Jonathan Martinez and Marcus McGee, UFC 309 ceremonial weigh-in Credit: Jake Noecker/Cageside Press
In a highly anticipated preliminary card fight for UFC 309, bantamweight Jonathan Martinez gave Marcus McGee a chance to break into the rankings.
Martinez, ranked No. 13, was looking to bounce back from a loss to legendary Jose Aldo that ended his six-fight winning streak. McGee, like Martinez before him, came out on a tear after his third and fifth consecutive one-round performance under the UFC banner.
The opening round began with both fighters coming out in southpaw stances and exchanging kicks for the first minute. Martinez went for the legs, while McGee threatened with head kicks and body kicks. Martinez appeared shy and unable to engage, but McGee used his boxing advantage to defeat Martinez and win the round alone.
Martinez stepped up even more in the second round, but McGee was still doing his job well. Even though Martinez began to prepare better for his low kicks, McGee did not wobble, which allowed him to still hold his ground and counter Martinez’s kicks with boxing. . McGee isn’t the hardest hitter, but he still hurt Martinez and his power was enough to force him to reset. These resets by Martinez gave McGee a clear chance to land a few shots and win the round with activity again despite being outgunned by his opponent.
Things changed in the third round, when Martinez started to use more low kicks. Many times he made Maggie jump on one leg. Martinez, who TKO’d Cub Swanson and Adrian Yanez with leg kicks, may have started to smell blood, but he inexplicably chose to clinch, losing precious seconds and allowing McGee’s leg to recover. I forgave you. Martinez forced McGee to retreat for the rest of the round, but ultimately couldn’t find the finish. Who knows how this fight would have turned out if Martinez had been more aggressive in the first round, but credit McGee for making him hesitate early on.
McGee earned a decision victory, clearly dominating the first and second rounds, and is all but guaranteed to be ranked on Tuesday. As for Martinez, he is 0-2 in 2024 after an impressive winning streak.
Official result: Marcus McGee defeats Jonathan Martinez by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
