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This past weekend saw Marlon Vera pick up one of the biggest wins of his UFC career, as he outpointed Rob Font in one of the more exciting bouts of 2022.
Marlon Vera’s win over Rob Font should move him into the top five at bantamweight, so who should ‘Chito’ face next?
Whether he’s matched with a fighter above him in the rankings or a big-name fighter who is slightly below him, the good news is that there are plenty of options for the Ecuadorian fighter.
Here are five potential opponents for 'Chito' Vera following his latest victory.
#5. Marlon Vera vs. Jose Aldo
Okay, so in a number of ways, it’s probably too early for a rematch between Marlon Vera and Jose Aldo. The two men only fought in December 2020, with Aldo taking a decision over three rounds, and it definitely seems like the Brazilian might have his hands full right now with either Aljamain Sterling or the returning Henry Cejudo.
However, ‘Chito’ has already suggested that he’d like to run the fight back, stating that he’d love to fight the former UFC featherweight kingpin again because he apparently declined a five-round bout the last time they fought.
Vera has also stated that he’d finish Aldo if they were to fight again. While the jury is out on that claim, particularly after ‘Junior’ largely outclassed him standing in their first bout, it is true that ‘Chito’ appears to have improved a lot since December 2020.
It’d be a high-risk fight for Vera, as another loss to Aldo would almost certainly send him tumbling out of contention for the UFC bantamweight title. However, if he could finish the Brazilian legend, then he’d have claimed his biggest scalp yet, and it could even set him up for a shot at the champion.
Overall, it seems unlikely that the UFC would go for this booking simply because Aldo’s likely to have another fight in the pipeline already, but if they were to choose this direction, then it’d definitely work.
#4. Marlon Vera vs. Dominick Cruz
Another fighter who Marlon Vera has called out since his win over Rob Font this weekend is former UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz. In this instance, assuming Vera jumps into the top five following his win over Font, he’d actually be facing an opponent ranked below him.
However, in this case, the match would probably work perfectly. Cruz, who is currently ranked at No.7, has already claimed that he’s looking to win the bantamweight title back this year. If that’s his aim, then he’ll need to beat some of the current top contenders to get there.
From Vera’s point of view, though, this bout would also make sense despite ‘The Dominator’ likely being ranked below him. That’s because Cruz still has a big name with the UFC thanks to his two runs as bantamweight kingpin. His reputation with the fans is still high, too.
If ‘Chito’ could knock off the former champion, then – and he’d probably be favored to do so given his current form – it’d probably be considered the biggest win of his career and would almost certainly move him in line for a title eliminator, if not a title shot outright.
It’d be a tricky bout for the Ecuadorian given Cruz’s unorthodox style and experience. However, given that ‘The Dominator’ is now 37 years old, if there’s a good time to be fighting him, it’s probably now. Overall, this one would make an excellent headline bout for a UFC Fight Night card.
#3. Marlon Vera vs. Merab Dvalishvili
Traditionally, unless they’re trying to protect someone, the UFC loves to test a prospective contender against an opponent who could capitalize on any holes they might have remaining in their game. It’s a policy that does make sense, as it ensures any title challenger is almost certainly ‘for real’.
With that in mind, despite the fact that he’s likely to be below Marlon Vera in the rankings this week, the UFC may well choose to match ‘Chito’ up with Merab Dvalishvili. ‘The Machine’ has not fought since his victory over Marlon Moraes last September, but he’d provide Vera with a huge test thanks to his powerful wrestling skills.
The Georgian fighter is probably the best takedown artist in the bantamweight division. He’s never failed to ground an opponent during his UFC career and holds the record for takedowns landed at 135 pounds with a total of 50.
Vera, meanwhile, has shown himself to be both a fantastic striker and submission artist. He’s also a consummate and dangerous finisher both standing and on the ground. However, most of his recent fights have come against strikers and we don’t know how he’d operate off his back for long periods of time.
The UFC may choose against booking this fight purely because ‘Chito’ seems to be catching on with the fans as a potential star right now while Dvalishvili remains somewhat of an under-the-radar fighter. If they were to book it, fireworks would likely ensue, making it a possible option for sure.
#2. Marlon Vera vs. Cory Sandhagen
If Marlon Vera is looking to fight an opponent ranked above him, then he could do a lot worse than to call out Cory Sandhagen, who currently sits at No.4 in the UFC’s bantamweight division.
Sure, the UFC doesn’t tend to book clashes between fighters coming off wins and fighters coming off losses, but in this case, a Vera vs. Sandhagen bout may make too much sense to ignore. Not only would it be an excellent fight for both men, it’d also provide almost guaranteed fireworks.
While Sandhagen was defeated by both Petr Yan and T.J. Dillashaw in 2021, both fights were razor-close calls and ‘The Sandman’ pushed both men all the way over five rounds. More to the point, he’s a deadly and flashy striker who is more than capable of taking an opponent out in stunning fashion.
‘Chito’ has proven to be very similar in that sense, as despite going the distance with Rob Font this past weekend, he’s scored highlight-reel finishes over the likes of Sean O’Malley and Frankie Edgar in recent years.
More importantly, though, it’d be easy to view Sandhagen as the ultimate gatekeeper at 135 pounds right now, with the fighters capable of beating him being those capable of fighting for or winning the UFC bantamweight title.
With that in mind, if ‘Chito’ really sees himself as a future champion in this weight class, then defeating ‘The Sandman’ would be the best way to prove that he’s capable of that. Basically, this would simply be an excellent fight to make overall.
#1. Marlon Vera vs. Petr Yan
Given that it’s unlikely that the UFC will look to book a third fight between reigning bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling and former titleholder Petr Yan any time soon – not with Jose Aldo, Henry Cejudo and T.J. Dillashaw waiting in the wings – then ‘No Mercy’ will require a different high-level opponent.
So, given that Marlon Vera is looking for a fight that will immediately push him into title contention, a clash between ‘Chito’ and Yan might make sense from the point of view of everyone concerned.
Admittedly, this would be a hugely dangerous fight for Vera. It’s one thing knocking out Frankie Edgar and turning Rob Font’s face into hamburger meat, but ‘No Mercy’ is on another level entirely, even if he was unable to defeat Sterling last month.
When you consider what the Russian did to Aldo in their fight, as well as his win over Cory Sandhagen, it’s arguable that Yan is the most deadly striker in the division. With that in mind, a fight with him would be a massive risk for ‘Chito’.
However, it’d carry with it a huge reward too, as a win over a recent former champion would almost definitely propel the Ecuadorian into a title shot of his own.
Essentially, if Vera has a mind to make it to the top of the bantamweight division, he’ll have to beat the best fighters, and there aren’t many better than Yan right now.
