Charles Oliveira defeating Mateusz Gamrot by a second-round submission was not the only highlight of UFC Rio. The Fight Night at Farmasi Arena went smoothly, and fans will remember it for Jose Aldo’s appearance and Oliveira’s emphatic win. Equally impressive, even if not as noteworthy, was Mario Pinto‘s UFC win almost exactly a year after his winning entry on Dana White’s Contender Series.

The visiting Portuguese fighter and Brazilian Jhonata Diniz butted heads on the prelims. The bout ended in the second round after Pinto unleashed a flurry of blows on a hapless Diniz from full mount. But what happened afterward has now become the talk of the town. From surprise, the crowd’s reaction turned to elation when Pinto switched to posh English when ring commentator Michael Bisping asked if he could converse in English.

Mario Pinto: I know English… deal with it!

With a translator standing nearby, Bisping asked Pinto, “English?” Picking up a non-native accent, Pinto replied, “Sorry, brother, I don’t speak English,” before adding, “But I practice something in English.” And with that, he announced, “I am going to speak English now.”

“So basically I want to give a big shout-out to my people in London and England. Thank you for all the support,” he said, before thanking his entire team for their wholehearted support. “That’s free finishes now, including Dana White’s contender series. I’m not in this league now to take part. I’m here to shut this sh*t down and put my name on the map. So you better recognize. Obrigado, Tudo,” he concluded as the crowd cheered.

Hints of his mischief appeared earlier. As he downplayed his grappling skills, Mario Pinto was publicly honored with a brown belt by one of his trainers. The best part was his pretense of not speaking English even after Bisping exhausted the translator’s services.

Let’s check out how some fans reacted to Pinto’s ploy.

Pinto’s trick has fans buzzing

Pinto’s charade clearly impressed this fan, who said, “I don’t speak English… [he] starts speaking like everyone I know from England.” Perhaps Bisping forgot that, though born in Lisbon, Portugal, Pinto fights out of Fightzone, a decade-old gym on Pritchards Road in London.

Another fan caught onto Pinto’s ruse: “He baited everyone.” The unbeaten fighter was waiting for the moment to show the crowd in Rio de Janeiro, where Brazilian Portuguese is spoken, his versatility inside and outside the cage.

A few others detected the deception. “He was trolling, obviously! Great fight! Vamos caralho! 🇵🇹🇵🇹🇵🇹🇵🇹,” said this fan. Another added, “Bro was straight up trolling. Respect 🫡🤣.” Given how Mario Pinto transitioned from someone who seemed to struggle with English to someone who could mimic a Cockney accent, it’s hard to tell whether he trolled the crowd or Bisping.

Nevertheless, Mario Pinto’s cameo endeared him to many. As one fan said, “That needs to be a UFC Hall of Fame moment 😂😂😂.”  Moments like these are unforgettable. Records will show his feat in Rio de Janeiro. But the way he turned the tables, becoming a crowd favorite locally and internationally, ensures his name will enter the pages of UFC history.

Perhaps equal admiration should also go to Pinto’s win itself.

A closer look at his press interactions provides context. After his first-round KO win at the Contender Series, which secured him a UFC contract, followers should have known that Mario Pinto isn’t handicapped in English. Nonetheless, what matters is winning and how it positions him in the heavyweight rankings. With the year coming to a close, one can only hope this exciting fighter gets his due and secures bigger fights in the coming months.

Do you think Pinto is ready to face the current lineup of heavyweight contenders?