Sherdog Prospect Watch: Martin Buday

UFC on ESPN 34 this Saturday in Las Vegas will see the Ultimate Fighting Championship debut of heavyweight Martin Buday. Fighting out of Trnava, Slovakia, Buday takes on human highlight reel Chris Barnett as part of the undercard at the UFC Apex. “Badys” carries a 9-1 record into the cage, with 89% of his victories resulting in finishes. His opponents thus far sport a cumulative .537 winning percentage (66-57).

Buday, 30, uses his imposing body to overwhelm his opposition. He likes to throw a few shots to shorten the distance and initiate grappling exchanges. Most of his fights are resolved on the canvas, where he often moves to a dominant position with surprising agility, throwing bombs along the way. He also enjoys the clinch and utilizes dirty boxing to wear out his counterparts.

The Spartakus Fight Gym product made his professional debut at Fight of Gladiators “Night of Champions 2” in October 2015, when he took a unanimous decision from Uros Stefanovic. Buday then took a two-year break from competition before returning for a challenging encounter with the far more experienced Juan Espino inside the Federacion Canaria de Luchas y Modalidades Asociadas in Spain. He lost a decision but learned the necessary lessons, made the proper adjustments and responded with his current eight-fight winning streak. His run began at X Fight Nights 9 on April 21, 2018, when he struck Milan Vrbic into submission from full mount.

Buday signed with Oktagon MMA in 2018 and kept smashing those who crossed his path before landing a shot at the promotion’s vacant heavyweight championship at Oktagon 25. There, he locked horns with Kamil Minda in a five-round battle on June 19, 2021. The two men spent much of the first round studying one another, as Miranda controlled the center of the cage and Buday circled him. Initially, it appeared that Minda was in command, dictating the pace and stinging the Slovakian through his guard. However, Buday’s right hand worked its magic, as he stunned Minda twice and finished him with hammerfists on the canvas. The end came 4:01 into Round 2.

Martin Buday lands a huge knee to close the show #DWCS pic.twitter.com/OANX1H5Ij1

— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) October 13, 2021

The victory earned Buday a chance to showcase his skills on Dana White’s Contender Series on Oct. 12. He was matched with Lorenzo Hood, who held an advantage for a few seconds before “Badys” rocked him with a jab and pressed him against the fence. As he settled in at his desired range, Buday hammered his adversary with knees to the body and mixed them with a few punches. Hood continued to absorb punishment—until one of the Slovakian’s knees detonated upstairs. Buday fired a sharp elbow behind it, missing by inches as “The Dream Killer” collapsed to the canvas. Referee Mark Smith called for the stoppage with just four seconds left in the first round. Afterward, Buday was awarded a UFC contract.