UFC Mexico Fight Card Taking Shape
The UFC roadshow will travel south of the border in the first quarter of 2025, where Arena CDMX in Mexico City will play host to a Fight Night event, UFC Mexico, on March 29th.
Former middleweight interim title contender Kelvin Gastelum (19-9 MMA, 13-9 UFC) has already been confirmed to appear on the card, although it unclear as of yet if the former Ultimate Fighter season 17 winner’s bout against Joe Pyfer (13-3 MMA, 4-1 UFC) will serve as the main event.
Gastelum was born in the United States but is of Mexican descent and will return to the middleweight division after another failed attempt at making a sustained title charge at 170 lbs. The 33-year-old was last in action in June in Saudi Arabia in what was originally scheduled as a welterweight contest against Daniel Rodriguez.
Gastelum missed his mark badly when attempting to make the welterweight limit (an all-too-familiar tale throughout his career) and the fight eventually took place at 185 lbs, with Gastelum winning by unanimous decision.
Three More Fights Announced For UFC Mexico
The fight card for March 29th is slowly beginning to take shape, and this week the UFC announced three more matchups for the event.
UFC Mexico: David Martinez vs. Saimon Oliveira
Former Combate Global champion David Martinez (11-1 MMA) will face Brazil’s Saimon Oliveira (18-5 MMA, 0-2 UFC) in his UFC debut. The Mexican fighter gets his first opportunity inside the Octagon following an impressive showing on the latest season of Dana White’s Contender Series.
“Black Spartan”, whose sister Melissa Martinez (8-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) also competes inside the Octagon, picked up a unanimous decision victory over Xavier Franklin in October and his performance convinced the UFC president to hand him a contract. The Coyoacán native had been on a run of four consecutive KO wins prior to his appearance on DWCS, and has finished nine of his eleven professional victories inside the distance.
Standing across the Octagon from Martinez will be another DWCS alumni. Saimon Oliveira goes into UFC Mexico in desperate need of a victory, having lost to Tony Gravely in his promotional debut at UFC 270 and been finished by Daniel Marcos at UFC 283 in his last fight a year ago.
UFC Mexico: Ateba Gautier vs. José Medina
Another graduate from the latest season of DWCS gets his first opportunity in the big leagues when Cameroon’s Ateba Gautier (6-1 MMA) faces Bolivia’s José Medina (11-4 MMA, 0-1 UFC) in the middleweight division during UFC Mexico.
Ateba got the call to compete on DWCS after picking up four consecutive first round knockout wins in 2022-2023, and the Manchester Top Team representative grabbed his opportunity with both hands, flatlining Yura Naito in the second round and then finishing the Japanese fighter with thunderous hammerfists.
José Medina also arrived in the UFC via DWCS, although he was defeated by Bahrain’s Magomed Gadzhiyasulov (who fights this weekend) during his appearance on the show. His performance was enough to secure a UFC contract however, but he was also defeated in his promotional debut last August by Zach Reese and desperately needs a win this time around.
UFC Mexico: Yazmin Jauregui vs. Julia Polastri
Tijuana native Yazmin Jauregui (11-2 MMA, 3-2 UFC) gets a new opponent after the withdrawal of Dione Barbosa. Jauregui, also a former Combate Global champion, has had a busy start to her UFC career, racking up victories over Istela Nunes, Iasmin Lucindo and Sam Hughes since signing with the promotion in 2022.
Replacing Barbosa will be another Brazilian, Julia Polastri (13-4 MMA, 1-1 UFC). “Psycho” was defeated by Josefine Knutsson in her UFC debut last June but returned in October, picking up a split decision victory over Cory McKenna.
