Jonathan Martinez did what few fighters have done.
This past Saturday on the main card of UFC Fight Night 230, the rising UFC bantamweight contender got a rate TKO finish using leg kicks, and then called out the man few dare to mention – Merab Dvalishvili.
It was a bold move from Martinez (19-4 MMA, 10-3 UFC) as Dvalishvili is considered by many to be the toughest fight in the division, and that’s including champion Sean O’Malley.
However, Martinez doesn’t see the big deal in Dvalishvili and actually thinks it’s a favorable matchup.
“I’ve always looked at him because no one in the division wants to fight him,” Martinez said in Spanish when asked about his callout. “Many fight, win, and no one mentions his name. I can see myself beating him. People might say, ‘Oh, he’s a great wrestler. He’ll press you against the cage and this and that,’ but the thing is that I like when people try to wrestle me, that’s the way I like to fight the most.
“I believe I can beat him. He’s a regular wrestler. He just does a one, two and then goes for the legs.”
Martinez defeated prospect Adrian Yanez at UFC Fight Night 230. The victory put him on a six-fight win streak that includes other notable names such as Said Nurmagomedov and Cub Swanson.
Martinez doubts the UFC will give him Dvalishvili, but he’s not stressing about it. He’d like to fight someone in the top 10 or get a spot on the UFC’s potential return to Mexico next year.
“From 10 and above, really,” Martinez said. “I’d like to get Pedro (Munhoz) because he beat my friend Chris (Gutierrez). I’ve also been calling out Dom (Cruz) for my last three fights, but I doubt they’ll ever give him to me. So whatever the UFC wants. I would also like to fight in Mexico.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 230.
