However, a strong run on the regional circuit brought him back to the UFC last year; on Saturday at UFC Mexico City, the bantamweight was paired up with Cristian Quinonez, with both men looking to get back in the win column.

Quinonez was fighting for the first time in two years.

The first rounds started with both fighters exchanging punches at range before Quinonez landed a solid takedown near the three minute mark. Moutinho forced himself to the fence before returning to his feet. Quinonez flashed a jab followed by some solid straight punches on the inside that got Moutinho’s attention. With a minute and thirty seconds left in the round the fight was briefly stopped for an eye poke.

Moutinho pressed forward throwing lunging overhand rights but was starting to bleed from his nose. Quinonez continued to land more volume from the outside until the horn sounded ending the first five minutes.

Moutinho came out aggressively in round one looking to land a big shot but Quinonez ducked under a punch to land an expertly timed takedown. Smothering his opponent, Quinonez landed short shots from back control before threatening a rear naked choke submission. Moutinho escaped momentarily and was eventually able to get this feet near the end of the round. Quinonez landed a solid jab followed by a straight left hand to put a statement on the round.

To start the final frame, Moutinho came out like he needed a finish walking down Quinonez after landing a big left hand. Moutinho pressed forward connecting with a left hook against the cage. Quinonez was on his bike circling to the outside, before shooting a desperation takedown that was defended by Moutniho. After regaining his composure, Quinonez was able to reverse position on the ground ending up on top.

Remaining in control on the ground and standing, Quinonez was able to pick up a unanimous decision victory. Snapping a two fight skid after so much time away, this was a step in the right direction for Quinonez.

Official Result: Cristian Quinonez def. Kris Moutinho by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

The post UFC Mexico City: Cristian Quinonez Outworks Kris Moutinho in Return appeared first on Cageside Press.

Moutinho’s first run with the company saw him put on a gutsy performance against future champ Sean O’Malley, but after a second setback, he was shown the door. Having fought through a dark time in his life, he turned things around on the regional scene, winning five straight to get a shot at the big show once again, against the undefeated Wellmaker.

Early in the first round Wellmaker found a home for a big hook while Moutinho pushed forward. A minute into the fight Malcom stumbled Moutinho and started to press his opponent to the fence. Moutinho attempted a takedown but was unsuccessful and circled back to the center of the cage. Wellmaker then faked a low leg kick and came over the top with a winging right hook from the southpaw stance that flatlined Moutinho, sending him faceplanting into the canvas. The undefeated Georgia native electrified his hometown crowd earning his third consecutive knockout.

The UFC bantamweight division was put on notice with this performance, as a new contender in Wellmaker will be threatening the rankings very soon.

Official Result: Malcolm Wellmaker def. Kris Moutinho by knockout, Round 1, 2:37

The post UFC Atlanta: Malcolm Wellmaker Faceplants Kris Moutinho With Devestating KO appeared first on Cageside Press.

Despite that short-notice showing, a follow-up loss to Guido Cannetti saw Mouthinho bounced from the promotion, leading to a very dark time in his life, he explained during Wednesday’s UFC Atlanta media day, ahead of his promotional return.

“I went through a really bad, bad time. With relationships, with everything else. My life was just a mess,” explained Moutinho (14-6), who has since turned things around inside and outside of the cage. “I was very close to ending this thing, ending it all and being done. F*cking, I don’t know, I don’t want to talk too much about it, but it was a bad time, one of the worst times of my life.”

Moutinho credits his current partner with helping him get back on track, and returns to the UFC, on short notice once again against Matthew Wellmaker, on the strength of a five-fight win streak. The parallels to his first stint are clear. “It’s pretty much the same thing that happened last time. I’m fighting a tall, lanky, good striker, nine day’s notice. It feels pretty similar, but I’m a different person than I was then. I’m a lot older, a lot at peace with myself, and where I’m at in life. And hopefully it’s going to be a better show.”

