Pinas vs. Susurkayev set for UFC 335 on Dec. 12 in Las Vegas

Demian Pinas and Baisangur Susurkayev are set to meet at UFC 335 on Dec. 12 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, MMA Fighting reported. The card is headlined by a BMF title fight between Charles Oliveira and Diego Lopes.

The matchup pairs two unbeaten UFC fighters. Both are 3-0 in the promotion after earning their contracts on the Contender Series, and the two have spoken about each other since arriving in the UFC.

Pinas comes in off a knockout of Andrey Pulyaev at UFC 332 on Oct. 3, a first-round finish according to AgentMMA's records. That result added to a perfect UFC start for the fighter. Pulyaev, a 29-year-old Russian, stands six-foot-four with a 78-inch reach and has now lost three straight, so the win came against a rangy southpaw who lands 3.6 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy.

Susurkayev's most recent win came at UFC 328 on May 9, when he submitted Djorden Santos in the third round. Santos is a 29-year-old Brazilian who throws at a heavy pace, landing 6.43 significant strikes per minute, but at only 42 percent accuracy. He has not won since, losing by first-round knockout to Yousri Belgaroui at Noche UFC on Sept. 12.

Why it matters

• Both fighters carry perfect UFC records, so the winner will be the only one left unbeaten in the promotion.
• The styles point in different directions: Pinas has won by knockout in his latest recorded appearance, while Susurkayev's latest win came on the mat by submission.
• The bout gives the pair a chance to settle their back-and-forth on a card headlined by a BMF title fight.

The matchup is built around two recent finishes. Pinas ended his fight inside one round, while Susurkayev needed all three rounds to submit Santos, which shows he can work through a full fight to find the finish. Neither man's opponent in those bouts was a stranger to losing, but both wins landed within seven months of each other, which gives the two a similar level of momentum heading into December.