Jesus Pinedo is aiming for a definitive victory when he faces Gabriel Braga at PFL 5 on June 12 in Nashville. This bout is crucial for securing a spot in the 2025 PFL featherweight tournament finals.
Their first meeting was in April 2023, a fight Braga took on short notice and won via split decision in Las Vegas. The championship rematch took place eight months later, where Pinedo claimed the $1 million prize by knockout in the third round.
Despite the official record standing at 1-1 heading into Thursday`s PFL 5 event, the Peruvian fighter disagrees with that score.
You`ve heard me say this before, I`ll say it again and I`ll continue to say it forever: I did not lose that first fight against Gabriel Braga. Right now I believe that I’m 2-0 and June 12 I’m gonna go 3-0. I’m gonna go in there break him get the stoppage and continue on to the finals.
Pinedo acknowledges the Brazilian as a “very respectable opponent” but foresees another emphatic finish to advance towards the $500,000 final clash against the winner of Movlid Khaybulaev vs. Tae Kyun Kim.
When we face off I’m coming to break him and I’m going to get my spot in the finals. Gabriel’s game is his fight IQ, it’s undeniable. He’s a great fighter, no one’s denying that, but what I bring to the table in our fight, he can’t stop. I’m coming in there to break him. I don’t think he has the game plan to figure me out because I’m such a unique fighter. So on June 12, I’m gonna get that victory.
I’m always confident, but the confidence never comes over beating opponents or getting wins over certain opponents. My confidence comes from every morning I’m waking up 4:30 in the morning, I’m going to run, I’m doing all the reps that I needed to do in order to be successful. So the confidence that I have, it’s all from training, it’s all from what I’m doing outside of the cage that’s what gives me my confidence.
Pinedo has earned 15 knockouts in his 24 professional wins, yet he feels his ground game is often underestimated. His most recent submission victory was in 2018, back when he was the Inka FC champion in his native Peru, and he proudly represents luta livre in competition.
A lot of people don’t know that [I’m a luta livre black belt], they think we don’t train wrestling, but the reality is that day to day, what we’re doing the most is wrestling and grappling. That’s where the strength comes in for the academy that I train at. And if the fight goes there, then I have no reservations showing the world my grappling game and coming out on top of the submission victory if I have to.
PFL recently signed a broadcast agreement with FOX Sports Mexico, and company CEO Peter Murray has discussed potentially launching a PFL Latin America league as early as next year.
Pinedo commented that the MMA scene in Peru is “growing year over year.” While it may not have the same density of elite fighters in top promotions as countries like Brazil or Mexico, Peruvian fighters are “making some noise and they’re making a name for themselves and representing the country well.”
Although PFL has not yet revealed specific plans for a Latin America show in 2026, Pinedo aspires to be the face of the promotion in the region and hopes to one day headline a PFL event in Peru.
That’s definitely a dream of mine. It’s something that’s always top of mind. I’m hoping to chase this championship final in the world tournament and then with two belts under the PFL banner I hope that that’s going to be enough to bring the PFL show here to Peru where I can fight. The future is a little ambiguous, we don’t know how things are going to roll out, but I’m going to keep doing my part and keep winning and becoming a champion. And I know that that’s the only going to help the case to get PFL to come to Peru.
Oliver Croft