Martin Buday

Martin Buday, known to fans as "Badys," is a Slovak mixed martial artist who has competed as a heavyweight for the UFC and Oktagon MMA.

Born and raised in Nitra, Slovakia, Buday came to combat sports relatively late, taking up training as a teenager. He built his foundation in Brazilian jiu-jitsu at the Gracie Barra Pitbull club in his hometown, earning medals on the European IBJJF circuit before transitioning to professional mixed martial arts. He trains out of Spartakus Fight Gym in Trnava under the guidance of Attila Végh, a former Bellator light heavyweight champion, and holds a brown belt in jiu-jitsu.

As a fighter, Buday's game is built around his grappling pedigree. His size and jiu-jitsu credentials make him a constant threat on the ground, where he has finished opponents by submission, including via kimura, while his heavy hands have produced knockout finishes as well. That combination of size, top control, and finishing instinct in either phase has made him a difficult stylistic puzzle for opponents across the heavyweight division.

Buday's rise culminated in capturing the vacant Oktagon Heavyweight Championship, a title run that helped him earn a UFC contract after a first-round finish on Dana White's Contender Series. Inside the Octagon, he built a run of victories that included a notable win over former title challenger Andrei Arlovski, and an upset decision win over decorated Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitor Marcus "Buchecha" Almeida in Almeida's own promotional debut.

As one of the few Slovak fighters to reach the sport's biggest stage, Buday has become a standard-bearer for the growth of mixed martial arts in Slovakia, carrying his country's colors while representing a blend of grappling artistry and heavyweight power.