'Running away the whole fight?': Pros react to David Martinez edging Marlon Vera at UFC Mexico
David Martinez scored the biggest win of his UFC career on Saturday, handing one-time bantamweight title challenger marlon vera a unanimous decision in the co-main event of UFC Mexico. All three judges scored the bout 29-28 in favor of Martinez.
How the fight played out
Martinez used speed and movement to frustrate Vera for the majority of the fight, winning the opening rounds on the judges' cards and building an edge that produced the 29-28 scores. Vera surged in the third round — as he has done many times in the past — and appeared to have Martinez on the defensive as the final minutes ticked away, but the early rounds held up on the scorecards.
Marlon Vera third-round surge
Vera's late rally put pressure on Martinez and convinced some observers that the final frame belonged to the challenger, but the unanimous 29-28 result gave Martinez the victory and, by description, the biggest win of his UFC career.
Immediate reactions from fellow fighters
Not everyone was convinced by Martinez's performance. Fellow bantamweight Vinicius Oliveira questioned the decision and wrote on March 1, 2026: "It’s hard to understand lately, how did Martinez beat Vera if he was getting beaten up and running away the whole fight?"
Other professionals shared short takes on March 1, 2026 as well, including:
- — Billy Quarantillo (@BillyQMMA) March 1, 2026: "Chito landing everything at the end but might’ve been too late"
- — Terrance McKinney (@twrecks155) March 1, 2026: "Martinez was just too fast Vera did slow him down at the end but man bro ain’t been the same since that O’Malley fight"
- — Jillian DeCoursey (@lionheartjill) March 1, 2026: "29-28 Martinez for me. I’ll give Vera the third but thought Martinez got the first two #UFCMexico"
- — Josh Thomson (@THEREALPUNK) March 1, 2026: "Speed is a killer in this game and in the lower weight classes it’s often to much as Chito is finding out right now"
Judges' cards and the decision
All three judges returned identical 29-28 cards for Martinez, sealing a unanimous decision win in the co-main event. The scoring reflected Martinez's control of the early rounds, despite Vera's strong late surge.
Other items noted in the coverage
Separate items in the coverage included a short headline that read "429 Too Many Requests. " Another page carried the headline "Your browser is not supported" and stated that the site was built to take advantage of the latest technology to ensure the best experience for readers, that the browser was not supported, and that readers should download one of the recommended browsers for the best experience.
For the moment, the result stands as a career-defining win for Martinez and a controversial, closely debated loss for marlon vera that drew public reaction from a number of fellow fighters.
