Whether in Brazil or U.S., UFC Fight Night 45's Lucas Martins promises win

Brazilian standout Lucas Martins is probably thankful he’s headed back to featherweight after a recent UFC appearance at 135 pounds.

On Wednesday, Martins (14-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) fights for the first time on U.S. soil after a trio of performances in his native country. He kicks off the FOX Sports 1-televised main card of UFC Fight Night 45 at Revel Casino Hotel in Atlantic City, N.J., opposite Alex White (10-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC).

“I’ve only fought in Brazil thus far,” Martins told MMAjunkie. “I love fighting in Brazil because of the crowds, but if the UFC books me elsewhere, I’ll win there too.”

Although Martins finished his previous opponent, choking out Junior Hernandez at UFC Fight Night 28, he had a rough weight cut. It’s likely that won’t be as much of an issue fighting 10 pounds heavier, though international travel frequently causes problems for fighters when it comes to shedding pounds.

“It was a dream come true, to fight at home for the UFC,” Martins said of his recent win. “The crowd and my family were by my side, supporting me. The only difficulty was making weight, since it was my first time at bantamweight, but I recovered well.”

So far, Martins’ only setback remains a first-round drubbing at the hands of top lightweight Edson Barboza, who co-headlines Wednesday night’s card against Evan Dunham. Still, the native of Montes Claros in Minas Gerais is just 25 years old and has plenty of time to develop his skills.

“I may be a young fighter but I know I’m on the right path,” Martins said. “Hopefully I’ll write my own history in the UFC, and it won’t be my next opponent who will keep me from doing that. I have great training partners such as Felipe Arantes, Charles de Oliveira and Thomas Almeida, who’s undefeated. We’ll all be able to achieve our dreams.”

Martins already is working toward his dream of securing his future as a fighter. A “Fight of the Night” bonus he earned with a third-round KO of Jeremy Larsen at UFC on FX 8 went straight into the bank.

“I think about my family and my girlfriend,” he said. “She’s my future wife and we’re planning life together. We expect to set a wedding date this year. The hard part is training and making weight. Being in the octagon is pure happiness.

“Without a doubt, (the bonus money) changes one’s life. I come from a humble origin, from the interior of the Minas Gerais state. Any money that we come upon, we try to keep a clear mind, not to be wasteful, so we can apply it towards the future.”

If he can continue beating young prospects such as White, who sports an undefeated record and a UFC debut KO over Estevan Payan, the future looks bright for Martins. Although he considers himself a striker first and foremost, he said he is turning into a more well-rounded threat.

“I’ve greatly evolved since my last fight in both jiu-jitsu and wrestling,” he said. “I can surprise people. Even against a ground guy, I could get a takedown and go for a submission.”

For more on UFC Fight Night 45, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.