Kris Moutinho is making his return to the UFC octagon this Saturday. He first gained widespread attention in 2021 for a thrilling, short-notice bout against Sean O`Malley, which earned Fight of the Night honors. However, following that loss and another defeat eight months later to Guido Cannetti, he was released from the promotion.
Despite being celebrated by fans for his exciting fighting style, the 32-year-old bantamweight revealed he was enduring significant personal hardship during that time.
“I went through a really bad time with relationships, with everything else in my life and I was just a mess,” Moutinho stated during UFC Atlanta media day. He disclosed, “I was very close to ending this thing, ending it all and being done.”
He elaborated briefly on the difficult period: “I don’t want to talk too much about it but it was a bad time. One of the worst times in my life.” Moutinho credits his current girlfriend with helping him through this crisis: “I found the girl I’m with now, my beautiful girlfriend, she saved me. Saved my life. Helped me find God a lot better and I’m just in a better place.”
While appreciative of his initial UFC opportunity, Moutinho concedes he wasn`t in the right mental state to achieve success during that brief stint.
Following his departure, Moutinho reset his career by competing on the regional circuit. There, he accumulated five consecutive victories, four of which were finishes. He wasn`t actively campaigning for a UFC comeback, but eagerly accepted the call to return when offered a fight against promising prospect Malcolm Wellmaker this Saturday.
Moutinho feels he is now exactly where he is meant to be. “I feel like this is the guy that should have been here in 2021,” he explained, referring to his current state of being “mentally focused” and genuinely enjoying the sport again.
He contrasts this with his previous approach, where he felt he was merely “going through the motions” and was just “happy to be here.” That attitude has changed dramatically. “I’m not that guy no more. I don’t care. I’m coming to kill. I’m coming to knock him out. He has to kill me to get me out of there.”
His perspective on combat sports has shifted significantly over the past few years, a change he believes will be evident in the octagon.
For his prior UFC fights, Moutinho admits his main focus was on putting on a spectacle, which resulted in memorable, but ultimately losing, efforts. He intends to correct this outcome against Wellmaker, although his fights naturally tend to be exciting.
Reflecting on his long career, Moutinho said, “This sport in the 12 years, 13 years that I’ve been doing it, it’s taken a lot from me.” He`s found that surprisingly, caring “less” about the sport (in a detached, less self-pressuring way) has paradoxically allowed him to enjoy training and fighting more. He’s returned to the fundamental aspects of the game: “Mixing the game.”
He acknowledged getting “a little too punch crazy” in the past, enjoying trading shots perhaps too much, which “didn’t pan out well” in his previous UFC appearances. Now, he`s “opening my game up a little bit, worked on the flaws that I had last time and just a more complete fighter now.”
In a peculiar twist, Moutinho`s UFC return mirrors his debut in several ways, as he is once again stepping in on short notice to face a highly regarded prospect.
While he appreciates the outpouring of support received after his battle with O`Malley, Moutinho understandably hopes for a different outcome this time around.
“It’s a little bit déjà vu,” he remarked on the situation. “It’s pretty much the same thing that happened last time. I’m fighting a tall, lanky good striker on nine days’ notice. It feels pretty similar.” However, he stressed the crucial difference: “I’m a different person than I was then. I’m a lot older, a lot more at peace with myself and where I’m at in life. Hopefully it’s going to be a better show.”
He respects his opponent, Malcolm Wellmaker: “I think Malcolm’s a great fighter. He’s 9-0 for a reason. He’s a powerful guy, has power in both hands, he looks to counter a lot.” While acknowledging Wellmaker`s versatility (“he can wrestle, he can grapple, he can do everything”), Moutinho is focused on his own strengths. “I expect what I do very well is put pressure, control the pace of the fight and use my wrestling here and there and do what I’m supposed to do.”
Beginning fight week with a determined and focused demeanor, Moutinho recognizes the value of this second opportunity, yet feels this moment represents his true introduction to the UFC. Despite his previous 0-2 record in the promotion, he fully expects to display a vastly improved version of himself when he clashes with Wellmaker on Saturday.
Regarding his upcoming fight, Moutinho`s mentality is clear: “You’re in my way and I have to put you down and that’s the only way it’s going to be.” He expressed unwavering self-belief, repeating, “I’ve been saying this to myself, I am inevitable. My time is inevitable. I’m here for a reason. I got back for a reason. There’s no stopping me.”
Wesley Dunham