Kris Moutinho is scheduled to return to the UFC this Saturday. He initially gained significant attention in 2021 when he accepted a short-notice fight against Sean O’Malley, resulting in a chaotic and memorable bout that earned Fight of the Night honors. However, following that loss and another defeat to Guido Cannetti eight months later, he was released from the UFC roster.
Despite being celebrated and admired for his exciting, fan-friendly style inside the cage, the now 32-year-old bantamweight revealed he was experiencing a very difficult time in his personal life.
“I went through a really bad time with relationships, with everything else in my life and I was just a mess,” Moutinho shared during UFC Atlanta media day. “I was very close to ending this thing, ending it all and being done.”
“I don’t want to talk too much about it but it was a bad time. One of the worst times in my life. 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 he certainly appreciates the opportunity he previously had to compete in the UFC, Moutinho concedes he was likely not in the correct mental state to achieve success during that brief period with the promotion.
After his departure, Moutinho decided to reset and resumed competing on the regional circuit. There, he successfully compiled a five-fight winning streak, securing four finishes. He wasn`t necessarily campaigning hard for a UFC return, but when the opportunity arose, he quickly accepted the chance to come back, booking a fight against promising contender Malcolm Wellmaker on Saturday.
“I feel like I’m where God put me, where I’m supposed to be,” Moutinho stated. “I feel like this is the guy that should have been here in 2021. The guy that is mentally focused, enjoys this stuff again.”
He contrasted this with his previous mindset: “[Back] then, I was just going through the motions and I was happy to be here but I was kind of just happy to be here. 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.”
Moutinho’s relationship with combat sports has undergone a significant transformation over the past few years, a change he believes will be apparent when he steps back into the octagon.
For both of his previous UFC bouts, Moutinho said his main focus was simply to put on an entertaining show. However, those memorable, high-action fights ultimately resulted in consecutive losses. He now aims to rectify that with his performance against Wellmaker, though his natural tendency is still to deliver incredibly exciting fights.
“This sport in the 12 years, 13 years that I’ve been doing it, it’s taken a lot from me,” Moutinho reflected. “I care less I guess about this sport and less about what I’m doing and that’s somehow freed me to enjoy it more when I am in there and when I am training and when I am fighting. I got back to what I did when I started this stuff. Mixing the game.”
He explained his past approach: “I got a little too punch crazy and I wanted to throw punches and get hit by punches and I enjoyed it a little too much, didn’t pan out well when I was here the last time. I’m just 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 somewhat strange parallel, Moutinho’s return to the UFC closely resembles his promotional debut; he is once again taking a fight on short notice against a highly-touted prospect.
As much as he appreciated the widespread support he received after the battle with O’Malley four years ago, Moutinho is understandably hoping for a significantly different outcome this time around.
“It’s a little bit déjà vu,” Moutinho commented. “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.” He stressed his personal growth: “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.” Regarding his opponent, he noted, “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. He might change, he could do something completely different this time but again a lot of his fights, he counters and looks for the big hooks and he can wrestle, he can grapple, he can do everything.” Moutinho detailed his own strategy: “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.”
Approaching fight week with a focused and stoic expression, Moutinho understands the value of this second opportunity. In many ways, he views this upcoming bout as his true introduction to the UFC audience.
While his record in the promotion currently stands at 0-2, Moutinho anticipates showcasing a significantly different version of himself when he clashes with Wellmaker on Saturday.
Speaking about the upcoming fight with resolve, Moutinho stated: “You’re in my way and I have to put you down and that’s the only way it’s going to be.” He added, repeating a phrase to himself, “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.”
