Andre Pederneiras: Damian Pinas hits harder than any fighter he's trained

Rising UFC middleweight Damian Pinas continues to turn heads with his knockout power, and longtime elite combat sports coach Andre Pederneiras believes the 24-year-old hits harder than anyone he has trained in over three decades at Nova Uniao.

Pinas (10–0, with nine knockouts and one submission) scored another first-round knockout at UFC 329, dispatching Cesar Almeida. Pederneiras, who has developed numerous world-class fighters, immediately recognized Pinas' exceptional potential when the Aruba native arrived for a tryout in 2024. "I've held pads for a lot of heavyweights, including elite strikers, and I've never seen anyone hit as hard as he does," Pederneiras told Sherdog. "Besides being incredibly strong, he learns extremely fast. He's already submitting black belts during our no-gi training sessions."

Despite his rapid rise from Shooto to the UFC in three years, Pinas is taking a measured approach to title contention. "When I joined Shooto, I said it would take me five years to reach the UFC, but I made it in three," he said. "So, let's say five years to win the belt sounds good. I'm only 24 years old — I have plenty of time." Beyond championship aspirations, Pinas aims to inspire young fighters across Aruba, Suriname, and the broader Caribbean region.