A win in his final bout under contract didn’t secure Martin Buday a new contract with the UFC, but the heavyweight fighter has a new home after inking a deal to join the roster at Oktagon MMA.
The European promotion confirmed the news on Saturday with Buday inking his contract during Oktagon 74.
With a 7-1 record in the UFC, Buday certainly didn’t see it coming when the promotion opted not to offer him a new contract fresh off a win over Brazilian jiu-jitsu champion and former ONE heavyweight Marcus Buchecha. That victory at UFC Abu Dhabi extended Buday’s overall win streak to three in a row with his only loss coming nearly two years ago when he fell to Shamil Gaziev.
“It’s true, yesterday we got a call that UFC is not resigning us for the moment,” Buday wrote on Twitter after receiving word from the UFC on his contract. “Well it is what it is at least I’m leaving with my head up.”
Now Buday joins the roster at Oktagon where Will Fleury reigns as a two-division champion at both heavyweight and light heavyweight. The promotion already teased a potential showdown between Buday and Fleury for the future now that he’s under contract and ready to compete again.