Asked how he’s changed from his first run in the UFC, Kris Moutinho noted that caring less has actually allowed him to enjoy MMA more, resulting in better performances. “This sport has, in the 12 years, 13 years that I’ve been doing it, has taken a lot from me. I care less I guess about the sport and less about what I’m doing and that’s somehow freed me to enjoy it more when I am in there and I am training and I am fighting.”

“I got back to what I did when I started this stuff. I would mix in the game. I got a little too punch-crazy, I wanted to throw punches and get hit by punches and I enjoyed it a little too much. Didn’t pay out well when I was here the last time. Opened my game up a little bit, worked on the flaws I had the last time, and I’m just a more complete fighter now.”

Watch the full UFC Atlanta media day appearance by Kris Moutinho above.

The post UFC Atlanta’s Kris Moutinho: Caring Less About MMA Allows Him to Enjoy It More appeared first on Cageside Press.

The “spring cleaning” is the latest round of roster trimming, after the UFC parted ways with over a dozen fighters back in late February/March.

The full list of fighters removed from the roster, first identified by automated service UFC Roster Watch on Twitter, breaks down as follows:

• Ike Villanueva
• Fares Ziam
• Luigi Vendramini
• Kazula Vargas
• Mark Striegl
• Jesse Strader
• Bruno Souza
• Devonte Smith
• Rong Zhu
• Kris Moutinho
• Brandon Jenkins
• Austin Hubbard
• Mike Grundy
• Michael Gillmore
• Cameron Else
• Kevin Croom
• Dean Barry
• Gina Mazany

Several of the fighters released have since confirmed the news on social media.

Perhaps the biggest surprise is Barry, who is now one-and-done as a UFC fighter. Ireland’s Barry competed against Mike Jackson last month, a part-time fighter and MMA journalist best known for being brought into the promotion to face Micky Gall and pro wrestler CM Punk. Jackson lost to Gall, beat Punk in a boring three-round affair that was later overturned to a No Contest, and somehow kept his roster spot. In a foul-filled affair, Jackson would win a DQ against Barry, who has now been shown the door as a result.

The timing is perhaps particularly cruel in the case of Mike Grundy and Ike Villanueva. Grundy last competed at UFC London in March, and announced at the event that his father was terminally ill. Villanueva, meanwhile, suffered a grade 3 MCL tear in his fight against Tyson Pedro last month.

Another surprise, Kris Moutinho, who faced Sean O’Malley on short notice last year, winning a Fight of the Night bonus for his efforts. While he was knocked out in his second UFC fight this past March, stepping up on short notice, and winning a bonus in the process usually gives a fighter a bit of breathing room. Not so in this case.

Confirming his release on social media, Jesse Strader vowed to return to the promotion.

“I’ll be back, baby. I’m only getting better & I’m in love with this journey I’m on!!!” he wrote.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CdJxPPTF_LP/

With the release of Vargas and Vendramini, both of Paddy Pimblett’s UFC opponents to date are no longer with the promotion.

The post 18 Fighters Removed from UFC Roster as Promotion Does Some Spring Cleaning appeared first on Cageside Press.

Cannetti (9-6) defeated Moutinho via TKO at 2:07 of the first round.

“My performance…all training camp feeling very good. Feeling happy and training in the gym with my friends and my brother training with me. (The whole time) think the win. This camp was perfect,” Cannetti said to the media at his post-fight scrum.

Cannetti clearly knew he would need a big performance to keep his roster spot and continue his quest for UFC gold, but he says he did not feel the pressure of the moment.

“No pressure. I’m feeling very good and I’m thinking all time (that I would) finish the fight. My last fight (I) win. The judges no good, but me feeling (I won) the fight. I changed training and feeling very good,” Cannetti said.

“No pressure, the pressure is with me. I need (to feel good) with me, no with the people.”

Cannetti said he needed to feel good with himself and did not care what others thought.

With a first round finish Cannetti felt fresher and ready to get back to action.

“I need (to) fight again. I think fast. I’m feeling very good now I need (time to) relax, vacation with the family.”

Watch the full UFC Vegas 50 post-fight media scrum with Guido Cannetti above.

