After spending 15 minutes in the cage with Rob Font at UFC Fight Night 259, David Martinez was all too happy to speak with him backstage.

"I ran into him in the hallway," Martinez told reporters, "and I thanked him for giving me the opportunity to fight him, to be able to prove myself."

Martinez did just that Saturday night, taking full advantage of his Noche UFC co-main event opportunity against the No. 9-ranked featherweight and earning a unanimous decision win at Frost Bank Arena in San Antonio, Texas.

Font represented a huge step up in competition for Martinez, who was making just his second octagon appearance after earning a UFC contract last October through Dana White's Contender Series. Not only that, but the fight was made just two weeks ago after Font's original opponent, Raul Rosas Jr., was forced to withdraw.

Martinez, 27, entered Noche UFC with the utmost confidence that he was ready to rise to the challenge.

"I've been preparing for the best fighters in the division, so I was prepared to fight anyone. That's it," said Martinez, who also answered if anything surprised him. "No, not at all. Rob Font is a solid fighter. I knew that it was going to be a tough fight, and that's exactly what it was – a very tough fight."

Martinez figures to see a number next to his name in the next edition of the UFC featherweight rankings, which should open the door to a multitude of options for the Mexican standout. Martinez, though, won't dwell on who comes next and is focused only on continued growth.

"I'm going to talk to my coaches, my team, see what's next," Martinez said. "I'll continue to prepare, and we'll see what comes. In the meantime, I'm gonna enjoy the day and celebrate this (Mexican) independence. …

"I still have a lot to improve on. This is not everything that I can offer to the UFC. I have a lot more to offer, and that's what all the rest of the upcoming fights are gonna be for – to be able to learn, to make adjustments so that I can bring more every time."

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Noche UFC: David Martinez grateful to capitalize on golden opportunity

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