Damian Pinas made his Octagon debut look like a walk in the park earlier tonight (Sat., Feb. 28, 2026) at UFC Mexico City LIVE on Paramount+ from inside Arena CDMX in Mexico City, Mexico, starching former Contender Series winner Wesley Schultz with a brutal first-round TKO (punches).
While mixed martial arts (MMA) isn’t all about looks Pinas certainly looked like a world beater heading into his UFC debut. The Nova Uniao product is physically imposing for a middleweight and had finished seven of his eight pro wins by way of knockout before Saturday’s clash with Schultz. All Pinas had to do was put it all together to make good on his first UFC appearance and inject some new life into the 185-pound division.
Luckily for those looking for a Pinas knockout, “Baba Yaga” did not disappoint. The 23-year-old prospect stuck Schultz in the opening minute of the fight and nearly secured a knockout finish along the cage. Pinas scored another knockdown about 30 seconds later and once again came a punch or two from stopping the fight. Schultz was tough off his back, though, and did well to keep things going. Unfortunately for him, Pinas found a home for one final knockdown with a nasty right hand halfway through the round that ended the “Prelims” matchup for good.
Check out the video highlights below and let us know your thoughts on Pinas’ memorable UFC debut!
