Victor Martinez recently shed light on something many fighters overlook: the significance of having a stable job. It’s not just about the punches and the kicks, you know?
Oh, and guess what? Martinez, who’s been a licensed firefighter since 2018, put off job hunting to chase his dream. That’s right, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) was his target. “The Brick,” as they call him, punched his ticket to the big leagues with a win over Jacob Rosales. This was on Dana White’s Contender Series back in September 2021.
Fast forward to February 2023, after making his UFC debut, Martinez finally joined the Hidalgo Fire Department. At 32, he feels like everything’s starting to click into place. “Man, I had my firefighter license since back in 2018 but I just wanted to focus on getting into the UFC first before getting a job,” he spilled the beans to The AllStar. After getting signed, he started looking for a job elsewhere. Hidalgo Fire Department scooped him up. Everything kinda fell into place, you know?
But, it wasn’t all smooth sailing. Martinez faced a tough setback with a first-round TKO loss against Jordan Leavitt in his UFC debut. Then, a planned clash against Trevor Peek at UFC on ABC 5 in June 2023 got axed. He had to pull out for reasons he kept under wraps at first. Later, it came out that his coach advised him to step back. He was in the midst of job hunting and dealing with a knee injury.
“After my first UFC fight, I was trying to get hired somewhere as a firefighter,” Martinez shared. His coach suggested taking a break to focus and train without rushing into another fight. Plus, there was that nagging knee injury flaring up again.
Martinez also opened up about how having a stable job has transformed his approach to fighting. Before, the paycheck from his UFC debut was all he could think about. It was a distraction, affecting his performance. He was teaching private lessons at gyms, barely scraping by, and not even enjoying training anymore.
Now, with the firefighter gig, the pressure’s off. Martinez is gearing up for his next UFC fight, aiming for his first win in the promotion against Tom Nolan at UFC Fight Night 241 on May 18. “I felt a lot of pressure in every fight before this job,” he admitted. The financial stability has allowed him to enjoy training again. He’s not just fighting for the paycheck; he’s fighting because he loves it. And, of course, he’s always thinking about helping his mom out. That’s been his driving force.
So, going into his next fight, Martinez is in a different headspace. He’s stable, enjoying training, and ready to show the world what he’s got. It’s not just about making cash anymore. It’s about the love of the sport and taking care of his family. Quite the journey, huh?