Mario Pinto lived up to expectations with a stunning knockout, defeating Austen Lane in the second round at UFC Vegas 103 on Saturday.
Despite a somewhat slow start, the highly-regarded Pinto received strong encouragement from his coaches between rounds, igniting his offense in the second. Pinto landed a swift left hand followed by a powerful overhand right, which connected cleanly, causing Lane to collapse to the mat.
The referee immediately stepped in to halt the fight. Pinto’s follow-up strike missed as Lane was already clearly defeated, with the fight concluding just 39 seconds into the second round.
“I definitely felt nervous,” Pinto admitted regarding his performance. “I was a bit jittery. Ultimately, I secured the win. I decided to take my time. He was aggressively pursuing me, a large opponent. I managed to overcome him. It was quick and decisive.”
Facing a significantly sized opponent, Pinto initially fought cautiously, allowing Lane to gain confidence after landing some solid strikes in the first round. Lane maintained his aggressive approach, possibly aiming to overwhelm the UFC newcomer, utilizing his considerable height to launch a series of attacks.
It was a challenging beginning for Pinto, but he made crucial adjustments during the minute-long break between rounds, while Lane seemed focused on achieving a knockout.
As the second round commenced, Lane aggressively charged forward with a flurry of strikes, but this ultimately led to his downfall. Pinto evaded the pressure, creating space to unleash the overhand right that ended the fight decisively.
Now boasting a perfect 10-0 record, Pinto appears to be a valuable addition to the heavyweight division, particularly given his young age of 26 and potential for continued growth.
