TLDR
- Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera will face David Martinez at UFC Mexico on February 28 at Arena CDMX
- Vera enters the bout ranked No. 8 but on a three-fight losing streak after losses to O’Malley, Figueiredo, and Zahabi
- Martinez is ranked No. 10 after going 2-0 in the UFC in 2024, including a win over Rob Font
- The 27-year-old Martinez earned his contract through The Contender Series and will fight in front of his home country
- Vera announced his return to training on January 13 after taking time off with family in Italy
Sources: Empire Sports Media | Primicias | MMA Fighting
Former UFC bantamweight title challenger Marlon “Chito” Vera will face rising contender David Martinez at UFC Mexico on February 28 at Arena CDMX. The bout was confirmed by multiple sources after Vera announced his return to training on social media.
Vera, currently ranked No. 8 in the bantamweight division, enters the fight looking to snap a three-fight losing streak. The 33-year-old Ecuadorian fighter recently announced he was back in training after a family vacation in Italy.
“De vuelta al ruedo” (Back to the ring), Vera posted on his X account on January 13. The post came after he spent time away from the sport following his most recent loss.
Vera’s Recent Struggles
The Chone, Ecuador native has faced a difficult stretch in his UFC career. After building a 5-1 record that earned him a title shot, Vera has gone just 1-4 in his last five fights.
Vera challenged Sean O’Malley for the bantamweight title at UFC 299 in March 2024, losing by unanimous decision. He then dropped decisions to Deiveson Figueiredo and most recently to Aiemann Zahabi in October at UFC Vancouver.
David Martinez gets another step up against “Chito” Vera at #UFCMexico pic.twitter.com/WJpqEJuifq
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) January 13, 2026
The loss to Zahabi came by split decision, keeping Vera’s record at 23-11-1. Despite the losing streak, Vera has only lost to quality competition during this stretch.
Martinez’s Rapid Rise
David Martinez presents a tough test for Vera at just 27 years old. The Mexican fighter earned his UFC contract through The Contender Series at the end of 2024.
Martinez went 2-0 in the UFC last year with impressive performances. He scored a first-round knockout against Saimon Oliveira in his debut.
His second fight proved even more impressive when he took a short-notice opportunity against veteran Rob Font. Martinez defeated Font by decision at Noche UFC in September, earning him the No. 10 ranking in the bantamweight division.
Martinez holds a professional record of 13-1 and will have home crowd support in Mexico City. The fight gives him a chance to break into the top 10 with a win over a former title challenger.
The bantamweight matchup will take place on a card headlined by former flyweight champion Brandon Moreno facing Asu Almabayev. The event streams on Paramount+ from Arena CDMX in Mexico City on February 28.
