UFC 332: Silva vs. Wang continues on the prelims with a fight between Damian Pinas and Andrey Pulyaev in the middleweight division. Check out our UFC 332 odds series for our Pinas-Pulyaev prediction and pick.
Damian Pinas (10-1) enters UFC 332 after knocking out Cesar Almeida in the first round in July. Before that, he stopped Wesley Schultz with first-round punches in February, extending his streak to five straight TKO wins as he comes into his fight this weekend against Andrey Pulyaev.
Andrey Pulyaev (10-5) enters UFC 332 coming off a first-round neck-crank submission loss to Nursulton Ruziboev in June. Before that, he dropped a unanimous decision to Ateba Gautier in January, extending his skid to two fights as he comes into his fight this weekend against Damian Pinas.
UFC 332 Odds, courtesy of DraftKings.
UFC 332 Odds: Damian Pinas-Andrey Pulyaev Odds
Damian Pinas: -550
Andrey Pulyaev: +410
Over 1.5 Rounds: +110
Under 1.5 Rounds: -140
Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (free trial)Why Damian Pinas Will Win
Damian Pinas should beat Andrey Pulyaev because his current momentum and first-round finishing ability make him the more dangerous fighter from the opening bell. The 10-1 middleweight has won five straight fights by first-round knockout, including both of his UFC appearances.
Pinas stopped Wes Schultz in February and knocked out Cesar Almeida in July, needing less than five minutes of Octagon time across those victories. His knockout of Almeida came after he countered a lazy kick with a decisive right hand, illustrating his ability to capitalize immediately on mistakes.
Pulyaev carries experience, but he is just 1-3 in the UFC and enters off losses to Ateba Gautier and Nursulton Ruziboev. That recent form makes it difficult to trust him against a fighter applying the level of early pressure Pinas has displayed.
The blueprint is simple: Pinas should pressure without becoming reckless, attack Pulyaev’s body and legs, then wait for the Russian to retreat in straight lines or overextend. Pulyaev’s southpaw stance may present different looks, but it also gives Pinas opportunities to counter over the lead hand.
Pinas has not fought beyond the first round in the UFC, so a prolonged fight would raise valid unanswered questions. Still, the matchup favors his best attribute: explosive striking when opponents make a technical error.
Why Andrey Pulyaev Will Win
Article Continues BelowAndrey Pulyaev’s upset path begins with surviving Damian Pinas’ explosive opening round and turning the fight into a longer tactical contest. Pinas has won both UFC bouts by first-round knockout, but his sample size remains small and leaves questions about his effectiveness once an opponent extends him.
Pulyaev should lean on his southpaw stance, movement, and defensive discipline to keep Pinas from finding the clean counters that ended his previous fights. The goal is to make Pinas miss, force resets, and deny him the stationary targets he needs for his fast combinations.
Experience favors Pulyaev, who has fought in the UFC four times, compared with Pinas’ two appearances. That does not ensure victory, but it gives Pulyaev a better chance to understand the pacing, pressure, and adjustments needed after the opening exchanges.
Pinas’ aggressive style also carries defensive risk, as his UFC figures show 39 percent striking defense and 5.89 significant strikes absorbed per minute. Pulyaev can exploit that by countering straight down the middle rather than exchanging wildly at close range.
The Russian must avoid trading just to prove he can match Pinas’ power. If he uses patient footwork, low kicks, and timely counters, the fight should become more manageable after the first round.
Final Damian Pinas-Andrey Pulyaev Prediction & Pick
Damian Pinas is my pick to beat Andrey Pulyaev at UFC 332 by TKO in the first or second round. The 24-year-old middleweight is 10-1, perfect through two UFC fights, and his five-fight winning streak has ended in knockouts.
Pulyaev is 10-5 and 1-3 in the UFC, and he is coming off a two-fight slump. At 6'4″ he is three inches taller than Pinas, but Pinas holds a slight reach edge, 79.5 inches to 78.5.
Pulyaev's best path is to survive early, make the fight awkward, and look for a scramble or submission. Pinas still outlanded him on paper, 6.33 significant strikes per minute to 3.60, with 63 percent accuracy to 55 percent.
Pinas also has weaknesses, since he absorbs 5.34 significant strikes a minute. Against a heavier-handed opponent that could be a problem, but Pulyaev has landed less volume overall.
My pick is Pinas by second-round TKO.
Final Damian Pinas-Andrey Pulyaev Prediction & Pick: Damian Pinas (-550), UNDER 1.5 Rounds (-140)