Jesus Pinedo Bio
Jesus Pinedo (born June 22, 1996) is a Peruvian mixed martial artist who competes in the Featherweight division of the Professional Fighters League (PFL). Fighting out of Lima, Peru, he is widely known by his ring name, El Mudo. He is best known for winning the 2023 PFL Featherweight Championship and the one million dollar prize that accompanied the title. Standing 183 cm tall with a 188 cm reach, Pinedo has built a reputation as a dangerous striker inside the PFL cage.
Early Life and Background
Jesus Pinedo was born on June 22, 1996, in Callao, Peru, and later settled in Lima, where he continues to live and train. Martial arts became a part of his life at a very young age, as he experimented with contact sports such as judo and karate from the age of five or six. Unlike many of his childhood friends who gravitated toward soccer, Pinedo showed a clear and early interest in mixed martial arts that would shape his entire future.
His early years were not without turbulence, and his involvement in fighting during his youth led his father to enroll him in a pre-military boarding school in an effort to channel his energy. The discipline he learned there, combined with his lifelong passion for combat sports, helped lay the foundation for his professional career. Today, he trains out of Pitbull Martial Arts Center alongside his longtime coach Iván Ibérico, a renowned MMA figure in Peru who has guided Pinedo since he was sixteen or seventeen years old.
Path to MMA
From the very start of his journey, Pinedo and his team took a baptism-by-fire approach, pushing him into professional competition at a young age. He made his professional debut on July 17, 2013, just under a month after turning seventeen, when he dispatched Luigi Dapello with first-round punches at a regional event in Peru. The aggressive matchmaking strategy paid off, allowing him to gain valuable cage experience during his teenage years.
During those formative years, Pinedo fought fourteen times, posting a record of nine wins, four losses, and one draw. He captured regional titles in both the 300 Sparta and Inka Fighting Championship organizations, including the IFC featherweight championship, which he won by forcing Joackim Pedro Neto Ferreira to tap to a guillotine choke in February 2018. Just four months later, he added the 300 Sparta featherweight title by stopping Carlos Alexadre with second-round punches, building the resume that would eventually earn him a shot at the global stage.
Jesus Pinedo Career
Early Career (2013–2018)
Jesus Pinedo began his professional career on the Peruvian regional circuit in 2013, quickly establishing himself as a finisher and a title contender. His first regional championship came inside the Inka Fighting Championship, where he claimed the featherweight crown with a first-round guillotine choke victory in February 2018. He followed that performance with the 300 Sparta featherweight title a few months later, cementing his status as one of the top regional featherweights in South America.
Those accomplishments caught the attention of major international promotions, and Pinedo earned an opportunity to step onto the biggest stage in mixed martial arts. By the end of 2018, his regional accolades had made him one of the most promising Peruvian fighters in the world, and he was ready to test himself against elite competition on a global platform.
Ultimate Fighting Championship Era (2018–2019)
Jesus Pinedo made his UFC debut on November 17, 2018, at UFC Fight Night 140, replacing an injured Claudio Puelles against Devin Powell. He earned a unanimous decision victory in that bout, announcing his arrival in the promotion in impressive fashion. The win marked the only successful appearance of his UFC tenure.
His second UFC appearance came on March 23, 2019, at UFC Fight Night 148, when he stepped in on short notice once again, this time replacing Nasrat Haqparast against John Makdessi. Pinedo lost the fight via unanimous decision, and shortly afterward, after parting ways with the Iridium Sports agency, he was released by the promotion. Despite the short stint, the two UFC appearances provided him with valuable experience at the highest level of the sport.
Professional Fighters League Breakthrough (2023)
After winning four consecutive bouts on the Peruvian regional scene, all by stoppage, Jesus Pinedo made his PFL debut on April 1, 2023, at PFL 1, where he faced Gabriel Alves Braga. The two fighters engaged in a closely contested battle that went the distance, with Braga earning a split decision victory. The loss did little to slow Pinedo, who quickly rebounded in emphatic fashion.
On June 8, 2023, at PFL 4, Pinedo faced Brendan Loughnane and produced one of the most memorable knockouts of the PFL season, finishing Loughnane early in the first round to become the first fighter ever to stop Loughnane in his professional MMA career. Momentum continued to build at PFL 7 on August 4, 2023, when he defeated Bubba Jenkins via TKO in the second round of the featherweight semi-finals, despite being deducted a point and fined twenty percent of his purse for missing the featherweight weight limit at the official weigh-ins.
Heading into the 2023 PFL Featherweight Championship final, Pinedo rematched Gabriel Alves Braga on November 24, 2023, at PFL 10. He avenged his earlier split decision loss by delivering a third-round TKO finish to capture the 2023 PFL Featherweight Championship and the one million dollar collective prize awarded to the tournament winner. Following the victory, he reached the number ten spot in the World Featherweight rankings according to Fight Matrix in October 2023, establishing himself among the elite 145-pound fighters in the world.
