As the saying goes, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” For Mario Pinto, Saturday night’s featured prelim during UFC Vegas 103 could not have gone any better if he tried.
From his walk to the famed Octagon, punctuated by the strains of Jimi Hendrix’s 1968 classic All Along The Watchtower from the Electric Ladyland album, to the fight itself, it was an amazing night for the now-10-0 heavyweight. If you have yet to log onto ESPN+ to watch the replay of UFC Vegas 103 and Pinto’s fight vs. Austen Lane (13-6, 1 NC MMA, 1-3 1 NC UFC), do yourself a favor:
Watch it when you have a moment. When you do, you’ll be seeing an exciting heavyweight in action.
Back and Forth Opening Round Between Austen Lane and Mario Pinto in UFC Vegas 103 Featured Prelim
While Pinto absorbed a kick to the leg at the start of the opening round of a scheduled three, he made certain to take his time in the fight, scoring with a right-handed punch about a minute or so in. Mario Pinto fought an intelligent battle on Saturday night, countering an Austen Lane jab with a right hand.
The shot wobbled Lane, who returned fire with shots to the body. With under 90 seconds on the clock in round one, Lane uncorked a powerful right hand to the temple.
Oddsmakers had Austen Lane pegged as a +410 underdog on the money line on Saturday night. Round two of the fight saw the tide turn significantly, however.
Mario Pinto Starches Austen Lane in Second Round
Statistically speaking, Mario Pinto had been outpaced in strikes by a 23-10 clip from Austen Lane in the opening five minutes of action from the UFC Apex in Enterprise, NV over the weekend. After the command to fight was given to begin round two, the fighters exchanged shots.
For a brief moment in time, Austen Lane looked like he might be on the hunt for a knockout, slowing down the pace of the fight and landing a crisp two-punch combination. Mario Pinto would flip the script with a combo of his own, sending Lane down and out in 39 seconds.
Saturday’s date might have been March 1 on the calendar, but make no mistake: Mario Pinto’s victory in the Apex during the late afternoon on the west coast might be one of the best finishes of the year by the time the calendar reads Dec. 31.
Pinto Admits to Nerves After the Fight
In spite of the fact that Mario Pinto put Austen Lane away during the featured prelim, he mentioned to the press that his performance wasn’t up to his own standards,
“It just took some time [for me] to pull the trigger,” Pinto said to the media after his win. “I think I got too lost in the moment. I was trying to be too perfect. It’s a fight at the end of the day.”
He took a moment to acknowledge those who made the win possible at the podium.
“I’m very lucky and fortunate [that] I’ve got my coach Stuart just yelling at me, my coach Nico, my teammate Noel, just shouting at me and telling me to go,” he said. “Sometimes, you’ve got to switch on. Don’t think, just go.”
Mario Pinto Pockets Extra Cash With Knockout Win
At the UFC Vegas 103 post-fight press conference on Saturday night, Mario Pinto was announced as one of two fighters who took home a $50,000 (USD) advance in pay, winning the Performance of the Night Award. Manel Kape(21-7 MMA, 6-3 UFC), who bested Asu Almabayev (21-3 MMA, 4-1 UFC) in the main event of the evening, was the other fighter to receive the $50,000 bonus.
For a debuting fighter, Mario Pinto proved amazing on Saturday night. UFC matchmakers had faith in Pinto, who scored his contract last October on Contender Series with a first-round knockout of Lucas Camacho during the penultimate week of the season, by putting him on the featured undercard bout.
This is a young man who was the former Levels Fight League Heavyweight Champion prior to receiving the call to appear on Contender Series. Although Saturday night’s fight was Pinto’s first in the UFC, if he keeps this up, the sky is the limit for him.
