Daniel Pineda expected his fight at UFC San Antonio against Tucker Lutz to be his last.
Pineda was fighting out his UFC contract last weekend and at 37 years old, he thought retirement was the likely move after the bout. Yet, in the fight, Pineda says it was the best he has felt in quite some time and put on a great performance as he submitted Lutz as a sizeable underdog.
“Usually when I get that guillotine and that tight, people don’t get out. But, he got out which surprised me,” Pineda said to BJPENN.com. “The second time I got it, I knew he wasn’t getting out of it. The second one was tighter so he was either tapping out or passing out.”
Heading into the fight, Pineda says there was pressure on him as it was both his return and possibly last fight. Yet, he used that to fuel him and put on a great performance to get a stoppage win and a $50k bonus.
Now, after the win, Daniel Pineda says the UFC has already reached out to try and re-sign him. With that, he says retirement is less likely assuming the money is what he wants it to be.
“There is always pressure. But, I knew it was my last fight, I thought whatever happens I will retire unless the money is right. Right now we are talking to the UFC and we are talking about re-signing so they are trying to re-sign me,” Pineda said. “But, we will see what they offer. We have been talking for the last few days, so that is a good thing. I put on a show every time I go into the cage.”
If Pineda does re-sign and keep fighting, the hope is to make a quick turnaround against whoever the UFC offers him. But, his one request is to only fight in front of fans from now on.
“I only took a few days off but I’m back in the gym. I told Jason (my manager) that if the money is right and I do re-sign and don’t retire, the sooner the better to return. I want to be active after being off for so long,” Pineda concluded. “It’s really whoever they offer me. I have nothing against Fili, nothing against Cub, those fights happened already, obviously, I want all my losses back but it’s whoever they give me.”
Who would you like to see Daniel Pineda fight next if he does re-sign?
