Promising Middleweight Striker: “I’m Dangerous Everywhere”

At the beginning of every year, we as MMA fans, try to identify “the next big thing” in the sport. The UFC’s middleweight division may have just done so for 2026 with the arrival of the very dangerous Suriname striker, Damian Pinas. Damian Pinas earned his way to the UFC with a brutal first-round knockout on the Contender Series in September 2025.

Damian Pinas’ Early Days in Suriname

Born in Suriname, a country in South America east Venezuela and north of Brazil, has strong roots in kickboxing, but MMA is still a growing sport in the region. “I was born in Suriname, but I never trained or fought there. No gym, no coaches, nothing like that,” Damian Pinas began. “Growing up, I was a bad kid — hustling, street fights, trouble. Fighting wasn’t sport, it was survival. I had anger, no direction, no discipline. MMA didn’t come from Suriname for me — MMA saved me later in life.”  Damian Pinas would find MMA over 1,100 miles away on the island of Aruba.

Damian Pinas: Finding MMA

Aruba has seen a sharp rising in popularity for MMA over the last decade. With their local federation of Aruba MMA recognized by GAMMA (Global Association of Mixed Martial Arts), Aruba is becoming a hot spot for up and coming MMA fighters in the area, including Damian Pinas.

“Everything changed at Stay Thai Fit in Aruba. That gym gave me structure when I had none,” Damian Pinas said. “It taught me discipline, respect, and how to control my aggression instead of letting it control me. Nova União is a huge part of my development, especially at the highest level. But Stay Thai Fit in Aruba is my heart. That’s where the kid with no direction became a professional fighter. I carry both teams with me every time I step into the cage.”

Of course, there is no better place in South America, or even the world, to learn the trade of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu than in the country of Brazil itself. “Training with Nova União and Dedé Pederneiras took me even deeper,” he said. “It showed me what it really means to be a complete martial artist. The coaches and teammates around me helped turn chaos into focus.” A six-time Brazilian National Champion, Pederneiras has also been named MMA Coach of the Year and trained directly under the tutelage of Carlson Gracie.

Damian Pinas: Climbing the MMA Ranks

Damian Pinas would make his professional debut in August 2022 where he would score the first of his career’s knockouts. With eight wins under his belt to this point, seven have come by knockout and the lone other victory by submission. Starting his career with four straight victories, Pinas’ lone defeat would come due to an illegal kick in March 2024 at Shooto Brasil 121.

The loss would not slow him down, as he would reel off three more finishes before finally receiving the call to appear on the Contender Series. The 8-1 Vitor Costa would fall victim to Pinas’ devastating power, suffering a first-round knockout after a vicious right hand floored Costa. It should be noted when looking back at Damian Pinas’ 8-for-8 finishing ratio, that his lone submission victory was a very slick submission in that of a D’arce Choke.

“People see the knockouts and think that’s all I am. They don’t see the hours on the mats, the quiet work, the suffering,” he said. “The D’arce choke wasn’t luck, it was timing, awareness, and confidence. I’m dangerous everywhere, and I’m comfortable wherever the fight goes.”

Set to be UFC’s Next Middleweight Star

With tons of hype behind him for his UFC debut in 2026, Pinas does not feel any pressure at all in going the distance to prove a point about his endurance. “I don’t fight to prove I can survive; I fight to finish. I’ve already lived through hard rounds in real life. In the cage, I stay calm, patient, and ready. If it goes long, I’m built for that. If the finish is there, I take it without hesitation,” stated Pinas.

So what can fans expect from Pinas at UFC Fight Night: Moreno vs. Kavanagh? “On Feb. 28, when that cage door closes, everything I’ve lived comes with me; the past, the mistakes, the lessons,” he said. “I’m not stepping in there to play. I’m stepping in there to leave a mark. Fans can expect heart, violence, and someone who refuses to break.”