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DAVID MARTINEZ | ONE FIGHT AT A TIME
Bantamweight Standout Focused Solely On Saturday’s Pairing With ‘Chito’ Vera
David Martinez made his UFC debut 11 months ago, stepping into the Octagon in Mexico City against Saimon Oliveira and registering a first-round stoppage win that sent the raucous crowd at Arena CDMX into hysterics.
It was an outstanding initial effort for the Dana White’s Contender Series (DWCS) grad, underscoring the upside the bantamweight prospect carried into his first year on the roster.
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Saturday evening, Martinez returns to Arena CDMX, but this time he does so sporting a number next to his name and set to compete against former title challenger Marlon “Chito” Vera in the co-main event of Saturday’s fight card on Paramount+.
“I am very nervous, but I am good,” Martinez said on Tuesday morning, an anxious grin sweeping across his face. “It’s a dream fighting in Mexico with my people, in my country, with all the energy of the people.”
It’s an uncanny position for someone not yet through his first full year on the roster to be in — stationed in the top 10, facing a veteran standout of Vera’s stature, and doing so at home, in front of a partisan crowd — but this is the byproduct of Martinez answering the door when opportunity knocked and then making the absolute most of things.
After running through Oliveira last March, the 27-year-old was booked for his second appearance at Noche UFC in San Antonio, Texas against Quang Le, a durable talent who was also coming off his first win in the promotion. It was a reasonable matchup for the DWCS Season 8 alum, who logged a dozen pro bouts, winning 11 of them, before touching down in the Octagon and a suitable follow-up to an impressive debut.
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A little more than a week before the event, Martinez was tapped to replace Raul Rosas Jr. opposite divisional mainstay Rob Font, turning his sophomore appearance into a co-main event assignment against a ranked fighter.
Rather than folding to the pressure, Martinez rose to the occasion, winning the pivotal third round on all three judges’ scorecards to secure the victory and earn a place in the bantamweight top 15.
“The surprise is the opportunity because I (wasn’t looking) for this opportunity,” he said of the fight with Font, which elevated his record to 13-1 and pushed his winning streak to nine straight overall. “When Raul Rosas Jr. (didn’t) fight with Rob Font, I felt ready for this fight, and I go with it and (this happened).”
There have been a few more instances of first-year fighters crashing the rankings as UFC rookies in recent years, but to do it in the loaded bantamweight division is an even more impressive accomplishment.
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Of course, that also brings greater challenges, like this weekend’s assignment against Vera.
“Yes, of course — I’m very nervous, but the people give me all the energy I need for this fight,” Martinez said when asked about competing at home this weekend. “It’s the extra that I need for a good performance (on Saturday).
“Really I was waiting (for this fight) because it makes sense for me,” he continued, shifting his attention to Vera, who is situated one spot ahead of him in the rankings. “Fighting with ‘Chito’ Vera in Mexico, in my country (makes sense) because (he’s) a legend in the sport, (he’s) a legend in Latin America; (he’s) a legend in Mexico too. I am new blood, a new generation, and it’s a good fight for the people.”
One of the tricky things with young athletes that have immediate and elevated success is that it’s impossible to know how they are going to react to those achievements. It’s one thing to make slow and steady progress up the chain, winning the fights you’re “supposed” to win and showing development along the way, but it’s something entirely different when you parachute into a top 15 pairing in your second fight, earn a clear and decisive win, and come away with a place in the top 10 of one of the deepest, most competitive divisions in the sport.
Those types of things can be jarring; can alter the way you view yourself, or approach your craft. But heading into Saturday night’s showdown with Vera, it’s clear that Martinez remains the laser-focused, harsh critic that he was before he burst into the rankings last September.
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“I am very strict — the (grade) is 9 or 8.5,” he said when asked to assess his performance in year one.
“The biggest challenge (with this fight) is maybe (that it’s) my first fight with my number in the rankings,” he added, looking ahead to this weekend and the kickoff to his 2026 campaign. “But it’s just the mind; it’s just a challenge in the mind.”
While the biggest challenge may indeed be mental, Martinez is also aware that the weapon he needs to rely upon the most against Vera is neither his punches nor his kicks.
“I need to fight with heart because he’s a very strong opponent,” he said flatly when asked what he needs to do in order to earn a victory this weekend. “Enjoy the fight; that’s it. I am ready for three, five or 10 rounds with ‘Chito’ Vera.”
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The other sign that the “super sophomore” hasn’t allowed his first-year success to alter his approach or attitude? He has no interest in discussing anything beyond this weekend.
“I don’t know what’s the target,” Martinez said when asked of his 2026 goals and aspirations. “I think fight-by-fight, and the most important for me is this Saturday, 28th of February versus Chito Vera.”
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!