UFC Fight Night 221: Jonathan Martinez believes 2023 is ‘the year people are gonna start recognizing me’
Bantamweight contender hopes a win at Saturday’s event will stop his search for a top-15 ranking.
The last time I checked in with Jonathan Martinez before his October bout against Cub Swanson, I wondered if he had any plans for 2023.
He did.
“I think that’s the year people are gonna start recognizing me,” Martinez said. “I had my lows and had my highs, but I’m gonna get that ranking, and people are gonna start seeing me and calling me out.”
Martinez scored a “Performance of the Night” TKO of Swanson that night in Las Vegas, and as he kicks off his 2023 campaign this Saturday in the “Fight Capital of the World,” he may just be one win away from hitting his mark. And it’s only March.
“It felt real good when they offered me to him,” said Martinez (17-4 MMA, 8-3 UFC) of his upcoming matchup with Said Nurmagomedov (17-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC), one which may land him in the bantamweight Top 15, considering that both fighters will enter the octagon on four-fight winning streaks.
It’s a big fight for the division, but with each 135-pounder not exactly lighting up social media with their daily exploits, it’s one flying under the radar a little bit, which, not surprisingly, is just fine with Martinez.
“I just pretty much worry about myself,” he said. “Once a name comes up, I start looking a little bit, but I don’t watch much; I just focus on myself to get better.”
So he doesn’t have Nurmagomedov’s picture on the mirror to look at first thing in the morning?
“No,” Martinez laughs. “I guess he’s a quiet guy like me.”
He is, but like Nurmagomedov, Martinez’ performances speak volumes, none louder than his stoppage of Swanson, which saw him rise to the occasion in the biggest fight of his career. And no, the extra attention didn’t bother him.
“I’m pretty much really calm on all the stuff,” he said. “It doesn’t matter. I know I just got a job to do. So nervous or not nervous, I still got to go in there and fight. And at the end of the day, I’m just going in there doing my thing.”
That means there was no moment when he looked across the octagon and thought, “That’s Cub Swanson.”
“Nah,” he said. “My coach (Marc Montoya) told me, ‘Remove the name, remove the face, and let’s go make a statement.’ And that’s what I did.”
He did, and he’s in search of another one against Nurmagomedov, not letting his hunger wane in the slightest after performing in the hottest spotlight he’s ever been in.
“Man, I just love the sport,” he said. “Every day I’m excited to go to the gym. I’m excited to do new things, so I’m here all the time and really don’t have no breaks. I’m trying to be the best I can.”
To get there, there are long hours in the gym, and long weeks away from his family, which includes three kids, aged 14, 12 and five.
“Sometimes it sucks because I’m away from them, but I know I got to work hard for them and just go make a statement.”
That statement? That 2023 is Jonathan Martinez’ year.
This story first published at UFC.com.