2024 Contender Series winner David Martinez made his promotional debut at UFC Mexico City on Saturday, taking on 2021 DWCS alum Saimon Oliveira.
The bantamweight fight was the first in over two years for the returning Oliveira, leaving him at something of a disadvantage and a clear underdog in the fight.
Round one began with Martínez taking the center of the cage, using hard feints to dictate the pace. He relied heavily on kicks and lateral movement early, making it difficult for Oliveira to find his range. Desperate to close the distance, Oliveira rushed in without setups, allowing Martínez to clinch and break away with ease.
With less than a minute remaining, Martínez landed a right hand that rocked Oliveira but chose not to pursue immediately. Moments later, he capitalized on an opening, slipping back to land a crisp right-hand counter followed by a devastating knee that sent Oliveira crashing to the canvas. Martínez sealed the victory with ground-and-pound, rendering the Brazilian unconscious.
Now having joined sister “Super Mely” Melissa Martinez in the UFC, things are most certainly looking up for David Martinez moving forward. The pair are a rare brother-sister duo to compete inside the octagon.
Official Result: David Martínez def. Saimon Oliveira by TKO (Knee and GNP), Round 1, 4:38
