Damian Pinas will face Cesar Almeida in a middleweight bout at UFC 329 on July 11th during International Fight Week. Pinas holds a 1-0 UFC record after debuting in February, while Almeida is 3-2 in the promotion. The 24-year-old Pinas from Aruba has finished all his victories by stoppage, with his only loss coming via disqualification for an illegal strike. This represents the first announced bout for the UFC 329 card. The information was sourced from Marcel Dorff.
A middleweight clash between Damian Pinas and Cesar Almeida has been confirmed for UFC 329 on July 11th, becoming the first bout officially announced for the International Fight Week card.
Pinas, nicknamed "The Babayaga," is 24 years old and hails from Aruba. He carries a professional record of 9-1-0 and stands six-foot-one with an exceptional 79-inch reach. He is 1-0 inside the Octagon following his UFC debut in February, and every victory on his record has come by way of stoppage. His only loss arrived via disqualification for an illegal strike. His output in the UFC has been eye-catching, with a significant strike rate of 7.5 landed per minute at 56 percent accuracy.
Almeida, known as "Cesinha," is a 38-year-old Brazilian fighting out of Lotus MMA. He holds an overall record of 7-2-0 and is 3-2 through five appearances in the promotion. The six-foot-one orthodox fighter carries a 74-inch reach and has shown clean, efficient striking in the UFC, landing 3.46 significant strikes per minute at an impressive 58 percent accuracy.
Why it matters
- Pinas brings a significant reach advantage of five inches, measuring 201 cm against Almeida's 188 cm
- Both fighters are orthodox strikers who prefer to keep the fight standing, setting up a compelling striking exchange
- A win for either man would carry real momentum heading into the deeper waters of the middleweight division
- This is the first booked bout for UFC 329, meaning it could anchor a significant position on the card as the lineup fills out
