Having a moment where Mexican standouts Brandon Moreno, Alexa Grasso, and Yair Rodriguez all simultaneously held UFC gold showed the emerging generation that ultimate success at the highest level was possible, and the opening of the UFC Performance Institute in Mexico City in 2024 provided a training ground for those looking to follow in their footsteps.
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This weekend, as the Octagon returns to Arena CDMX, a trio of up-and-coming competitors representing the next wave of Latin American contenders are set to make the walk on Saturday, aiming to continue their ascents and show they’re ready to face the elite in their respective divisions.
David Martinez
Though it has been happening a little more recently, breaking into the rankings in your first year on the UFC roster is still a milestone achievement, and doing so after just a pair of appearances is even more impressive, but that is precisely what David Martinez did in 2025.
A member of the stacked Dana White’s Contender Series (DWCS) Class of ’24, Martinez opened his UFC run with a strong first-round finish of Saimon Oliveira last year in Mexico City, setting a baseline for where he stood in the bantamweight division. His second appearance was booked for Noche UFC and remained there, but when veteran Rob Font’s opponent fell out Martinez raised his hand to step in, vaulting up the fight card into a matchup with the divisional mainstay.
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The 27-year-old UFC freshman came out ahead on all three scorecards, earning the biggest win of his career and a fast pass to the Top 10 in the 135-pound weight class. This weekend, “Doctor” takes another step up in competition, squaring off with former title challenger Marlon “Chito” Vera in Saturday’s co-main event.
Martinez is a shining example of a fighter that has developed in the shadows of the UFC’s presence in Mexico, debuting in the sport a few years after that initial event and developing as the regional scene in the country began to grow and flourish. Now, he’s risen to the biggest stage in the sport and has the opportunity to put himself in the title conversation in one of the deepest divisions in the sport with a win on Saturday.
Beating Vera is no easy task, but collecting a third consecutive UFC win and turning back the popular battler would be another statement win for the surging Mexican prospect, who just might shed that label with a victory this weekend.
Imanol Rodriguez
A contestant on Season 33 of The Ultimate Fighter, Imanol Rodriguez landed on the wrong side of a split decision verdict in his semifinal clash with eventual winner Joseph Morales, and then rolled back into Las Vegas for a Contender Series appearance. A little over two minutes later, Rodriguez had secured a spot on the roster thanks to a knockout win over Roque Conceicao that thoroughly impressed UFC CEO Dana White and had his TUF coach Daniel Cormier giddy.
This weekend, the 26-year-old makes his promotional debut against Kevin Borjas, a talented Peruvian prospect who has turned in a number of solid performances to begin his UFC tenure, even if the results haven’t always fallen in his favor.
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What makes Rodriguez such a fascinating addition to the flyweight ranks is that he clearly carries the kind of power that is rarely seen in the 125-pound weight class. All but one of his wins have been stoppages due to strikes, and he’s yet to see the third round as a professional. While some of that can be chalked up to the level of competition he’s faced on the way up, that sudden ability to shift a fight, create finishing opportunities, and get his opponents out of there will serve him well if he’s able maintain it at this level.
The foundational elements are there for Rodriguez to have success in the UFC, and if he continues to surround himself with elite mentors, coaches, and training partners, he could be making noise in the flyweight division sooner rather than later.
Santiago Luna
It’s fitting that Santiago Luna joins Martinez in this collection, as it was a move up the fight card in San Antonio back in September that cleared a path for the unbeaten 21-year-old prospect to make his first foray into the Octagon.
Luna tagged in opposite Quang Le and set the Frost Bank Center alight, registering a first-round stoppage win in under three minutes to advance to 7-0 as a professional and make a statement in his first UFC start. What stood out the most is that Luna was able to navigate the early nerves and challenges that come with such a major moment, as Le sat him down seconds into the fight and was largely controlling things right up until the young Mexican fighter found his chin with a left hook that put him on the canvas.
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From there, Luna swarmed, another left hand eventually putting Le down once more, where a hammerfist ended the dance in dramatic fashion. To go from facing opponents with limited experience or losing records to collecting a first-round knockout on the biggest stage in the sport — on short notice, at that — speaks volumes about Luna’s poise and upside, but the hard part starts now.
A debut win like that brings elevated expectations as “Borderboy” returns to action this weekend against DWCS alum Angel Pacheco.
Luna’s ability walk straight in, prove his mettle, and pick up a win bodes well for his future prospects, but it’s imperative to remember that he’s just seven fights into his career and turned 21 in the summer. This weekend’s matchup with Pacheco is a perfect chance for the youngster to further settle in, with the benefit of a full training camp, and for observers to get another read of where he’s at while refining their forecasts for his future. Pacheco is a game, durable battler who would like nothing more than to turn his business trip to Mexico City into his first UFC win, and doing so while toppling an unbeaten rising star would make it even sweeter.
Saturday is an important developmental milestone for Luna, and if all goes well, you can expect the hype to increase even more heading into the back half of the year.
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