Ajagba, 20-1-1 with 14 knockouts, believes he did enough against Martin Bakole last May. Scorecards count the number of draws. Heavyweight competition hasn’t slowed down for him.
“Everybody knows I won my last fight,” Ajagba told UFC.com. “But we move forward in this fight, and all I can think about is sticking to my game and things like that.”
He tried to handle Bakole by controlling the line and the movement of the feet, working behind the spike and keeping the big man reset. The first rounds were the same. The gas tank is gone too late, Bakole cuts the ring, and the judges see enough to score.
“My game plan was perfect,” Ajagba said. “Everything we did in that fight was moving around, because the guy likes to fight, he likes to punch.”
Heavy rounds rely on good attacking and light punching, not stepping back. Prolonged withdrawals, even after a controlled injection, reduce scores.
Charles Martin, a former belt holder with 35 professional fights behind him, hasn’t fought since 2024. He knows how to survive, how to bide his time, how to falter when the pressure is on. He also knows what it feels like to be at the top of the group.
Ajagba knows the weakness.
“He is not a tough opponent, but he is a former champion,” Ajagba said. “If he steps in the ring with me, he will lose again, that’s what.”
The key is punch selection and variation. Start with the injection and spend quickly in the body. Heavy people who move in straight lines and repeat the same movements gain time and trim.
“Start with the injection to see his reaction, to see his weakness,” said Ajagba. “When you see weakness, that’s when you destroy it.”
If Ajagba stands tall behind the bar and lets Martin get his feet, it’s going to be a long night. If he puts his feet back up after all the combinations and body work, the hold is released.
Sunday is not about important things. It refers to the return to the front in a filled path of the heavy pair.
Expect to measure weight quickly. If Martin’s legs disappear in the middle rounds, Ajagba’s right hand will start to get lighter.
Event details:
Date: Sunday, February 15
Start time: 7pm PT / 10pm ET / 3am UK
Advertising agency: Zuffa Boxing
Location: Meta APEX, Las Vegas
Main event: Efe Ajagba vs. Charles Martin
How to watch: Stream via Paramount+