MMA News

Tag: Jonathan Martinez

  • Ranked Bantamweight Jonathan Martinez Set To Return At MSG-Held UFC 309

    The lineup for the UFC’s return to Madison Square Garden is beginning to come together, and it now includes a top 15 bantamweight in Jonathan Martinez.

    Mixed martial arts’ leading promotion will soon be back in New York City for its usual November event at MSG. As was the plan for last year’s card, a heavyweight title fight between Jon Jones and returning legend Stipe Miocic is expected to serve as the UFC 309 main event.

    Below the headliners, fans will no doubt be expecting a number of exciting matchups for the high-profile event. And when it comes to the chances of delivering fireworks, they would appear to be high for the recently confirmed bantamweight bout between Martinez (19-5) and Marcus McGhee (9-1).

    The fight was announced this week by the pair’s management team, Iridium Sports Agency.

    Martinez Targets Bounce-Back Win After Disappointing Defeat To Aldo

    When he returns on November 16, Martinez will be searching for a quick rebound performance following a setback on Brazilian soil this past May.

    Martinez, who currently occupies the #13 spot at 135 pounds, was chosen to welcome the legendary JosĆ© Aldo back from retirement at UFC 301 in Rio de Janeiro. Having risen the ladder with six straight wins and recently defeated the highly touted Adrian YaƱez, “The Dragon” was targeting the biggest victory of his career to date at the expense of the former featherweight kingpin.

    But the 30-year-old ultimately fell short, putting on a gun-shy display that paved the way for Aldo to secure a comfortable unanimous decision victory in his comeback fight and a return to the bantamweight division’s top 10.

    If he’s to avoid the first losing skid of his professional career, Martinez must now defend his ranking opposite McGhee. “The Maniac” has made a splash in his short Octagon career thus far, going 3-0 since his signing in 2023. The former LFA standout is yet to reach the scorecards in the UFC, finishing Journey Newson and Gaston BolaƱos by way of knockout and JP Buys via submission.

    With this addition, the current fights expected to take place at UFC 309 on Nov. 16 are as follows:

    • Nikita Krylov vs. Azamat Murzakanov (light heavyweight)
    • Chris Weidman vs. Eryk Anders (middleweight)
    • Jonathan Martinez vs. Marcus McGhee (bantamweight)
    • Karine Silva vs. Viviane AraĆŗjo (women’s flyweight)
    • Veronica Hardy vs. Eduarda Moura (women’s flyweight)
    AraĆŗjo
    Image: UFC/Zuffa LLC
  • Jonathan Martinez Calls For Dominick Cruz Sphere Showdown After Taking Issue With His Commentary

    Jonathan Martinez Calls For Dominick Cruz Sphere Showdown After Taking Issue With His Commentary

    Jonathan Martinez has a bone to pick with former UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz, one that he wants to settle in the unique surroundings of the Sphere this fall.

    Martinez is on the hunt for his next assignment on mixed martial artsā€™ biggest stage following a disappointing night at the office in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, this past May, where he fell to defeat at the hands of the returning JosĆ© Aldo in the UFC 301 co-main event.

    Having risen into the rankings at 135 pounds courtesy of six straight wins following a knockout loss to Davey Grant, Martinez looked to ride the momentum from victories over Cub Swanson, Said Nurmagomedov, and Adrian YaƱez into his showdown with the UFC legend.

    Unfortunately for the #14-ranked contender, he was convincingly outpointed at Jeunesse Arena, and he subsequently had to watch on as Aldo returned to the top 10 spot he had desired.

    A couple of months on, the Factory X standout is looking ahead to his opportunity to bounce back, and he hopes itā€™ll come against another prominent name in the sport…

    Martinez Was ā€˜Never A Fanā€™ Of Cruz

    During an interview with MMA Junkie at UFC X during International Fight Week, Martinez reflected on his setback in South America and named his preferred option moving forward.

    After outlining his desire to join the lineup for the upcoming pay-per-view event at Las Vegasā€™ Sphere on September 14, Martinez pitched former champion Dominick Cruz as the ideal opponent.

    Explaining that choice, the 30-year-old Californian said heā€™s been noting some frustrating remarks from ā€œThe Dominatorā€ while heā€™s been commentating over his fights in recent times.

    ā€œI want to be on that (Sphere) card in September,ā€ Martinez said. ā€œI want to be on that card, and Iā€™ve been hearing Dominick Cruz wants to fight on that date, too. Hopefully they give me him. I just hear him every time I fight heā€™s always saying, ā€˜I donā€™t know why they donā€™t check Jonathanā€™s kicks.ā€™ Put him in front of me and let him do that and see what happens.ā€

    While analyzing his defeat to Aldo, Martinez admitted that he was somewhat starstruck by the ā€œKing of Rioā€ on May 4. Suffice to say, he wouldnā€™t have that issue should he be stood across from Cruz inside the cage down the line…

    ā€œI was never a fan. He was just there to me.ā€

    The promotion is set to stage its second Mexican Independence Day celebration, titled Riyadh Season Noche UFC, from the Sphere on September 14.

    While nothing major has been announced toward the top of the card to date, the likes of Anthony ā€œFluffyā€ Hernandez, Yazmin Jauregui, and Edgar ChĆ”irez are among the names with reported matchups for the lineup thus far.