Pitbull Martial Arts Center Era (2024–2025)
Following his championship win, Pinedo was scheduled to face Bellator Featherweight Champion Patrício Pitbull in a three-round non-title crossover bout on February 24, 2024, at PFL vs. Bellator, but he was forced to withdraw about a week before the fight due to a back injury. He was later scheduled to face Jeremy Kennedy on November 29, 2024, at PFL 10, but withdrew for unknown reasons and was replaced by Gabriel Alves Braga.
On February 12, 2025, the PFL officially announced that Pinedo would return to competition in the 2025 PFL Featherweight Tournament. He opened the bracket with a first-round TKO victory over Ádám Borics at PFL 1 on April 3, 2025, and followed it with another first-round TKO win over Gabriel Braga in the semifinals at PFL 5 on June 12, 2025, settling their trilogy in decisive fashion. In the tournament final on August 1, 2025, at PFL 8, Pinedo faced Movlid Khaybulaev and was submitted in the fifth round, ending his bid for a second straight PFL Featherweight Championship.
Driving Style and Strengths
Jesus Pinedo is widely recognized for his aggressive, forward-pressure striking style, which has produced the majority of his professional stoppage victories. He thrives on closing distance and finishing opponents with powerful punching combinations, as demonstrated in his emphatic knockouts of Brendan Loughnane and Bubba Jenkins. His partnership with longtime coach Iván Ibérico at Pitbull Martial Arts Center continues to shape his tactical approach and conditioning.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the defining moments of Pinedo’s career are his knockout win over Brendan Loughnane, which marked the first stoppage loss of Loughnane’s career, his TKO victory over Bubba Jenkins in the 2023 PFL Featherweight semi-final, and his third-round TKO of Gabriel Alves Braga that captured the 2023 PFL Featherweight Championship and the one million dollar prize. His trilogy with Gabriel Alves Braga, spanning the 2023 and 2025 PFL seasons, has become one of the most talked-about rivalries in the modern PFL featherweight division.
Jesus Pinedo Career Wins
Across his professional career that began in 2013, Jesus Pinedo has compiled a verified record of 25 wins in 33 total professional bouts. His victories have come by knockout, submission, decision, and disqualification, showcasing a well-rounded finishing ability that has been on display across regional circuits in Peru, the UFC, and the PFL.
PFL Highlights
Jesus Pinedo captured the 2023 PFL Featherweight Championship with a third-round TKO of Gabriel Alves Braga at PFL 10, banking the one million dollar prize that accompanied the title. He added additional PFL victories over Brendan Loughnane, Bubba Jenkins, Ádám Borics, and Gabriel Braga in the 2025 season, all by TKO. His only PFL losses came in a split decision to Gabriel Alves Braga at PFL 1 in 2023 and a fifth-round submission to Movlid Khaybulaev in the 2025 PFL Featherweight Tournament final.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond his PFL accomplishments, Pinedo holds the IFC featherweight championship and the 300 Sparta featherweight title, both captured in 2018 on the Peruvian regional scene. He also holds a notable unanimous decision win over Devin Powell in his UFC debut at UFC Fight Night 140, the only victory of his two-bout UFC tenure.
Jesus Pinedo Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Jesus Pinedo grew up in Callao and later moved to Lima, Peru, where he continues to live and train. His father played a formative role in his upbringing, enrolling him in a pre-military boarding school during his youth to help channel his energy and discipline. Beyond that, public details about his extended family remain limited, and his fighting nickname, El Mudo, has become the most recognizable identity associated with the Pinedo name in combat sports.
Personal Life
Jesus Pinedo currently resides in Lima, Peru, where he trains at Pitbull Martial Arts Center. He is professionally tied to longtime coach Iván Ibérico, who has guided his development since Pinedo was sixteen or seventeen years old, and the two continue to maintain a strong working relationship. Further verified details about his marital status, spouse, or children have not been publicly confirmed.
2025 Season Performance
Jesus Pinedo entered the 2025 PFL Featherweight Tournament as the reigning 2023 champion, and the promotion officially confirmed his participation on February 12, 2025. He opened the bracket in dominant fashion, finishing Ádám Borics by first-round TKO at PFL 1 on April 3, 2025, before settling his trilogy with Gabriel Alves Braga in the semifinals at PFL 5 on June 12, 2025, with another first-round TKO. Heading into the 2025 final, he once again looked like the most dangerous finisher in the bracket.
The 2025 PFL Featherweight Tournament final took place on August 1, 2025, at PFL 8, where Pinedo faced Movlid Khaybulaev for the title and the one million dollar prize. After a competitive five-round battle, Pinedo was finished via submission in the fifth round, ending his bid for a second consecutive PFL Featherweight Championship. Despite the loss, his three TKO finishes during the 2025 season reinforced his status as one of the most dangerous strikers in the PFL featherweight division.