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This weekend’s UFC Fight Night event saw bantamweight contender Marlon Vera pick up the biggest win of his career thus far, as he turned the lights out on former champion Dominick Cruz with a violent fourth round head kick.
Marlon Vera’s win over Dominick Cruz was his fourth in a row and his fifth in his last six fights, so should his next trip to the octagon be a UFC bantamweight title bout?
The answer is almost certainly yes. Current UFC bantamweight champ Aljamain Sterling is set to face top contender TJ Dillashaw in October, but despite the presence of a number of strong contenders, ‘Chito’ should be next in line.
Here are five reasons why Marlon Vera deserves the next shot at the UFC bantamweight title.
#5. Marlon Vera is the freshest contender in the UFC bantamweight division right now
The UFC doesn’t always book its title fights from a logical standpoint, meaning that often, fans are left with head-scratching bouts that see name value favoured over and above anything else.
If the promotion uses its regular style of booking, then, the fighter next in line for the winner of the upcoming bantamweight title bout between Aljamain Sterling and TJ Dillashaw would either be a returning Henry Cejudo, or – if he beats Merab Dvalishvili later this month – Jose Aldo.
However, based on his current run, it’s definitely fair to argue that Marlon Vera would make for a far fresher title challenger than either man.
Cejudo has not fought since May 2020 and has been in self-imposed retirement since, and while it’s true that he didn’t lose the bantamweight title in the octagon, he’s also lacking momentum due to his time away.
Aldo, meanwhile, will be on a four-fight win streak if he beats Dvalishvili and also holds a semi-recent win over Vera. However, he hasn’t been finishing his foes like ‘Chito’ has, and more to the point, he’s been in so many title bouts over the years that the idea of him fighting in another feels tired.
Essentially, giving Vera the next title shot would make for a fresh fight at the top of the division, and it’d almost certainly pique the interest of the fans more than any other title bout, particularly with the Ecuadorian’s violent win over Dominick Cruz fresh in the memory.
#4. It’s impossible to play down the significance of Marlon Vera’s win over Dominick Cruz
Prior to his win over Dominick Cruz, the one knock on Marlon Vera would’ve been that he lacked a real signature victory during his time in the UFC. Sure, his front kick knockout of Frankie Edgar in 2020 was outstanding, but to be fair, ‘The Answer’ was already past his best at that point.
However, it’s impossible to play down the significance of the Ecuadorian’s win over ‘The Dominator’ last night.
Firstly, prior to last night, Cruz had only ever lost to three fighters – Urijah Faber in the WEC, and Cody Garbrandt and Henry Cejudo in the UFC. He’d never lost a non-title bout in his entire career, and he’d also only ever been finished once, by Cejudo in what was considered by some a questionable stoppage.
There was no question around the head kick that ‘Chito’ used to take out the former champion, though. Cruz had already been dropped by Vera on multiple occasions prior to the fourth round, and when the kick landed, ‘The Dominator’ crashed down face-first, clearly done.
Cruz might be coming towards the end of his storied career, but the truth is that a win over him still carries more weight than a win over practically any other fighter in the bantamweight division. By finishing him in this way, Vera has more than earned a title shot.
#3. Marlon Vera would make for an excellent stylistic match for Aljamain Sterling or TJ Dillashaw
While the UFC is obviously about booking fights that will decide the best fighters on the planet and make the most money in the process, the promotion always takes into account the kind of stylistic clash that a prospective bout will throw up, too.
In that sense, there’s no disputing that Marlon Vera would make for an excellent stylistic match for either Aljamain Sterling or TJ Dillashaw, depending on who comes out on top in their upcoming bantamweight title clash.
A bout between Vera and Sterling would be absolutely fascinating, as it’d be interesting to see how ‘Chito’ would deal with the powerful wrestling and incredible grappling of ‘The Funk Master’, while the current champion would have to improve his striking defense to avoid the power shots of the Ecuadorian.
Dillashaw, meanwhile, would give Vera a different kind of test altogether. Few fighters chain together combinations quite like the former champion, and the product of TUF 14 is also an excellent wrestler, too. However, how Dillashaw would deal with the pressure and striking power of ‘Chito’ would be a fair question.
Overall, both fights could be amongst the best that the UFC could put together in 2023, and so regardless of who holds the title, putting Vera next in line would be a great move.
#2. Marlon Vera is in the form of his life and is still improving
It’s easy to forget that Marlon Vera has been around the UFC for a long period of time now. He first made his way into the promotion via the first season of TUF: Latin America back in late 2014, and he was just 21 years old when he debuted in the octagon with a loss to Marco Beltran.
Back then, it was difficult to imagine ‘Chito’ developing into a genuine contender, and even when he started to hit somewhat of a stride in 2017 – famously retiring former top ten ranked Brad Pickett – it still felt like he’d only ever have a career with the UFC as an action fighter.
However, in recent years, Vera’s skills have improved dramatically, and now, it’s hard not to view him as a legitimate title threat. More to the point, based on the striking power he’s displayed in his recent wins over Rob Font and Dominick Cruz, he’s still improving.
Essentially, ‘Chito’ is now the fighter on the best form at 135lbs, and given that, it’s only right that the UFC strike while the iron is hot and hand him the next title shot – particularly as he wouldn’t especially be leapfrogging anyone in the queue to fight for the gold.
#1. Marlon Vera is the most exciting fighter in the UFC bantamweight division
Perhaps the biggest reason to give Marlon Vera the next shot at the UFC bantamweight title is the fact that bar none, he’s the most exciting fighter in the world to watch at 135lbs right now.
Every time the Ecuadorian steps into the octagon, fireworks seem to ensue. ‘Chito’ has always been known as a fighter with a serious killer instinct, as eleven of his 15 wins in the UFC have come via stoppage, with seven KO’s and five submissions to his name.
However, even when his fights go the distance, they’re usually jam-packed with violence and wildly entertaining. In fact, three of his last four bouts to go to the judges were given the Fight of the Night award, including his beating of Rob Font in April.
While it’s true that just putting on exciting fights shouldn’t be enough to earn a title shot, ‘Chito’ has been able to produce classics not just against low-level opponents, but against some of the best bantamweights in the world.
Very few fighters in the UFC are capable of doing that, and in the bantamweight division, there’s basically nobody who produces the same amount of exciting fights as the native of Ecuador.
With that considered, then, there’s no good reason not to hand him the next title shot, and watch the fireworks ensue.
