

LIVE MUSIC AT THE LOCOL: 6:30 pm. 21+. Rotating performer lineup. (7902 35th SW)

ALKI COMMUNITY CHOIR OPEN REHEARSALS: “From seasoned vocalists to shower divas,” everyone’s welcome to sing with this choir at Alki UCC (6115 SW Hinds), 7 pm.

MUSIC BINGO: Weekly music bingo at at The Good Society (California/Lander), 7 pm.

TRIVIA x 5: Five West Seattle trivia venues on our Wednesday list: at Future Primitive Beach Bar (2536 Alki SW), 7 pm, free to play … 7 pm at Admiral Pub (2306 California SW), free to play … Larry’s Tavern (3405 California SW) has Wednesday trivia at 7:30 pm … Quiz Night starts at 8 pm at Beveridge Place Pub (6413 California SW) … and at 8:30 pm, it’s trivia with Phil T at Talarico’s (4718 California SW), all ages until 10 pm.

SKYLARK OPEN MIC: West Seattle’s longest-running open mic! 7:30 pm signups for the weekly event at The Skylark. (3803 Delridge Way SW)

KARAOKE AT ADMIRAL PUB: Sing at the pub starting at 8:45 pm, after trivia. (2306 California SW)

Planning something that’s open to community participation/observation? Please send us info so we can add it to West Seattle’s only comprehensive event calendar! westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

Belman is out as SDCI director and returning to Sound Transit.

Sam Steele will be the new interim head of the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI), Mayor Katie Wilson revealed in an email Monday to department employees. The 26-year veteran of City of Seattle government most recently served as SDCI’s director of inspections. Steele will start as interim director on February 11.

“I’m looking forward to working with Sam and the whole SDCI team as we deliver on an affordable and vibrant Seattle that works for everyone,” Wilson said in the email.

Steele worked his way up after Seattle Parks and Recreation hired him as a carpenter in 2000, Wilson noted, pointing to his long history with the City of Seattle that included several roles at SDCI and its predecessor, DPD, as well as at Seattle Center.

Sam Steele will begin a stint as interim director of SDCI on Feb. 11, 2026. (Courtesy of Sam Steele)

“I’m honored to step into the role of interim director of SDCI,” Steele said in a statement. “This department is home to some of the most innovative and dedicated employees in the city, and it’s a privilege to support the work they do every day, from permitting safe emergency shelter to upholding minimum housing standards, streamlining permitting and construction for future light rail and assisting small businesses as they activate streets across our community. I look forward to partnering with Mayor Wilson and colleagues across the city to strengthen communication, reduce barriers, and continue improving customer satisfaction and access to our services.”

In an email to staff, Steele emphasized the department’s long history solving problems and innovating.

“This is a unique moment — one that gives us the chance to transform how we interact with customers and strengthen the relationships across divisions and the city,” Steele wrote. “Our department has a proud history of solving problems. We are one of the oldest in the city, beginning as Wharves and Bridges — hard to imagine now! Even 40 years ago, before computers were fully integrated, we managed the evolving codes and regulations that often created bottlenecks and confusion.”

Sounds like Belman is heading back to Sound Transit to become a Deputy CEO to Dow Constantine.
She’d been with ST a long time and had previously filled in as acting CEO after Peter Rogoff’s departure.

[image or embed]

— Ryan Packer (@typewriteralley.bsky.social) January 29, 2026 at 4:43 PM

SDCI Interim Director Brooke Belman announced her departure last week, but will remain on until February 10. Belman is returning to Sound Transit, where she will again serve as a Deputy CEO, this time under CEO Dow Constantine. She served as acting Sound Transit CEO in the gap between the firing of Peter Rogoff and the hiring of Julie Timm. She served as Deputy CEO before leaving to take the SDCI post.

After a fall 2025 appointment, Brooke Belman briefly led SDCI before returning to Sound Transit. (Sound Transit)

Before Belman, SDCI had long been helmed by Nathan Torgelson, a 35-year veteran at the City of Seattle. Last March, former Mayor Bruce Harrell announced the two had mutually agreed to part ways — although Torgelson remained on though the summer.

The reasons for the leadership change were not entirely clear, but some within Harrell’s cabinet did appear to grow frustrated with perceived resistance within the department to efforts to streamline design review and the broader permitting process. Seattle has longer permit review times than many peers locally, including Tacoma: An ECONorthwest analysis found Seattle’s permit times exceeded 18 months on average for projects undergoing full design review from 2010 to 2020.

State legislation ended up forcing the department’s hand in some areas, as the SDCI effort to reform itself became bogged down in a contentious stakeholder process and ended up proposing minor tweaks rather than a wholehearted overhaul. Starting in June 2025, HB 1293 required that all design standards are “clear and objective” and sets a maximum of one public meeting per project. Previously, Seattle had often required three or more meetings, particularly in wealthy neighborhood with organized resistance to new housing.

Even then, the City had to rely on an interim ordinance to meet the state deadline, with permanent legislation still pending.

Katie Wilson’s first appearance as certified Mayor-Elect was at a groundbreaking for an affordable housing project build by New Hope Community Development Institute and LIHI. (Doug Trumm)

Each year, SDCI reviews and approves more than 55,000 land use and construction permits and conducts approximately 240,000 on-site and 10,000 virtual inspections, according to the Harrell administration. However, permit applications are trending downward sharply, which will be a challenge for Steele to tackle as the department’s new leader.

Averting a housing slowdown appears to be a priority for Wilson, but the task may not be easy. For his part, Steele has pledged to shift paradigms and indicated a willingness to jettison old practices that are no longer serving the city well.

“Today, I challenge each of you to break stride with past practices and help write the next chapter of the building department,” Steele wrote to employees. “Let’s leave a legacy of how we turned the corner and solved our own problems.”

Doug Trumm is publisher of The Urbanist. An Urbanist writer since 2015, he dreams of pedestrian streets, bus lanes, and a mass-timber building spree to end our housing crisis. He graduated from the Evans School of Public Policy and Governance at the University of Washington in 2019. He lives in Seattle’s Fremont neighborhood and loves to explore the city by foot and by bike.