![Dominick Cruz (left) and Marlon Vera (right) [Image Credits: Dominick Cruz's Instagram]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2021/06/e17fa-16241506760522-800.jpg)
![Dominick Cruz (left) and Marlon Vera (right) [Image Credits: Dominick Cruz's Instagram]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http%3A//www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20xmlns%3Axlink='http%3A//www.w3.org/1999/xlink'%20viewBox='0%200%2010%205.25'%3E%3Cfilter%20id='b'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20stdDeviation='.5'%3E%3C/feGaussianBlur%3E%3CfeComponentTransfer%3E%3CfeFuncA%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20type='discrete'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20tableValues='1%201'%3E%3C/feFuncA%3E%3C/feComponentTransfer%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20filter='url(%23b)'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Former UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz has responded to Marlon Vera's callout while sitting on the commentary table.
"There's a long list of people calling me out. We are all trying to fight up the rankings, up the ladder. I gotta respect somebody who's trying to fight up the ladder. He wants to fight me. I want to fight up the ladder too." said Dominick Cruz.
Dominick Cruz is currently ranked number nine in the UFC bantamweight division, and Marlon Vera currently sits at the number fifteen. Cruz is a decorated former bantamweight champion, and 'Chito' would understandably like to have a name like that on his resume.
You can watch the call-out video below:
Marlon Vera defeats Davey Grant at UFC Vegas 29
UFC bantamweight Marlon Vera put on a show at UFC Vegas 29 as he won a dominant decision in his fight against Davey Grant. 'Chito' overwhelmed Grant in the third round of the bout, winning a 10-8 score on two judges' scorecards. The three judges scored the contest 29-27, 29-28, and 30-26.
After a decision loss to UFC legend Jose Aldo in December 2020, Vera has put himself back in the win column with this win over Grant. The Ecuadorian fighter now holds an MMA record of 17-7-1.
After his impressive outing against Grant at UFC Vegas 29, Marlon Vera used his post-fight interview with Michael Bisping to call out former UFC champion Dominick Cruz. Cruz had a lukewarm response to the callout.
A look at Vera's career will show that the Ecuadorian's call-out of Cruz was reasonable.
At UFC 252, Marlon Vera was responsible for handing rising bantamweight prospect Sean O'Malley his first loss when he defeated 'Sugar' via TKO in the first round of the fight.
Also read: Marlon Vera claims Sean O'Malley refused to fight him in a rematch
Marlon Vera was also a part of UFC's reality show The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America. 'Chito' was part of former UFC heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum's team. In the quarter-finals of the tournament, Vera knocked out Enrique Briones but was later forced out of the tournament due to a skin infection.
The Ecuadorian fighter later made his official debut in the promotion at UFC 180. He fought fellow TUF contestant Marco Beltran. 'Chito' ended up losing the fight via decision.
