
via Imago
Credits: IG

via Imago
Credits: IG
The fight between Austen Lane and Mario Pinto has left the entire world of mixed martial arts in awe. Well, that’s mostly because the Portuguese fighter showed why he deserves to be celebrated as an undefeated fighter with a 10-fight win streak. The fight began with a lip-smacking action sequence as Lane secured the first strike with a thudding kick to the thigh. But little did he know that Pinto was simply gauging his skills and reach. If David and Goliath were of the same weight category, this fight would be a perfect fit that even impressed Dustin Poirier.
Remember the quote “the bigger they are the harder they fall”? Well, this fight proved just that. In the second round, Pinto ducked a jab and countered Lane with a massive right overhand. Lane fell dramatically and his head bounced off the canvas with his eyes enjoying the scenery of the dream world. Pinto was about to finish off the job with some ground and pound when the referee Mark Smith swooped in and called the Portuguese as the still undefeated victor.
The knockout power that Pinto carried truly impressed the fighting world; ‘The Diamond’ was indeed one of them. Poirier took to X and tweeted, “Man that was a bad KO.” Being a striker himself, the Cajun mixed martial artist knew perfectly well what it takes to bring down an opponent in the Octagon. And the way Pinto did it, succeeded in leaving a mark.
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Man that was a bad KO
— The Diamond (@DustinPoirier) March 1, 2025
As soon as Dustin Poirier shared his views about the Pinto vs. Lane bout, the fighting world took over the comments section to reveal their thoughts. And of course, it changed the way people initially thought about the cards. The excitement was indeed growing. Let’s see what the fans had to say.
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Fans join Dustin Poirier to praise Mario Pinto on his UFC Vegas 103 victory
Most of the fans became followers of the Portuguese fighter as he knocked Lane out. One fan called the KO out and wrote, “That KO from Pinto was insane.” Another fan weighed in on the way Lane’s head bounced off the ground. He commented, “Yes, and the head hitting the canvas!” One more fan pointed out that the KO punch was in fact an overhand slap. The comment read, “Well, the right hand was definitely an overhand slap.” It was indeed worthy of “Knockout of the day kinda stuff.”
The thing that further strengthened Pinto’s image was the way he paused before taking his steps for ground and pound. A fan took note of this and commented, “Yeah. Im glad the guy didnt take followup shots.” It surely looked like the classic Muhammad Ali moment. One of the fans pointed that and wrote, “Lane started to believe he was Mohamed Ali out there DP.” Meanwhile, some fans seemed to believe that Pinto looked like Poirier, with one comment mentioning simply: “yea looked like u with that combo.”
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What’s your perspective on:
Is Mario Pinto the new face of MMA after that jaw-dropping KO against Austen Lane?
Have an interesting take?
Nevertheless, some of the fans were disappointed with the bout. They believed that the fighters have actually become weaker than before. One fan wrote, “Some of these fighters are asleep before they even get in there. What are they waiting for!?”
What was your favorite moment from the fight between Pinto and Lane? Do you think Pinto should be awarded for the showmanship and strength that he displayed at UFC Vegas 103? Let us know what you think in the comments down below.
Have something to say?
Let the world know your perspective.
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Debate
Is Mario Pinto the new face of MMA after that jaw-dropping KO against Austen Lane?