The post UFC Vegas 50: Guido Cannetti Felt No Pressure Going Into Mountinho Fight appeared first on Cageside Press.

In his sophomore effort, the bantamweight was paired up with Guido Cannetti, who had dropped three straight fights dating back to 2018.

At 42, Cannetti was long in the tooth for a bantamweight, but came out firing kicks. Moutinho opted to walk him down, backing him into the fence. Moutinho pressed, and Cannetti fired a spinning back fist. For those who expected a quick start to Cannetti vs. Moutinho, they were not disappointed.

In the clinch, Cannetti connected with several knees to the body. Moutinho backpedalled, tagging the younger fighter several times. Cannetti closed the distance again, landing more knees, then chased Moutinho with left and right hooks flying. Far more punches were landing that not, and Moutinho not offering much in the way of intelligent defense. That was enough for the ref, who moved in to wave the fight off while Kris Moutinho was still standing.

HEAVY HITS TO END IT! 😤@NinjaCannetti wasted no time to get the finish!

[ #UFCVegas50 | Prelims are LIVE on @ESPNPlus ] pic.twitter.com/Ij8bwhQvjK

— UFC (@ufc) March 12, 2022

A disappointing result for Moutinho, who earned himself a lot of fans with his short-notice showing against Sean O’Malley. As for Cannetti, he snaps a three fight skid, likely saving his spot on the roster in the process.

Official Result: Guido Cannetti def. Kris Moutinho by TKO, Round 1, 2:07

The post UFC Vegas 50: Guido Cannetti Secures Standing TKO of Kris Moutinho appeared first on Cageside Press.

MMA Argento was first to report the news that Moutinho will fight Guido Cannetti on March 12 at a yet-to-be-announced UFC event. Both fighters would later confirm the booking on social media.

Moutinho (9-5) was unsuccessful in his UFC debut when he took on Sean O’Malley on a week’s notice, losing via TKO in the last 30 seconds of the fight. However, he gained countless fans because of his toughness and willingness to walk O’Malley down. The loss snapped his two-fight win streak. Moutinho was supposed to return against Aaron Phillips in October but had to pull out of the fight.

Cannetti (8-6) will be in an absolute must-win scenario when he fights in March. His last win was against Diego Rivas in 2018, and he is currently on a three-fight skid. Most recently, he lost to Mana Martinez in August, but before that, he was finished by Danaa Batgerel at UFC 248 and then Marlon Vera in 2018.

The UFC’s March 12, 2022 event does not have an official location, venue, or broadcast plan announced. However, Thiago Santos and Magomed Ankalaev are expected to headline the event.

The Fight Night card currently breaks down as follows:

• Thiago Santos vs. Magomed Ankalaev
• Guido Cannetti vs. Kris Moutinho
• Trevin Jones vs. Javid Basharat

The post UFC: Kris Moutinho Returns on March 12, Will Fight Guido Cannetti appeared first on Cageside Press.

MMAJunkie was first to report that Moutinho will fight Aaron Philips on October 23 at a yet-to-be-announced UFC event. A source close to the situation later confirmed the fight to Cageside Press.

Moutinho (9-5) was unsuccessful in his UFC debut when he took on Sean O’Malley on a week’s notice, losing via TKO in the last 30 seconds of the fight. However, he gained countless fans because of his toughness and willingness to walk O’Malley down. The loss would snap his two-fight win streak.

Phillips (12-4) has been out of action since his submission loss against Jack Shore last July on ‘Fight Island.’ That marked Phillips’ return to the organization after he was cut in 2014. “The Dragon” fought his way back, going on a five-fight win streak. Phillips was scheduled to return against Cameron Else last month, but an injury to his opponent halted the fight.

No location, venue, or broadcast plan has been announced for the October 23 event, but UFC President Dana White said that all Fight Nights will be staying at the Apex in Las Vegas, NV.

