Marlon Vera is currently a top-ranked fighter in the deepest, most competitive division in the UFC, poised to headline opposite two-time bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz this weekend in San Diego.
It’s his second consecutive main event assignment after battering Rob Font in April to run his winning streak to three. It was the most impressive showing of Vera’s career in the biggest opportunity of his career, and it feels like that will be a theme going forward.
From here on out, each fight will be the toughest test and the biggest moment, and if he continues to ace his exams and rise to the occasion, “Chito” could find himself fighting for championship gold.
Eight years ago, when he first arrived in the UFC, suggesting Vera would one day become one of the top bantamweights in the world and a potential title threat would have seemed outlandish; the equivalent of a shot-in-the-dark long shot wager years in the future that mostly likely isn’t going to come through, but you make just in case the fates align.
Eight years later, Vera has bent the fates to his will, and stands on the precipice of turning that ticket into a winner.
The fact that he’s at this point is a testament to his drive, his tenacity, and the skills he’s bolted onto those uncanny intangibles along the way.
THE EARLY YEARS
Vera lost his UFC debut, dropping a unanimous decision to fellow Ultimate Fighter: Latin America contestant Marco Beltran in the opening bout of the night at UFC 180 in Mexico City. After rebounding with a victory in his sophomore appearance in the Octagon, he ventured to London, England and lost to Davey Grant to fall to 1-2 in the UFC.
Three straight wins followed, including consecutive finishes of Brad Pickett and Brian Kelleher, only for consecutive trips to Brazil to result in consecutive losses to Brazilian competitors, leaving Vera as a .500 fighter through his first eight UFC starts.
Fighters with an even win-loss record after that many appearances generally don’t end up hanging around the Octagon that much longer, unless they show flashes of promise. In Vera’s case, it was fireworks, not just flashes.
In his four victories, you saw the finishing abilities and instincts, the raw skills in both the striking and grappling departments. And in the losses, all of which came by decision, you saw the kind of grit and gumption that often separates great fighters from good fighters and can’t be learned.
Skills can be taught — you can learn how to throw a proper jab and put your strikes together; to utilize your range; to pace yourself and weaponize conditioning. The natural feel for fighting, the love for being in the thick of it and continuing to press forward is simply something you either have or you don’t. Vera showed he had a lifetime supply. He was a pile of raw potential fighting off instinct and having success at the highest level, and if you looked close enough, you could see the outline of someone that might be able to have prolonged success and a future in the rankings, but not a potential title contender.
THE ASCENT
Vera entered his fight with Wuliji Buren at UFC 277 on a two-fight losing streak.
It was his ninth fight in the UFC and they were the opening bout of the night. With Buren having lost his promotional debut seven months earlier, it was probably a “win or go home” scenario for the Ecuadorian fighter, and he made sure that he didn’t have to go home, stopping Buren in the second round.
Three months later, Vera submitted his former TUF: Latin America teammate Guido Cannetti, who replaced him in the competition when a skin condition rendered him unable to compete. Four months later, a first-round win over Frankie Saenz, followed by a second-round submission finish of NohelinHernandez, followed by a third-round finish of Andre Ewell.
Five fights, five wins, and five finishes in 14 months made “Chito” a name to watch in the bantamweight division. He graduated from facing fighters still looking to prove they belonged to competing against fellow hopefuls, his run of success snapped in a close, debated loss to Chinese prospect Song Yadong on the third event after the UFC returned during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Next came a fight with Sean O’Malley, which he won by stoppage late in the first round after landing a low kick that left the flamboyant and fluorescent rising star hobbling around the Octagon on a blown-out tire. “Suga” said it was a fluke and that he doesn’t recognize the defeat; Vera took the victory and kept moving forward, landing opposite former featherweight champ and recent bantamweight title challenger Jose Aldo in the penultimate bout of 2020.
He dropped a decision to the resurgent Brazilian, spending the majority of the decisive third round with Aldo on his back, hunting for chokes, but mostly burning the clock; a veteran fighter taking advantage of the less experienced Vera being overzealous to begin the round.
It felt like maybe this was the top end of things; like Vera had reached the upper limit of where could go in a division filled with polished, seasoned veterans and dynamic emerging talents. He’d broken into the Top 15, but was maybe one of those fighters destined to reside in the lower third of that group for long portions of their careers; a dangerous litmus test who could carve out a quality niche for himself facing established names looking for a reset and prospects seeking their first victory over a ranked competitor.
It’s good work if you can get it, but the driven Vera wasn’t satisfied with residing outside the Top 10.
THE NEXT STEP
Following the loss to Aldo, Vera began his 2021 campaign by facing off with Davey Grant for a second time.
The British veteran had gotten the better of things when the two met back in 2016 and had picked up three straight victories, including back-to-back knockouts, to merit a matchup someone stationed ahead of him in the hierarchy. It was guaranteed to be an entertaining fight, and the two delivered, earning Fight of the Night honors.
Vera emerged victorious, and showed he was still making meaningful improvements. Grant is the kind of guy that can draw you into a brawl; make you throw the game plan and your fundamentals out the window because he’s willing to take your best shot and wants to know if you’re willing to do the same.
Rather than just go shot-for-shot on the feet, Vera diversified his attack, mixing in takedowns and submission attempts, quality work in the clinch. He was efficient with his output, landing at a high percentage, fighting economically while still clearly landing with force, doing damage.
Less than four months later, he ventured to New York City for UFC 268, squaring off with Frankie Edgar at Madison Square Garden.
On paper, it was a similar fight to the one he’d lost to Aldo — a date with a former champion, a divisional staple, and a crafty, savvy veteran fighter. In practice, it was anything but as Vera showed tremendous poise, navigating a competitive opening stanza and finding his range and rhythm in the second half of the middle round before knocking out the venerable veteran late in the third.
He took what Edgar gave him and made the most of everything, finding ways to have an impact, even when he got put on his back. His confidence never wavered, he never got hurried, never over-extended; he simply turned up the pace, cranked up the pressure, and put it on “The Answer,” putting him away with a front kick to the chin.
But the fight with Font in April was his masterpiece, his announcement that in addition to being game and gritty and tenacious, he was ready to be a championship contender as well.
He landed with force without ever forcing anything, working at a steady, effective clip from the first round to the fifth. That tenacity, that love to being in the thick of it shone through, as he seemed to revel in stalking Font and continually stick him with big, impactful shots.
And he grew into the fight, just as he did against Edgar, building and building and building until his forward pressure and consistent output was just too much for Font to overcome. While the New England native diligently tried to stand his ground and made it to the final horn, it was abundantly clear who had won the fight long before the tens and nines were tallied and the verdict was read aloud.
THE FUTURE
That version of “Chito” Vera looked like a championship contender and if he turns up in a comparable form this weekend, he’s likely to secure a fourth consecutive victory by defeating arguably the greatest bantamweight in UFC history.
These next few months are loaded with important, competitive fights in the 135-pound weight class, and Vera has the chance to set the tone for the division this weekend, and set himself up for another marquee assignment next time out. A title fight might not be in the cards, but it’s not out of the question either, especially if he does something spectacular to close out the show against Cruz on Saturday.
But title fight or not, the fact that Vera has reached this point is incredible — one of the best developmental stories of the last decade, and a testament to the effort he’s put in, the want and desire that fuels him, and the guidance and coaching provided by his head coach, Jason Parillo, and everyone he works with.
The hints of potential were always there.
Eight years later, Vera has exceeded all expectations, except maybe his own.
