Just when the UFC's heavyweight division is getting a surge of interest, Mario Pinto has entered the conversation.
And he'll really be part of the talk if he delivers on the expectations of him Saturday at UFC Fight Night 287 at Accor Arena in Paris. Pinto (12-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) takes on Ryan Spann (24-11 MMA, 10-6 UFC) in a heavyweight bout that has him up against someone with three times his pro experience.
He's unbeaten in three UFC fights, plus his DWCS tryout – which he counts as UFC experience even if the record books don't – and he's a 3-1 betting favorite. And he feels it, even if he's done worrying about if that first loss will come.
"There's definitely pressure – lots of pressure," Pinto told the UFC this week in Paris. "But at the end of the day,
whatever happens happens. It's fighting. It's a lot easier to be undefeated in boxing – they're protected. In the UFC, you've got to fight the best. You can't really pick who you want.
"I don't care anymore now about the record stuff. I just want to go out there and perform."
Performing for Pinto, in his DWCS contract-winning fight and first two bouts in the promotion, meant knockouts. In March, he had to go the distance for the first time in the UFC for a win over Felipe Franco.
Spann has had a resurgence the past two years with three wins in four fights – including bonus-winning stoppages of Ovince St. Preux and, in April, Marcus Buchecha. So Pinto knows he's a threat.
"He's definitely got the experience on me," Pinto said. "I can't take that away from him. But it's just a new challenge for me, and I've got to get through Ryan Spann. I know Ryan's very well-rounded, and unfortunately a lot of the casuals are overlooking him. He's not very big in terms of media presence, but he's been around. … He's very dangerous, but I feel like he's what's going to bring the best out of me."
Check out his breakdown on the matchup below:
“I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be.”
— UFC News (@UFCNews) September 2, 2026
Mario Pinto knows he has a tricky test ahead in Ryan Spann and hopes to show how good he is on September 5. #UFCParis
Fight by Fight Preview ➡️: https://t.co/fbp0AErPfk pic.twitter.com/3SIGB5ggvs
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Mario Pinto has UFC Paris caution: Casuals overlooking Ryan Spann
