Martin Buday (born November 11, 1991) is a Slovak mixed martial artist. He completes in the heavyweight division of the Oktagon MMA, where he is a former Oktagon Heavyweight Champion. He previously competed in Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
Buday was born in Nitra, Czechoslovakia (now Slovakia). He started martial arts at the age of eighteen to lose weight.[2] He started his first practiced as a Brazilian jiu-jitsu, which he trained at the Gracie Barra Pitbull club in Nitra.[3] He was successful in this sport and placed in various European tournaments, with his greatest achievement being two gold medals from the European IBJJF Championships at the blue and purple belt levels.[4] He later switched to MMA, which he began training under former Bellator Light Heavyweight Champion Attila Végh at Spartakus Fight Gym.[5]
Buday started in professional career in 2015, he fought exclusively regional Slovakia promotion and Oktagon MMA, where he acquired a 8–1 record and Won his the Oktagon Heavyweight Championship before his fight at Dana White's Contender Series.[6][7]
In June 2021, it was reported that Buday had received an invitation to Dana White's Contender Series, which fighters compete for a chance to earn a UFC contract. His fight took place on October 12, 2021, and he was originally supposed to face Hugo Cunha, but he withdrew and was replaced by Lorenzo Hood.[8] He won the fight via technical knockout in round one and he was awarded a UFC contract.[9]
In his promotional debut, Buday faced Chris Barnett on April 16, 2022, at UFC on ESPN 34.[10] He won the fight via technical unanimous decision after Barnett rendered unable to continue due to an unintentional elbow to the back of the head in the third round.[11]
Buday faced Łukasz Brzeski on August 13, 2022, at UFC on ESPN 41.[12] He won the fight via split decision.[13] 12 out of 13 media outlets scored the bout for Brzeski.[14]
Buday was scheduled to face Jake Collier on April 15, 2023, at UFC on ESPN 44.[15] However, the bout was moved to UFC on ESPN 45 on April 29, 2023, for unknown reasons.[16] He won the fight via unanimous decision.[17]
Buday faced Josh Parisian on August 12, 2023, at UFC on ESPN 51. He won the fight via a kimura in round one.[18]
Buday faced Shamil Gaziev on December 16, 2023, at UFC 296.[19] He lost the fight via technical knockout in round two.[20]
Buday faced Andrei Arlovski on June 15, 2024, at UFC on ESPN 58.[21] However, the bout was moved to UFC 303 on June 29, 2024, for unknown reasons.[22] He won the fight via split decision.[23] 7 out of 12 media outlets scored the fight for Arlovski.[24]
Buday was scheduled to face Rizvan Kuniev on December 7, 2024, at UFC 310.[25] However, Buday withdrew due to an injury and the bout was removed from the card.[26][27]
Buday was scheduled to face Kennedy Nzechukwu on April 5, 2025, at UFC on ESPN 65.[28] However, Nzechukwu was removed from the event due to injury and replaced by Uran Satybaldiev.[29] He won the fight via unanimous decision.[30]
Buday faced Marcus Buchecha on July 26, 2025, at UFC on ABC 9.[31] He won the fight via unanimous decision.[32]
On July 31, 2025, it was reported that Buday was removed from the UFC roster after completing the final bout of his contract and was not renewed.[33]
On August 9, 2025, during Oktagon 74, Buday announced that he'd re-signed with Oktagon MMA.[34]
Buday's father died in late June 2024, a few days prior to Buday's bout with Andre Arlovski.[35]
| 18 matches | 16 wins | 2 losses |
| By knockout | 7 | 1 |
| By submission | 2 | 0 |
| By decision | 7 | 1 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 16–2 | Marcus Buchecha | Decision (unanimous) | UFC on ABC: Whittaker vs. de Ridder | July 26, 2025 | 3 | 5:00 | Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates | |
| Win | 15–2 | Uran Satybaldiev | Decision (unanimous) | UFC on ESPN: Emmett vs. Murphy | April 5, 2025 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 14–2 | Andrei Arlovski | Decision (split) | UFC 303 | June 29, 2024 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Loss | 13–2 | Shamil Gaziev | TKO (punches) | UFC 296 | December 16, 2023 | 2 | 0:56 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 13–1 | Josh Parisian | Submission (kimura) | UFC on ESPN: Luque vs. dos Anjos | August 12, 2023 | 1 | 4:11 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 12–1 | Jake Collier | Decision (unanimous) | UFC on ESPN: Song vs. Simón | April 29, 2023 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 11–1 | Łukasz Brzeski | Decision (split) | UFC on ESPN: Vera vs. Cruz | August 13, 2022 | 3 | 5:00 | San Diego, California, United States | |
| Win | 10–1 | Chris Barnett | Technical Decision (unanimous) | UFC on ESPN: Luque vs. Muhammad 2 | April 16, 2022 | 3 | 1:37 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | An inadvertent elbow to the back of head rendered Barnett unable to continue. |
| Win | 9–1 | Lorenzo Hood | TKO (knee) | Dana White's Contender Series 43 | October 12, 2021 | 1 | 4:56 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 8–1 | Kamil Minda | KO (punches) | Oktagon 25 | June 19, 2021 | 2 | 4:41 | Brno, Czech Republic | Won the vacant Oktagon Heavyweight Championship. |
| Win | 7–1 | Daniel Dittrich | Submission (kimura) | Oktagon 14 | September 14, 2019 | 2 | 1:13 | Bratislava, Slovakia | |
| Win | 6–1 | Yevhen Orlov | TKO (punches) | Oktagon Prime 1 | April 26, 2019 | 1 | 3:32 | Košice, Slovakia | |
| Win | 5–1 | José Rodrigo Guelke | TKO (retirement) | Spartakus Fight Gym: Night of Champions 5 | October 26, 2018 | 2 | 5:00 | Trnava, Slovakia | |
| Win | 4–1 | Łukasz Łysoniewski | TKO (punches) | Oktagon 9 | September 15, 2018 | 1 | 4:45 | Bratislava, Slovakia | |
| Win | 3–1 | Dzhangir Nasibov | TKO (retirement) | Oktagon 6 | May 26, 2018 | 1 | 5:00 | Košice, Slovakia | |
| Win | 2–1 | Milan Vrbić | TKO (submission to punchea) | X Fight Nights 9 | April 21, 2018 | 2 | 4:05 | Nitra, Slovakia | Return to Heavyweight. |
| Loss | 1–1 | Juan Espino | Decision (unanimous) | FECALUMA: MMA-K1-BJJ | October 14, 2017 | 3 | 5:00 | Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain | Super Heavyweight debut. |
| Win | 1–0 | Uroš Stefanović | Decision (unanimous) | Fight of Gladiators: Night of Champions 2 | October 23, 2015 | 2 | 5:00 | Trnava, Slovakia | Heavyweight debut. |
