Andre Ewell is looking to put his octagon inconsistencies behind him and make a run for the top bantamweight rankings.
Ewell (15-6 MMA, 2-2 UFC) takes on Jonathan Martinez (11-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) at next Saturday’s UFC 247 in Houston, and he’s looking to open the night’s action with a bang.
After winning four straight contests and capturing the vacant CES MMA bantamweight title, Ewell was signed to the UFC in 2018. He then picked up a big win in his promotional debut vs. former UFC 135-pound champion, Renan Barao.
But he would then go 1-2 in his next three octagon appearances, and while Ewell may have fallen short, he was taking on top-level competition against the likes of Nathaniel Wood and Marlon Vera.
He will now look to turn things around and get back to the win column in impressive fashion on Feb. 8.
“I’m going to continue to keep it exciting for myself and for the fans,” Ewell told MMA Junkie. “That’s what they pay to see, exciting fights. As long as I’m doing me, I can’t lose. I took on hard opponents to prove I’m the best. I came up short, but I did prove I belong. Lesson learned, and now it’s time to takeover.”
Ewell takes on Factory X’s Martinez, who’s coming off a “Performance of the Night” finish over Liu Pingyuan in July. While he’s projecting a potential barnburner with Martinez, Ewell is more focused on putting on an undeniable showing.
“I believe Jonathan is a fighter with heart that doesn’t mind bringing his dog out,” Ewell said. “I see Martinez and I throwing until we can’t throw no more. Clearly I want the knockout, but having fun and securing a dominant performance is my go-to for this fight in particular.”
With a newborn son, June Audaii Ewell, on the way, Ewell has all the motivation he needs. He aims to hit the top of the 135-pound rankings by the end of the year.
“My goal is to dominate this fight and be ready for my son to be born on April 1, then return around August or September to fight again,” Ewell said. “I believe a win over Martinez, or anyone, will put me in a place to fight a ranked fighter next.”
