5 Things You Might Not Know About Julian Marquez

Only time can tell whether or not Julian Marquez can pull out of his downward spiral in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

The 34-year-old middleweight will toe the line against Cody Brundage in the UFC Fight Night 253 co-main event on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Marquez heads into the Octagon on a three-fight losing streak that now spans almost three years. He last competed at UFC on ESPN 57, where he was cut down by a body kick and follow-up punches from Zachary Reese a mere 20 seconds into their June 8 confrontation.

As Marquez approaches a potential do-or-die showdown with Brundage at 185 pounds, here are five things you might not know about him:

1. America’s Heartland poured his foundation.

Marquez was born on May 8, 1990 in Kansas City, Missouri. He was enrolled in wrestling as a troubled youth and went on to compete at Missouri Valley College in nearby Marshall—a 90-minute drive from where he grew up—before he transitioned to mixed martial arts.

2. He took a traditional route to the top.

“The Cuban Missile Crisis” made his professional mixed martial arts debut at the age of 24 and needed just 53 seconds to punch out Charles Rooks under the Blackout Fighting Championship banner in 2014. Marquez won five of his first six bouts, establishing himself as a person of interest on the regional scene. He then nailed down his spot on the UFC roster via Dana White’s Contender Series on Aug. 1, 2017, when he cut down Phil Hawes with a second-round head kick.

3. He prefers not to involve judges.

All nine of Marquez’s victories have resulted in finishes: six by knockout or technical knockout and three by submission. He has gone the distance on two occasions, losing a unanimous decision to Chris Harris at a Bellator MMA show in February 2016 and a split verdict to Alessio Di Chirico at “The Ultimate Fighter 27” Finale in July 2018.

4. Wise choices led to a strong inner circle.

Marquez operates out of the MMA Lab in Glendale, Arizona, where he fine tunes his skills under revered coach John Crouch. The gym offers him regular access to a host of respected stablemates, from former UFC and World Extreme Cagefighting champion Benson Henderson to Sean O’Malley, Jared Cannonier, Mario Bautista and Kyler Phillips. Marquez has also trained extensively at Factory X in Englewood, Colorado, and Syndicate MMA in Las Vegas.

5. His travels have been limited.

Marquez has never fought outside North America. Fourteen of his 15 appearances have gone down in the United States, with the other having taken place in Canada.