Joe Martinez fills in for Bruce Buffer, Stann joins Anik at UFC Fight Night 34

SINGAPORE – Announcer Joe Martinez got the call in late 2012 for his first UFC event, filling in for octagon mainstay Bruce Buffer. This week, Martinez has been tapped again to be the UFC’s in-cage announcer at UFC Fight Night 34.

Buffer will not make the trip to Singapore for the card, which takes place at Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre. Buffer revealed at a UFC Fight Club Q&A this past week in Las Vegas that he wouldn’t be making the long trip. As the UFC ramps up its live events in 2014 with what is expected to be close to 50 shows around the world, Buffer said he won’t be able to make every trip.

In 2012, it would’ve been too close a call for Buffer to announce UFC on FX 6 in Australia, then be back in Las Vegas in time for the TUF 16 Finale. So Martinez handled the microphone down under for his UFC debut after years as the cage announcer for the WEC.

UFC Fight Night 34 marks the debut of UFC Fight Pass, the UFC’s new digital network, which is the only way to watch the event. Calling the fights on that live stream will be play-by-play voice Jon Anik and former fighter Brian Stann, who will fill in for Anik’s usual partner, Kenny Florian.

With a 13-hour time difference between Singapore and Eastern Standard Time, the preliminary card kicks off Saturday at 6 a.m. ET (3 a.m. PT). MMAjunkie will have live coverage throughout the weekend.

In addition, past Octagon Girls Azusa Nishigaki and Jessica Cambensy will serve in that role again.

Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 34 card includes:

MAIN CARD (UFC Fight Pass, 9 a.m. ET)

• Tarec Saffiedine vs. Hyun Gyu Lim
• Tatsuya Kawajiri vs. Sean Soriano
• Luiz Dutra vs. Kiichi Kunimoto
• Kyung Ho Kang vs. Shunichi Shimizu

PRELIMINARY CARD (UFC Fight Pass, 6 a.m. ET)

• Will Chope vs. Max Holloway
• Katsunori Kikuno vs. Quinn Mulhern
• David Galera vs. Royston Wee
• Tae Hyun Bang vs. Mairbek Taisumov
• Dustin Kimura vs. Jon Delos Reyes
• Russell Doane vs. Leandro Issa

For more on UFC Fight Night 34, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.

(Pictured: Joe Martinez)