The lineup for the UFC's return to Madison Square Garden is beginning to come together, and it now includes a top 15 bantamweight in Jonathan Martinez.
Mixed martial arts' leading promotion will soon be back in New York City for its usual November event at MSG. As was the plan for last year's card, a heavyweight title fight between Jon Jones and returning legend Stipe Miocic is expected to serve as the UFC 309 main event.
Below the headliners, fans will no doubt be expecting a number of exciting matchups for the high-profile event. And when it comes to the chances of delivering fireworks, they would appear to be high for the recently confirmed bantamweight bout between Martinez (19-5) and Marcus McGhee (9-1).
The fight was announced this week by the pair's management team, Iridium Sports Agency.
Martinez Targets Bounce-Back Win After Disappointing Defeat To Aldo
When he returns on November 16, Martinez will be searching for a quick rebound performance following a setback on Brazilian soil this past May.
Martinez, who currently occupies the #13 spot at 135 pounds, was chosen to welcome the legendary José Aldo back from retirement at UFC 301 in Rio de Janeiro. Having risen the ladder with six straight wins and recently defeated the highly touted Adrian Yañez, "The Dragon" was targeting the biggest victory of his career to date at the expense of the former featherweight kingpin.
But the 30-year-old ultimately fell short, putting on a gun-shy display that paved the way for Aldo to secure a comfortable unanimous decision victory in his comeback fight and a return to the bantamweight division's top 10.
If he's to avoid the first losing skid of his professional career, Martinez must now defend his ranking opposite McGhee. "The Maniac" has made a splash in his short Octagon career thus far, going 3-0 since his signing in 2023. The former LFA standout is yet to reach the scorecards in the UFC, finishing Journey Newson and Gaston Bolaños by way of knockout and JP Buys via submission.
With this addition, the current fights expected to take place at UFC 309 on Nov. 16 are as follows:
- Nikita Krylov vs. Azamat Murzakanov (light heavyweight)
- Chris Weidman vs. Eryk Anders (middleweight)
- Jonathan Martinez vs. Marcus McGhee (bantamweight)
- Karine Silva vs. Viviane Araújo (women's flyweight)
- Veronica Hardy vs. Eduarda Moura (women's flyweight)
