“I'm gonna be buried on my shield or carried back home with it” - Brandon Vera ready to lay it all on the line against Amir Aliakbari

When Brandon Vera makes his return to the circle at ONE 164 on December 3, it could very well be a do-or-die situation for him. After more than a year away from his last appearance in the circle, ‘The Truth’ will be looking to bounce back from back-to-back knockout losses, including his relinquishment of the ONE heavyweight world championship to reigning titleholder Arjan Bhullar.

When Vera returns, he will have another incredibly tough matchup waiting for him. ‘The Truth’ faces Iranian Grecco-Roman world champion Amir Aliakbari. In an interview with The MMA Superfan, Vera shared his mindset going into the high-stakes affair:

“This is why strength and conditioning came as such an important factor, right after. We’re going hard in the paint. We’re one of the Spartans. I'm gonna be buried on my shield or carried back home with it. That’s how it is.”

On Saturday, the 45-year-old Brandon Vera will step into the cage for the last time in his career, which has spanned more than 20 years. In that time, he has competed in practically every major MMA organization and has faced a murderer's row of combat sports legends.

Whether it’s the next time or the last time we see ‘The Truth’ step inside the circle, fans in Manila will undoubtedly bask in the return of one of their hometown heroes at ONE 164.

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Brandon Vera details brutal training camp ahead of ONE 164 fight

Brandon Vera has put himself through the wringer, preparing himself for a tough matchup against Iranian wrestler Amir Aliakbari. Sharing details of his grueling training camp with The MMA Superfan, Vera said:

“I don’t mind the strength part, if we’re just gonna lift weights I’m okay with that all day long. But man you gotta make me do sprints in the middle, I gotta do these crazy a** rope pulls, I gotta walk on my hands all that kind of stuff. I absolutely hate it, I just save that for camp.”

While Amir Aliakbari steps into the bout with a 1-2 record inside the circle, he looked significantly improved in his last outing against Mauro Cerilli at ONE on Prime Video 1, scoring a second-round knockout. However, the fact remains that Aliakbari has been KO’d twice inside the circle, making him susceptible to Brandon Vera’s knockout power.

Will all of Vera’s hard work pay off at ONE 164 or could December 3 be the day we say goodbye to ‘The Truth’?