Jesus Pinedo is targeting a definitive victory when he faces Gabriel Braga on June 12 in Nashville. The fight is crucial for securing a spot in the 2025 PFL featherweight tournament finals.
Pinedo and Braga have a history, having fought twice before. Their first encounter in April 2023 saw Braga step in as a late replacement in Las Vegas and win by split decision. Eight months later, they met again for the 145-pound championship, where Pinedo earned a $1 million prize with a third-round knockout.
The official score stands at 1-1 heading into Thursday`s PFL 5 event, but the Peruvian fighter disagrees with this assessment.
Speaking through a translator, Pinedo stated, “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 regards the Brazilian as a “very respectable opponent” but anticipates another decisive finish to advance to the $500,000 final clash. The winner of his bout will face the victor between Movlid Khaybulaev and Tae Kyun Kim.
“When we face off I’m coming to break him and I’m going to get my spot in the finals,” Pinedo reiterated. He acknowledged Braga`s “undeniable” fight IQ and skill, calling him a “great fighter,” but asserted, “what I bring to the table in our fight, he can’t stop. I’m coming in there to break him. I’m coming into they got the win. 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.”
Regarding his confidence, Pinedo explained, “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 secured 15 of his 24 professional wins by knockout, but he feels his ground game is often underestimated. His most recent submission win was in 2018, during his time as Inka FC champion in Peru. He is proud to represent 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,” Pinedo revealed. “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.”
The PFL recently signed a broadcast deal with FOX Sports Mexico, and CEO Peter Murray has mentioned the possibility of launching a PFL Latin America league potentially next year.
Pinedo described the MMA scene in Peru as “growing year over year,” noting that while it may not have the same density of elite fighters as Brazil or Mexico, Peruvian athletes “are making some noise and they’re making a name for themselves and representing the country well.”
While PFL has not confirmed plans for a Latin America event in 2026, Pinedo expressed his desire to be the face of such a venture, ideally headlining a PFL show in Peru one day.
“That’s definitely a dream of mine,” Pinedo said. “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.”
Percy Harlow