Back in June of 2025, MarQuel Mederos picked up his third straight UFC win – a decision victory over Mark Choinski. The momentum appeared clear for Mederos, but the chance to capitalize on it didn’t come. Now on the shelf for nearly 10 months, the MMA Lab-product discussed the benefits from being away for as long as he has.
“Just a lot of growth. I was looking at it today – I got into the UFC, and I think I was only pro for two years from the time I got into the UFC, which that’s not common at all,” Mederos said. “And I had only been training martial arts four years before that. I thought about it from the perspective of these gaps, although I don’t like them, I’m getting to grow within the game, which not a lot of guys get to do.”
With that time, he not only spent time working in the gym, but also spent time reviewing his entire career. Going back to the very beginning, he dug through his catalog of fights to nitpick the little things.
“It’s been a lot of growth. I repeatedly watched all my fights, even going back to my amateurs before this, and just worked everything that I saw was a hole and just tightened it up these last nine or 10 months,” he said. “honestly, this nine or 10 months, not to say it was needed, but it’s definitely brought my game to another level.”
Now he’ll get a chance to put all of that growth on display as he takes on Taco Padilla. While he likes the name value that comes with the fight, he likes the matchup even better.
“I don’t necessarily look at the name. I just look at the man for what he is and what he brings to the table,” Mederos said. “I’ve seen what he brings to the table and I’m ready to do work.”
You can catch Mederos doing work as part of the UFC 327 prelim card. The card begins at 5:30pm EST this Saturday and airs on Paramount+.
