Jess Martinez, a versatile martial artist, expands the portfolio

You don’t mess with Jess.

But Parker Bruno is going to try.

How good, how accomplished a martial artist is Jess Martinez? Consider:

He’s a four-time New Mexico prep wrestling champion (St. Michael’s 2009-12). He went 44-0 as a senior.

In 2010, he won both the under-18 and under-15 titles at a national-level wrestling event in Albuquerque.

During his middle school and high school years, he also excelled in jiujitsu and already was fighting MMA as an amateur. After finishing his wrestling career at New Mexico Highlands University in 2014, he’s fashioned a 6-0 record as a professional MMA fighter.

Now, at age 31, Martinez has decided to expand his portfolio. He’s scheduled to make his Muay Thai debut on Saturday at 155 pounds against Texas’ Bruno on a pro card at the Manuel Lujan Exhibition Hall at Expo New Mexico.

Born in San Diego, Martinez lived in Cleveland as a child before his family moved to Santa Fe — where his father Fred was born — circa 2000.

He’s all in for New Mexico, especially where combat sports is concerned.

“It’s a huge honor,” he said during a recent interview of the opportunity presented him by Coalition Muay Thai co-promoters Marc Entenberg and Ricky Kottenstette. “I’ve always felt like New Mexico has been a hotbed for martial arts, but now we get to introduce Muay Thai a little bit. We get to introduce that pedigree.”

The combat-sports pedigree Martinez has earned had its origins, he said, in bullying he experienced as a kid in Cleveland. After the family’s move to Santa Fe, he dived into the local martial-arts scene — encouraged by his father and learning from the likes of Alberto Crane, Angelo Sanchez, Josh Montoya, et al.

“It kept me out of trouble, gave me purpose and a passion,” he said. “When (other kids) after school would be hanging out with their friends, going to the malls, doing whatever. I was at practice.

“It molded me pretty well, for sure.”

That’s been his life ever since, though he finds time for his 2-month-old daughter, his two pit bulls and the occasional video game.

“For me, fighting’s always been my free time, my extracurricular, my therapy,” he said. “Just my everything, for the most part.”

Martinez does have a day job as a personal trainer at Santa Fe’s Superior Fitness — owned and operated by his father. Though that’s his base for strength and conditioning, he’ll go anywhere, and does, to keep soaking in knowledge.

He spends lots of time in Albuquerque, training at Kingdom Muay Thai and with former UFC fighter Ray Borg. He brushes up on his jiujitsu at Gracie Barra and travels to Edgewood to get work at Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone’s BMF Ranch.

With all that, it has been a long time between fights.

On June 8, 2019, Martinez defeated Josh Altum by unanimous decision on a Southwest MMA Series card at Buffalo Thunder Resort & Casino in Pojoaque. Since then, due to the COVID shutdown and to injuries, Martinez’s listing on tapology.com shows only three canceled fights in 2022.

He’s aching to get back in front of the fans.

“I haven’t been able to perform for the home crowd in a good five years,” he said. … I really enjoy performing for friends and family, just the whole aura. It’s awesome.

“So that’s what I’m looking forward to more than anything, just letting my fans see what I do in my free time.”

Like several other fighters on the home side of Saturday’s card, Martinez will be facing an opponent with an edge in experience. Bruno, who trains at Texas Muay Thai and Kickboxing Academy in Alvin, Texas, has had several Muay Thai fights.

And, like his fellow New Mexicans, Martinez is OK with that.

“We’ve got a lot of studs on the card,” he said. “… A lot of the guys I know on the card are really good finishers.

“Like I said, it’s just an opportunity for New Mexico to show its pedigree.”