After an entertaining loss to Sean O’Malley on short notice in 2021 and a subsequent knockout at the hands of Guido Cannetti, it looked like Kris Moutinho’s UFC dreams were coming true.
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 with Cristian Quinonez, with both men looking to get back in the win column.
Quinonez fought for the first time in two years.
The early rounds started with both fighters trading punches from range before Quinonez landed a solid takedown around the three-minute mark. Moutinho forced himself to the fence before getting back to his feet. Quinonez landed a jab, followed by some solid, straight shots inside that caught Moutinho’s attention. With one minute and thirty seconds left in the round, the fight was stopped briefly for an eye poke.
Moutinho pushed forward and threw an overhand lunge, but started bleeding 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 the first round and tried to land a big shot, but Quinonez ducked under a punch and landed an expertly timed takedown. Quinonez smothered his opponent, landing short shots from the back before threatening with a rear-naked choke. Moutinho escaped briefly and was finally able to reach this foot towards the end of the round. Quinonez landed a solid jab followed by a straight left hand to make a statement on the round.
To start the final frame, Moutinho came out looking like he needed a finish as he walked over Quinonez after landing a big left hand. Moutinho pressed forward and connected against the cage with a left hook. Quinonez rode his bike out before nailing a desperation takedown that was defended by Moutniho. After regaining his composure, Quinonez was able to reverse position on the ground and finished on top.
While maintaining control on the ground and standing, Quinonez was able to earn a unanimous decision victory. 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)
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