Damian Pinas and Jhony Gregory met in a middleweight bout at Shooto Brasil 125 on September 20, 2024, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The fight was expected to be competitive early, with Gregory looking to defend home turf against the fast-rising Aruban prospect known as “The Baba Yaga.” Instead, Pinas delivered one of the most emphatic finishes of the evening, stopping Gregory via first-round TKO at 4:01 of Round 1.
The opening minute featured a measured feeling-out process. Gregory circled laterally behind a high guard, probing with jabs and low kicks while attempting to keep Pinas at the end of his punches. Pinas remained composed, using his long reach to establish range with straight lefts and stiff jabs while threatening powerful right hands over the top. Whenever Gregory tried to close the distance, Pinas answered with sharp counters that immediately forced the Brazilian to reset.
As the round progressed, Pinas began taking control of the center of the cage. He mixed body shots with crisp combinations upstairs, making Gregory hesitate before entering boxing range. Gregory found occasional success with single punches and kicks, but Pinas consistently landed the cleaner, heavier strikes. His timing improved with every exchange, and his confidence grew as Gregory’s movement became increasingly defensive.
With just over a minute remaining in the round, Pinas intensified the pressure. He backed Gregory toward the fence with a series of straight punches before connecting with a heavy right hand that visibly hurt his opponent. Gregory attempted to fire back, but Pinas stayed patient instead of rushing recklessly, picking his shots while cutting off the cage and denying any escape route.
The finish came in the closing seconds of the first round. Pinas landed another clean power punch that staggered Gregory against the fence, immediately following with a relentless barrage of hooks and straight punches. Gregory covered up as the unanswered strikes continued to land, prompting the referee to step between the fighters and wave off the contest at 4:01 of Round 1, awarding Pinas a technical knockout victory.
The performance further established Damian Pinas as one of Shooto Brasil’s most promising middleweight prospects. Displaying patience, precision, and finishing instincts, he improved his professional record to 6-1 at the time while earning another first-round knockout, continuing the momentum that would eventually lead him toward a successful run on the international stage.