One year after puzzling release, Lucas Martins doesn't dream of UFC return – but still wants it

Lucas Martins was in the spotlight for unfortunate reasons last year, when not even a win spared him of a UFC release.

In the 13 months since his last octagon outing, Martins (19-3 MMA, 4-3 UFC) has fought three times. He won all of them – two via submission – and is next in line for a shot at Brave Combat Federation’s belt. He likes his current promotion. He has sponsors and high-profile private students who allow fighting, in whatever capacity, to be his sole source of income.

As it stands, Martins doesn’t need the UFC. Nor does he lose sleep over it. But given the chance, he’d return in a heartbeat.

“Of course, the UFC is a great promotion, and I want to come back,” Martins told MMAjunkie. “Not for me, but for my students, for people around me, my family – to show that I can do it. But it’s not a dream of mine. I’m still training, I’m with Brave, I like it there, they’re great to me. But if (the UFC calls) me I’m ready.

“I know I’m doing a solid job. I left the UFC on a win. Who else has done that? Those who got left, got cut because they went out on skids. I don’t blame the UFC. It’s their job – they didn’t like mine, and I left. But I’m coming off four in a row, including the last one in the UFC. Who in my weight class has done that in Brazil? Who do I have beat to be able to come back?”

Martins wasn’t the only one puzzled by the UFC’s decision to cut him loose after beating Robert Whiteford at UFC Fight Night 86 in April of last year. Of course, there is the fact he was performing in a then-overflowing featherweight division. And that, before the split decision over Whiteford, he was riding back-to-back losses.

But at the same time, the “Fight of the Night” with Whiteford was Martins’ first time needing the judges’ scorecards for a UFC win. Before the skid, brought on by two respectable opponents in Mirsad Bektic and Darren Elkins, Martins was on a three-fight streak. His other octagon loss, in his debut, came on a short-notice scrap with top 155-pound contender Edson Barboza.

Martins’ achievements – in three weight divisions, no less – are made all the more impressive by the fact that his octagon run began approximately one year and a whopping 12 wins after he threw his first punch in training.

But while there’s something to be said for early talent, Martins was still not a polished product then. Now, at 28, as a Brazilian jiu-jitsu purple belt with one of the highest muay Thai rankings under head coach Diego Lima, Martins sees himself a reinvented fighter.

“Unlike many of my training partners, I didn’t start training when I was 12 or 13,” Martins said. “I had to learn the hard way. I suffered a lot because of that, and I’ve just now learned how to train. I was always dedicated, but I didn’t absorb things. Now I’m a different athlete. I train wrestling every day, jiu-jitsu. I consider myself an experienced man. I train with great athletes.

“I’m ready for anyone. I’m taking on these tough guys who were already black belts when I started. I grew a lot after I left the UFC. Today, I’m not just a muay Thai fighter. I’m a well-rounded fighter, coming off two submission wins. I’m waiting. I’m in no rush. I’m still young, and let’s see where this goes.”

For now, Martins is quite happy with his new BCF bosses – who, in spite of the desire to push Martins as a star, have agreed to let him free if he chooses to pursue other endeavors such as the UFC. In fact, after a successful submission win in his promotional debut, he’s already signed a contract to fight for the belt vs. champion Elias Boudegzdame.

Martins’ UFC release turned out not to be such a big problem for a few reasons. Not only did he keep his sponsors, but he says he even got a few more. Over recent years, he’s also developed some good relationships with high-profile clients – including Brazilian top model Ana Hickmann and her husband, Alexandre Correa, an MMA fan turned supporter. (via Instagram)

@ahickmann comemorando seu aniversário treinando forte?? Parabéns ana cada dia melhor?? @caiofrpt @alewin71 #LucasMineiro #venumBR #abeamerica #chuteboxediegolima #GuigoJJ @abe_america

A post shared by Lucas "Mineiro" Martins (@lucasmineiromma) on Mar 5, 2017 at 2:08pm PST

But despite the fact that the post-UFC life has been working out for him, Martins believes life as a fighter outside of big promotions is still quite challenging.

“It’s very hard to train three, four times a day and live exclusively off of fighting,” Martins said. “Because you have to teach classes, have other jobs. I am around fighters who still do that. But it’s not impossible. Thankfully, since I left the UFC, my life hasn’t changed. I’m still focused, doing what I do, training and teaching. What changed was just not being in (the octagon), but I’m still focused as the elite athlete that I am.”

Awkward departure circumstances aside, Martins is emphatic in the fact that he does not cultivate any animosity toward the UFC.

“I hold no grudges,” Martins said. “On the contrary, I want to return so I can show them the type of animal that I am. When I go in there, I’ll knock a lot of people out. I’ll fight anyone. My last fight, I fought the No. 1 guy in Argentina. I’m prepared to fight anyone in my (featherweight) division – or step in for someone in the upper one.”

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