UFC Fight Night 261: Jhonata Diniz vs Mario Pinto Preview & Prediction
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Light heavyweight prospects are on deck for the third fight of the main card, as Jhonata Diniz looks to lean on the home advantage against the ever dangerous, Mario Pinto.
Jhonata Diniz vs Mario Pinto facts
What time are Jhonata Diniz and Mario Pinto expected to walk out?
Where is UFC Fight Night 261: Oliveira vs Gamrot? Farmasi Arena, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Where can I get tickets for UFC Fight Night 261: Oliveira vs Gamrot? Click here for the latest ticket information for UFC Fight Night 261: Oliveira vs Gamrot
What TV channel is UFC Fight Night 261: Oliveira vs Gamrot on? UK – TNT Sports / USA – ESPN+
Where can I stream UFC Fight Night 261: Oliveira vs Gamrot? UK – TNT Sports subscribers can stream the event online via the TNT Sports website and discovery+ / USA – ESPN+ & UFC Fight Pass
UFC Fight Night 261: Oliveira vs Gamrot main card
Charles Oliveira vs Mateusz Gamrot (Lightweight)
Deiveson Figueiredo vs Montel Jackson (Bantamweight)
Vicente Luque vs Joel Alvarez (Welterweight)
Jhonata Diniz vs Mario Pinto (Heavyweight)
Ricardo Ramos vs Kaan Ofli (Featherweight)
Lucas Almeida vs Michael Aswell (Featherweight)
UFC Fight Night 261: Oliveira vs Gamrot prelims
Jafel Filho vs Clayton Carpenter (Flyweight)
Vitor Petrino vs Thomas Petersen (Heavyweight)
Beatriz Mesquita vs Irina Alekseeva (Women’s Bantamweight)
Lucas Rocha vs Stewart Nicoll (Flyweight)
Julia Polastri vs Karolina Kowalkiewicz (Women’s Strawweight)
Luan Lacerda vs Saimon Oliveira (Bantamweight)
Jhonata Diniz: Can the Brazilian bruiser cash in as a slight underdog?
Arriving in the promotion via DWCS in September 2023, Jhonata Diniz (9-1) has turned in a respectable 3-1 run since making the jump to the UFC. An accomplished striker with extensive kickboxing experience, Diniz has seven knockouts in nine wins to prove it. With wins over Karl Williams, Austen Lane, and Alvin Hines, the 34 year odl Brazilian has been perfect outside of a defeat to divisional mainstay Marcin Tybura, succumbing to a second round doctor's stoppage loss last November.
Mario Pinto: Pinto aims to build on the momentum of a murderous debut KO victory
Placing his undefeated record on the line for the second time in the UFC, Mario Pinto (10-0) initially punched his tickets to the big leagues with a first-round KO victory over Lucas Camacho on the Contender Series last October. The Portuguese heavyweight announced his newly arrived presence in the division with a thunderous second round KO over Austen Lane, earning himself a Performance of the Night bonus to boot. At 6'5 with a 79' reach, Pinto is colossal even for heavyweight, a state of affairs he blends with remarkable speed to underline the threat he poses at all times.
Jhonata Diniz vs Mario Pinto prediction
The oddsmakers appear to be siding with Pinto to get this one done, but there's unquestionable value in Diniz as an underdog here.
While he looked awful against notably mediocre competition in the form of Alvin Hines, there's no shame in losing to Marcin Tybura. As such, it's easy to forgive Diniz's sole professional defeat, considering it cme against one of the more consistent gatekeepers at heavyweight over the last decade.
The extent of Pinto's UFC success to date is a KO over the notoriously chinny Austen Lane, and it's worth noting that Diniz had also sparked Lane out brutally prior to his meeting with Pinto. The Brazilian has a significant edge in overall Octagon experience and matches up well with his opponent in terms of height, reach, and finishing potential.
There's undoubtedly a chance that Pinto detonates something monstrous on Diniz's chin for his third successive KO victory, but the tentative pick is for the Brazilian to spring the upset and take his opponent's "0."
Prediction: Jhonata Diniz to win
