Jonathan Martinez sees win over Adrian Yanez boosting career, leading to top 10

LAS VEGAS – Jonathan Martinez plans to make the most of his chance to fight Adrian Yanez.

Martinez (18-4 MMA, 9-3 UFC) is set to face Yanez (16-4 MMA, 5-1 UFC) in a bantamweight bout on the main card of UFC Fight Night 230 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Catch the event streaming on ESPN+.

Martinez believes defeating a popular fighter like Yanez will gain him more recognition and a higher rank in the UFC rankings.

“A victory in this fight will be a major boost for me,” Martinez said during a pre-fight news conference held on Wednesday. “It could propel me into the top 10 or even higher.”

Yanez experienced his first loss in the octagon back in April when he was knocked out by Rob Font. Prior to that, he boasted a nine-fight winning streak and earned bonuses in his first five UFC wins.

Martinez has been quietly climbing up the rankings, with his most notable win being a finish against Cub Swanson in his last fight in October. He shared how the matchup with Yanez came together.

“He’s a formidable opponent,” Martinez stated. “When his name was brought up, we happened to be at International Fight Week. He was looking for an opponent, and I was also in search of one. And now, here we are – fighting each other.”

Watch the full pre-fight interview with Martinez in the video above.

For more information about the event, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 230.

Story originally appeared on MMA Junkie