Damian Pinas will face Cesar Almeida at UFC 329 on July 11 during International Fight Week in a middleweight bout. This is the first announced fight for the card. Pinas is 1-0 in the UFC after making his debut in February, boasting a record where all victories have come by finish with his only loss being a disqualification for an illegal strike. The 24-year-old from Aruba will face Almeida, who holds a 3-2 record in the UFC. The matchup represents a significant step up for the young prospect.
A middleweight clash between Damian Pinas and Cesar Almeida has been booked for UFC 329 on July 11, making it the first confirmed fight for the International Fight Week card.
Pinas, known as "The Babayaga," arrives at 9-1-0 overall after going 1-0 in the UFC since his promotional debut in February. The 24-year-old from Aruba stands six-foot-one with an exceptional 79-inch reach and brings an aggressive finishing style to the cage. Every victory on his record has come by finish, and his sole blemish is a disqualification for an illegal strike. His UFC numbers underscore the relentless output — he lands 7.5 significant strikes per minute at a 56 percent accuracy rate, among the higher volume figures in the division.
Almeida, the Brazilian veteran nicknamed "Cesinha," trains out of Lotus MMA and carries a 7-2-0 overall record with a 3-2 mark inside the UFC. The 38-year-old orthodox middleweight stands six-foot-one with a 74-inch reach and posts 3.46 significant strikes per minute at a notably sharp 58 percent accuracy. While his takedown rate sits at zero, he shows a modest submission threat with 0.2 attempts per 15 minutes.
Why it matters
- Pinas is a young prospect on a finishing streak stepping up against a more experienced UFC opponent for a meaningful test of his development.
- The reach advantage — nearly five inches in favor of Pinas — sets up an interesting distance management battle between two orthodox strikers.
- A win for either fighter would carry real weight in the middleweight division's crowded prospect tier heading into the second half of 2026.
- UFC 329 during International Fight Week typically draws heavy attention, giving this matchup a high-visibility stage.
