Fighters on the Rise | UFC Mexico

Pyfer makes a first quarter start for the second straight year, looking to build off his UFC 303 knockout win over Marc-Andre Barriault when he faces off with Kelvin Gastelum in the middle of this weekend’s main card.

The 28-year-old Philadelphia native began his 2024 campaign with a main event loss to Jack Hermansson in a fight where he fought well out of the gates, but didn’t have the experience or ring savvy to hold off the beguiling veteran in the latter rounds. Because Pyfer has received a solid push and graduated from Dana White’s Contender Series (DWCS) with a great deal of fanfare, the loss was framed as a “fraud check” by some, when, in actuality, it was the same kind of loss incurred by any number of up-and-coming competitors the first time they steppedin with a skilled, distinguished veteran.

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And it’s not like he got wiped out either; 48-47 across the board in your fourth UFC appearance, against a Top 10 mainstay and guy with 31 previous bouts under his belt isn’t too bad if you ask me.

The Marquez MMA representative rebounded in commanding fashion, blowing through Barriault in 95 seconds to claim a Performance of the Night bonus during his first International Fight Week appearance, advancing to 4-1 inside the Octagon and 13-3 overall with the win.

Pyfer is one of those competitors that has yet to showcase the full complement of his skills because he hasn’t been put in a position to do so thus far. For the most part, he’s gotten into striking exchanges and finished his opponents with haste, though he flashed a little of his grappling acumen when submitting Abdul Razak Alhassan to close out his 2023 slate. He profiles as someone that has more to his game than he’s shown to this point, and Saturday could be the night where he’s forced to show a little more. 

Gastelum is a good opponent for Pyfer at this point: an established name and pending Hall of Fame inductee that has been in there with the best the division has to offer, is skilled in every phase, and will be buoyed by the Mexican crowd. He’s also got something to prove after a weight management issue last time out resulted in his welterweight bout with Daniel Rodriguez being changed to a middleweight contest at the 11th hour, which Gastelum won by decision.

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Last year’s pairing with Hermansson felt like a bridge too far when it was announced and proved to be just that when the two faced off, but this pairing with Gastelum feels like the right kind of test for the promising finisher. If he can roll into the Octagon and earn a commanding with over the former interim title challenger this weekend, Pyfer will have a case for earning a spot in the rankings, or, at the very least, facing someone who resides there again next time out.

David Martinez

When Martinez steps into the Octagon this weekend, he and his sister Melissa will become the second brother-sister tandem to each compete in the UFC, and after “Super Mely” secured her first victory last time out, you can be sure her younger sibling will be a little more motivated to do the same on Saturday when he faces off with Saimon Oliveira.

The 26-year-old is another member of the DWCS Class of ’24, having punched his ticket to join his sister on the biggest stage in the sport with a convincing unanimous decision win over Xavier Franklin last fall that extended his winning streak to six and his record to 11-1 overall. He’s another of these younger fighters that arrives in the UFC with a complete tool kit, and the key to any possible long-term success is how well he’s able to use those tools and continue improving them over time.

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If there is a knock on Martinez to this point in his career, it’s that he’s largely faced inexperienced opposition on the regional scene, with the lone exception being former UFC competitor Francisco Rivera Jr., whom he knocked out in the second round with a head kick several fights back. But you can only face the people that end up across from you, and for the last seven outings, Martinez has successfully turned them all aside.

This weekend at Aren CDMX, the “Black Spartan” steps in opposite Oliveira, a fellow DWCS graduate (Class of ’21) who has landed on the wrong side of the results in each of his first two UFC appearances, and competes for the first time in more than two years.

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Bantamweight is arguably the most stacked division in the sport, so making headway is a serious challenge, but Martinez should get every opportunity to establish his footing and work to push forward, starting this weekend. Debuting in Mexico City is surely a massive moment for Martinez, and capping things with a strong performance and victory over Oliveira would make it an unforgettable debut for the newcomer.

Ronaldo Rodriguez

“Lazy Boy” is going to be the next big star in the Mexican market, if he isn’t there already. 

While some fans and observers may not be deeply familiar with the exploits of the 25-year-old, who faces off with Kevin Borjas in Saturday’s main card opener, the streaking flyweight has two million followers on Instagram and is the fighter that the Mexican people have already pre-selected as someone they are fervently behind. He’s won seven straight overall, including each of his first two UFC assignments, and received a massive pop when he made his way to the Octagon at UFC 306 at Sphere in September, where he out-worked Ode’ Osbourne.

Unbeaten since coming up short in his DWCS appearance in the summer of 2020, Rodriguez has finished four of his last seven, and shows sound fundamental skills in all realms, with the requisite heart and toughness that comes with being a Mexican combat sports competitor.

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In Borjas, he gets a dance partner that is likely to engage on the feet and is in dire need of a win after dropping each of his first two UFC starts following a quality showing on Season 7 of Dana White’s Contender Series. Those losses came against Joshua Van, who broke into the rankings recently following his win over Rei Tsuruya, and Alessandro Costa, a skilled Brazilian that trains alongside Diego Lopes with the Lobo Gym crew, and Borjas showed glimmers of upside in each contest, which is why this is a great pairing to measure where both men stand and open the main card on Saturday. 

Rodriguez has such support at home that he could very well get an expedited push in the shifting flyweight division, especially if he goes out and shines this weekend against Borjas. Do not be surprised if you get a “this kid is a superstar” vibe when he makes the trek to the cage, because I expect the crowd to go bonkers, and do so again if he collects another impressive victory to push his winning streak to eight.