Mario Pinto Record: 12-0-0

UFC run

Pinto carried his unbeaten record into the Octagon and kept it spotless. In his March 2025 debut he stopped veteran Austen Lane by second-round knockout, a performance that earned him a Performance of the Night bonus and announced his arrival. He followed that in October 2025 with a second-round TKO of Jhonata Diniz, again finishing with his hands. In March 2026 he showed a different gear, going the full three rounds to a unanimous decision over previously unbeaten Felipe Franco to extend his perfect record to 12-0 and confirm his standing as one of the heavyweight division's most promising young talents.

Fighting style

Pinto is a composed, range-controlling heavyweight who uses his exceptional height and reach to dictate distance and land heavy shots from the outside. Of his 12 wins, seven have come by knockout, one by submission and four by decision – a 67% finish rate that reflects real one-shot power without making him reckless. The submission of Djantou Nana and his ability to grind out decisions against Aras and Franco show a more complete, patient game than many big punchers possess. Having never tasted defeat as a professional, his ceiling is still being mapped, and the open questions are simply the ones every prospect faces: how he handles elite, championship-level competition and adversity deep in a hard fight.

Career highlights

• Undefeated UFC start — ran his record to 12-0 with wins over Austen Lane, Jhonata Diniz and unbeaten Felipe Franco.
• Three wins in one night — swept the Levels Fight League heavyweight Grand Prix on March 11, 2023, to capture the title.
• Performance bonus debut — a second-round knockout of Austen Lane in March 2025 earned a Performance of the Night award.