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Bantamweights
NR | Jonathan Martinez (13-4, 4-3 UFC) vs. NR | Marcelo Rojo (16-7, 0-1 UFC)ODDS: Martinez (-165), Rojo (+145)
Martinez is slowly working his way up the bantamweight ladder in fits and starts, as is to be expected from a prospect who still felt somewhat raw upon entering the UFC in 2018. Martinez was still a blank slate heading into that late-notice debut against Andre Soukhamthath, but he has since developed a patient style that alternates between defensive mindfulness and bursts of violence. That has led to some moments in which Martinez has been frustratingly patient, even losing a decision to Andre Ewell as a result, but he has also scored some impressive wins, including an October victory over Thomas Almeida that was thought to be a bit of a breakthrough. However, Martinez suffered a knockout loss to Davey Grant in his last bout and now looks to regain his momentum against Rojo.
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Argentina’s Rojo took the long road to the UFC, putting together a long regional career—including a run on Season 3 of “The Ultimate Fighter Latin America”—before finally getting the late-notice call in March. Rojo’s style is built entirely around straight-ahead aggression, which found him some moments of success against Charles Jourdain but eventually resulted in his being on the losing end of a war of attrition. This figures to be a similar story. Rojo’s chances at finding a finish are higher here, but Martinez has generally been mindful enough that he should be able to pick apart the Entram Gym rep and eventually find his own openings if he chooses to pursue them. The pick is Martinez via third-round stoppage.