The October 23 fight card now includes the following reported bouts:

• Paulo Costa vs. Marvin Vettori
• Jessica-Rose Clark vs. Joselyne Edwards
• Randa Markos vs. Lívia Renata Souza
• Jeff Molina vs. Daniel Lacerda
• Gregory Rodrigues vs. Jun Yong Park
• Mason Jones vs. Alan Patrick II
• Kris Moutinho vs. Aaron Phillips

The post Kris Moutinho vs. Aaron Phillips Set For October 23 UFC Event appeared first on Cageside Press.

However, it was another wild fight, between Sean O’Malley and Kris Moutinho, that earned that honor. And, with the bonuses upped to $75,000 for the big event, it means that much more to those involved.

Moutinho entered the fight as a short-notice replacement for Louis Smolka, who was forced off the card. The CES veteran proved to have ample heart and a granite chin, putting the pressure on O’Malley throughout the bout. He also ate an insane number of significant strikes, and finally saw the fight waved off in the third round, with less than a minute remaining.

Performance of the Night bonuses at UFC 264 went to Tai Tuivasa and Dricus Du Plessis. Tuivasa landed a counter on Greg Hardy that put the NFL star out cold on the main card — which brought about an immediate cheer from the Las Vegas faithful. Tuivasa immediately jumped on the cage for a celebratory shoey.

Du Plessis, in his second UFC fight, secured his second finish with a stunning knockout of a game Trevin Giles.

All four fighters will earn $75,000 for their efforts — with bonuses raised in a one-off by UFC President Dana White. Attendance at UFC 264, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, was 20,062 for a gate of 16.76 million dollars U.S.

The post UFC 264 Bonuses: O’Malley vs. Moutinho Claims Fight of the Night appeared first on Cageside Press.

O’Malley was expected to face Louis Smolka at the event, topped by the rubber match between Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier. But with Smolka forced out due to injury, CES veteran Kris Moutinho stepped up on just a few day’s notice to try his hand on the “Sugar Show.”

Moutinho came out aggressive right out of the gate. O’Malley was chipping away at the lead leg and throwing a teep kick to the midsection. He was simply picking away at Moutinho landing with some big punches. Moutinho continued to walk forward though. O’Malley hurt Moutinho at one point in the round and unloaded with some big combinations. Moutinho took every shot and still came forward and attacked the leg of O’Malley. Moutinho brought non-stop pressure but a straight right dropped him and O’Malley jumped on a guillotine at the bell.

These exchanges 😳 #UFC264 pic.twitter.com/oJhygs274y

— UFC (@ufc) July 11, 2021

More teep kicks, leg kicks, and then a pumping the jab from O’Malley started round two. Moutinho continued to press forward but the footwork and counter ability from O’Malley was leading the dance. O’Malley, even fighting off his back foot, was landing far more shots. Moutinho stayed in the face of O’Malley to end the round. Even though Moutinho was behind, was making O’Malley work.

Landed right on the head 🎯@SugaSeanMMA isn't holding back in RD 2.

[ #UFC264 | Were Live on E+ PPV: https://t.co/DZxtGSEqWu ] pic.twitter.com/sTjHWm0KEo

— UFC (@ufc) July 11, 2021

Round three saw Moutinho get right after, it pressing O’Malley back and trying to find that fight-ending shot. O’Malley was landing his jab and the teep kick over and over to maintain the pace. Moutinho, with a busted up face, hurt body, and damaged legs never stopped marching forward. Both men picked it up in the last minute landing a lot of output. Mountinho was doing well but O’Malley was slipping and ripping with brutal combinations. Moutinho was still very well in it, but O’Malley was teeing off. Ref Herb Dean then stopped the fight with seconds left in a very questionable stoppage. The call was made based on accumulated damage, but Moutinho, despite being behind, never stopped fighting or defending himself.

With only 23 seconds left! ⏱@SugaSeanMMA gets the finish at #UFC264. pic.twitter.com/om5HzIqhG9

— UFC (@ufc) July 11, 2021

Official Result: Sean O’Malley def. Kris Moutinho by TKO (Strikes), Round 3, 4:33

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