Athletes
Wes Schultz Is Diving In Head-First
Middleweight Debutant Faces A Dangerous Test In His First Octagon Assignment; Plans To Meet Challenge Head-on.
Wes Schultz is all set for his UFC debut as he looks to kick off the show in style in Mexico City.
The Milwaukee native sat down for his first UFC.com fight week interview shortly after fighter check-in, and he was still awestruck by the experience.
"This is sweet!" he grinned. "I'm glad I got my passport back in 2022 – I never even really used it until now. I'm so glad it was where I left it."
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Schultz is in town for the biggest fight of his career as he prepares to face fellow debutant – and fellow Dana White’s Contender Series alum – Damien Pinas in the opening bout of the night.
It's his first fight since he finished Mario Mingaj at the UFC APEX with a rarely-seen Suloev Stretch submission — a modified kneebar from the back. It was a collector's item finish that few fighters will ever achieve, and it earned him a shot in the big show.
It's his first fight since he finished Mario Mingaj at the UFC APEX with a rarely-seen Suloev Stretch submission — a modified kneebar from the back. It was a collector's item finish that few fighters will ever achieve, and it earned him a shot in the big show.
Looking back at that night in Las Vegas, Schultz said that his abiding memory of the fight was the fact that his coaches screamed at him to go for the submission, rather than use the technique to improve his position.
"Definitely my coaches yelling." he said, remembering what stood out in that performance. "I was about to let that thing (the Suloev Stretch) go. That's usually just like a sweep. They're like, 'Put your hips into it!' I was like, 'Okay, it's not gonna work...' But it did!"
It forced the first-round submission as Schultz claimed a UFC contract with a highlight-reel finish. And now he's ready to make his walk to the Octagon for the first time as a UFC fighter.
It's an exciting moment for any fighter, but the 29-year-old said he's going to do his best to keep his feelings in check as he focuses on the job at hand.
"Ideally, (I'll have) no emotions. But that's tough," he said. "I think it'll depend how the crowd is, you know? A lot of times the first few fights the arena is kind of empty, but I think the Mexican crowd's gonna show up. I think it's gonna be electric. I think it'll be pumped."
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Schultz will take on Pinas, who earned his UFC contract via the Contender Series two weeks earlier than the American. The pair have crossed paths in Las Vegas, and Schultz admitted there's no personal tension between the middleweights as they get ready for their respective debuts.
"He's a pretty cool guy. We've talked a few times at the (UFC) PI. (He's) athletic as f***, hits hard as s***."
"It's a different type of fight – a lot more risk, but a lot more satisfying if you win. So you know, just the stakes are way higher, and I'm f****** pumped up to go."
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Pinas needed just 106 seconds to blast his way into the UFC, and he arrives on the big stage with an 8-1 record, with seven knockouts and one submission to his name.
Pinas' formidable striking is an unavoidable issue for Schultz on Saturday night and, while some may try to stay on the outside to avoid punishment, Schultz said he plans to take a much more hard-nosed approach.
When asked how to slow down a man with six first-round finishes to his name, Schultz said simply, "Attaching myself to him."
"He's a big, f****** scary mother****** that comes at you, throwing bombs. You want to back up, but I think wading into the fire is gonna be the quickest way out of it.
"I don't have to take him down right away, but I gotta make contact, and I gotta stand my ground. I can't be backing up into his pressure. The cage is only so big, and he's gonna find me at some point, so I'd better find him first."
As first tests go, it's a pretty formidable one, but it's one that Schultz is excited to tackle head-on. And while every debutant wants to pick up a win in their first UFC appearance, for Schultz it's a chance to prove that his unconventional career choice was the right move.
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"(It'll be) vindication that I haven't wasted my 20s," he said. "It'd probably give me the financial incentive to pay back some decade-old student loans, and it would just be f****** sweet, man.
"I'm gonna walk out to the Nacho Libre theme song and go get a win in Mexico City. Tell me that there's a better weekend than that. I don't think there is!"
UFC Fight Night: Moreno vs Kavanagh took place live from Arena CDMX in Mexico City on February 28, 2026. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!