Tony Martin is happy with the progress he’s made in professional mixed martial arts (MMA) competition.
This Saturday night (Sept. 16), Martin will do battle with Olivier Aubin-Mercier. With a victory, Martin will be riding a four-fight winning streak. It’s a swift change from when he lost three of four bouts and was in danger of being released from the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
Speaking to MMA Weekly, Martin said his success comes down to maturity:
“When I started in the UFC, I was still young in this sport. Now I’ve started to mature as a fighter and have been getting my skill set up to par with this level of talent. I thought it was a process I had to go through. It’s gone great. I feel like I’ve added a lot of new skills. I feel my latest fight with Johnny Case (in June) has showed that. I’ve built up a lot of momentum going into this next fight.”
As far as his bout at UFC Fight Night 116 is concerned, Martin is confident that he has the edge.
“He’s a fighter I’ve seen on multiple occasions and thought it would be a great match-up for me. It’s short notice relatively, so the weight is going to be the biggest struggle, but it’s on track right now. I think it’s going to be an exciting fight. I should have a major advantage in the feet, and in the grappling department I feel like I can hang with anybody in the world.”
