Martin Buday

Martin Buday is a 34-year-old Slovak heavyweight with deep martial arts roots: he started training at 18 to lose weight, excelled in Brazilian jiu-jitsu (earning two European gold medals), and transitioned to MMA under the tutelage of former Bellator champion Attila Végh. Before joining the UFC, Buday built a 5-0 record in Oktagon MMA and claimed the promotion's heavyweight championship, establishing himself as one of Eastern Europe's top heavyweights. In October 2021, he earned a UFC contract via Dana White's Contender Series with a first-round stoppage, then methodically climbed the UFC roster over three years.

In the octagon, Buday compiled a 7-1 record that included victories over solid competition: technical submission of Josh Parisian, split-decision wins over Andrei Arlovski and Lukasz Brzeski, and unanimous decisions against Marcus Buchecha and Jake Collier. His jiu-jitsu pedigree and grinding wrestling style made him a reliable fighter who consistently won on the scorecards. His sole loss, a second-round knockout to Shamil Gaziev in December 2023, exposed him to powerful strikers but did not derail his run.

Despite his winning record, the UFC opted not to renew Buday's contract in July 2025, reportedly because he failed to deliver the finishes the promotion desired. Rather than lash out, Buday responded with grace and pragmatism, thanking the UFC for the opportunity and acknowledging their business rationale. His humility earned widespread respect from the MMA community. In August 2025, he signed with Oktagon MMA, his old stomping ground, and is now pursuing a heavyweight title shot in the European promotion, positioning himself for a second reign as champion.