Athletes
Melissa Martinez Is Committed To The Game
After Securing Her First UFC Win, Melissa Martinez Is Eager To Show Her Improvements At UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs Teixeira
Melissa Martinez stays in the gym whether she is fighting or not. It’s the lifestyle she and her brother, fellow UFC fighter David Martinez, chose. The two made history as the second sister-brother duo to compete in the UFC. Melissa earned her contract first, making her debut at UFC 279: Diaz vs Ferguson against Elise Reed. However, she fell short on the judges’ scorecards, suffering her first professional loss and would have to wait more than two years to return to action.
The timing worked out, however, as David scored his contract via Dana White’s Contender Series in October 2024, just 18 days before Melissa took home a decision win over Alice Ardelean at UFC Fight Night: Hernandez vs Pereira. Back in the winner’s circle and officially a UFC victor, Martinez didn’t rest on her laurels and got back to work.
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"It was a win that actually made me aware of the things that I need to improve on,” she said. “I don't get caught up on results. I just think of how I can improve and how I can get better in all areas of MMA.”
That’s the attitude of someone committed to the game. Spend any time around Martinez, and you see her words come less from a place of stress, but rather joy. Even during the rigors of fight week, Martinez flashes a quick smile.
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At 27 years old and sporting a 7-1 record, “Super Mely” gives the impression of a self-aware athlete, a crucial trait for a young fighter looking to survive the shark pit that is the strawweight division.
“No matter how well you’re doing at something, you still need to improve and still need to work on improving and getting better at it,” Martinez said.
Things never get easier in the UFC, and as much is the case in Martinez’s third UFC bout at UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs Teixeira in Nashville. There, she faces rising American prospect Fatima Kline, who is also coming off her first UFC win and heading into her third Octagon assignment.
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After stepping in on short notice to face Jasmine Jasudavicius in a flyweight bout, Kline returned to 115 pounds in style as she picked up a TKO win over Viktoriia Dudakova in the second round at UFC Fight Night: Dern vs Ribas 2.
“This is a very interesting fight, a tough fight,” Martinez said. “Once you get to this level, you know it's going to be tough, and everybody is on a certain level. I think that it's going to be a good fight. I think it will be an opportunity to put on a show for everybody in the stands.”
Although Martinez sports just one more professional fight on her record, she has been a pro for nearly a decade. Activity has been her bugaboo as she has competed just twice since 2020, but rust isn’t a worry for her. She stays in the gym and stays committed to sharpening her skillset, so experience could still be in her corner against Kline, who didn’t turn pro until 2021.
In the end, Martinez knows all that matters is getting her hand raised on July 12. On July 13, though, it’s back to work and supporting her brother as he seeks his second fight of the year.
It’s all business for the Martinez siblings — a family business.
“Obviously, a win is a great opportunity to celebrate and be with all the family,” she said. “But then after that, my brother obviously gets into a fight, so we work with him and support him at the same time. It's an opportunity to go back to the gym to continue to work and continue to evolve.”
UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs Teixeira took place live from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee on July 12, 2025. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!
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