If the always soft-spoken Martinez is feeling the pressure of the biggest fight of his career, he’s not showing it. And though he does know the magnitude of the situation in facing someone he grew up watching, when the Octagon gate shuts, it’s just another fight.
“I used to watch him and I’m still a big fan,” Martinez said of Swanson. “I think I was 14, 15 years old watching him in WEC and I wasn’t even thinking about fighting back then. But at the end of the day, when that door closes, everything shuts down for me. It’s the same thing as when I fought Thomas Almeida. I was a big fan of his, watching all his career, but when I was in the cage, I was ready.”
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And he’s ready for this opportunity to extend his winning streak and make his case for a place in the bantamweight Top 15. And if the latter doesn’t come through now, he’s ready to take his spot in the rankings in 2023.
“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. And I want to show that in this division, I can do it all.”
