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Marlon Vera has joined an elite list of fighters which include the likes of UFC veterans Jon Jones and Max Holloway.
Ahead of his upcoming fight against Dominick Cruz this weekend, Vera will aim to extend his streak as one of only three fighters in the UFC to never have been knocked down or finished by strikes in their UFC career.
In a new tweet by Andy Hickey MMA, he presented an astounding statistic that showed just how resilient Vera has been since his debut in the organization. It read:
"The top 3 Fighters on the current roster that have never been knocked down or finished by strikes in their UFC career. Max Holloway, Jon Jones & Marlon Vera."
Holloway has fought 26 times, followed by Jones at 22 with both fighters failing to be knocked down or stopped with strikes in the octagon. Both Holloway and Jones have tasted championship success, with Holloway winning the featherweight title and Jones becoming a two-time light heavyweight champion.
While Vera is yet to taste championship success, he has risen to No.5 in the bantamweight division, with a victory over Dominick Cruz sure to propel him closer to a maiden title opportunity.
He is currently on a three-fight winning streak, including big wins over Frankie Edgar and Rob Font. His last loss came at the hands of Jose Aldo back in December 2020.
Watch Max Holloway's best finishes below:
Marlon Vera isn't fazed by rankings ahead of Cruz fight
Vera, who has risen rapidly in the last few years, has put himself in the top five of the bantamweight division alongside some of the biggest names in the UFC. However, he isn't too bothered with where he stands at the moment.
Speaking with John Morgan of MMA Underground, Vera was not a fan of the ranking system in the UFC, saying that it didn't matter to him. He said:
"Do the rankings matter? Are the rankings real? Rankings are sh**. Rankings mean nothing. Like if you ask me right now, I don't know who makes them. I don't know if it's the UFC. I heard it's the media people." [sic]
Vera will face the No.8 Cruz, but the veteran is a former two-time champion in the bantamweight division and faces a tough task to come out on top. Additionally, Cruz is coming off back-to-back victories in the UFC and will push the Ecuadorian to the limit in order to notch up one of the biggest wins of his career.
Watch Marlon Vera talk about the ranking system below:
