Being that Pinedo is in what is widely considered to be the toughest division in the UFC, those are some bold words, but what else would you call a 22-year-old who is entering his 22nd pro bout this weekend? Yet despite his ambition, he’s in no rush, either.
“For now, I’ll just wait for the fights that the UFC give me,” he said. “As I continue to win, we’ll have to see. I’m taking it fight by fight, and I am always looking to challenge myself as much as possible.”
Fighting Powell on short notice was a start, and taking Makdessi on for fight number two is an even bigger challenge. Throw in the fact that this is another late replacement fight, as Pinedo was originally scheduled to face Chris Gruetzemacher, the degree of difficulty goes up, but the Lima native isn’t rattled.
“It wasn’t a big inconvenience at all, actually,” Pinedo said. “We just had to adjust the strategy with my team for my new opponent. I trust their judgement completely and am ready to implement the game plan. And even though I was disappointed to lose my original opponent, I’m really happy with this opportunity against a higher-profile opponent. When I win, it’s going to mean more for me in terms of the rankings, and I think this victory will help me earn more fans as well.”
More fans means bigger and better fights, and more opportunities to build his profile, not just in the United States, but at home in Peru, a place not exactly known for being a hotbed of MMA. But that’s a situation Pinedo believes is changing.
“I see MMA growing in Peru very rapidly,” he said. “The sport will continue to grow as we get more experience on the international stage. But right now I feel like we’re ready to go head-to-head with any other country.”
