Mario Pinto lived up to expectations with an incredible knockout, defeating Austen Lane in the second round at UFC Vegas 103 on Saturday.
Despite a somewhat slow start, Pinto’s coaches motivated him between rounds. He came back aggressively in the second round and landed a powerful combination. A left hand followed by a strong right hand hit Lane directly, causing him to fall to the mat.
The referee quickly stopped the fight just 39 seconds into the second round, preventing Pinto’s attempted follow-up attack as Lane was already clearly defeated.
“I was definitely nervous,” Pinto admitted about his performance. “I was a bit anxious, but I got the win. I’m going to take my time. He was coming at me, a big guy chasing me. I took him out. Quick and decisive.”
Facing a larger opponent, Pinto started cautiously as Lane gained confidence in the first round, landing some good punches. Lane continued to be aggressive, trying to overwhelm the UFC newcomer, using his height to deliver multiple strikes.
It was a challenging beginning for Pinto, but he made necessary changes during the break between rounds, while Lane was clearly aiming for a knockout.
At the start of the second round, Lane attacked intensely, but this led to his downfall. Pinto avoided the attack and then stepped back to deliver the knockout right hand that ended the fight decisively.
With a perfect record of 10-0, Pinto appears to be a promising addition to the heavyweight division, especially with his continued development at only 26 years old.
