Nick Diaz protégé Martin Sano Jr. ready to ‘throw down’ with Matthew Semelsberger at UFC 266

Martin Sano Jr. is eager to finally make the walk to the Octagon.

Sano Jr., a protégé of Nick Diaz, has not fought since 2017 and is 0-2-1 in his last three fights. However, he still is 4-2-1 as a pro and has fought for promotions likes Bellator and WSOF, but when Diaz was announced to make his return, he got his pupil in Sano Jr. signed to the UFC and to fight Matthew Semeslberger at UFC 266.

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“Late May, early June is when I found out. It was a big feeling of like I finally made it… Just being patient and working and training hard,” Sano Jr. said on Just Scrap Radio on BJPENN.com. “I knew if I was going to fight in a big show it would be on his card.”

Given Sano Jr. has not fought since 2017, it’s hard to know how he will look. Yet, he isn’t worried at all about ring rust as he says he used the last four years to improve his skills and get more well-rounded.

“Focusing on getting better and getting in training with the best people in the world, just working on my fighting style,” Sano Jr. explained. “(I’m) immensely better, I’ve been training hard, this is a lifelong goal of mine and it’s finally here and I’m ready to represent.”

Against Semelsberger, Martin Sano Jr. says he doesn’t know much about him. However, the Nick Diaz training partner is expecting a fan-friendly fight and is confident in his skills to not only win but finish Semelsberger.

“Not much, just I hear he is really good. I heard he is ready to bring it, so we are going to throw down. It’s a fight, it can go anywhere but I’ll be ready,” Sano Jr. said. “(I’m ready to win) by any means possible, I’m going to go for the finish, however I get it I’ll be happy.”

If Sano Jr. gets his hand raised, he says it would be the biggest achievement of his career. Yet, he says UFC 266 will just be the beginning of his career in the UFC.

“It’ll be a big mark on my career. It’s just the beginning,” Sano Jr. concluded.

Do you think Martin Sano Jr. will beat Matthew Semelsberger at UFC 266?