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Marlon Vera doesn't want to let bygones be bygones. During an interview with MMAJunkie, the UFC Bantamweight claimed that he wanted to run it back with Jimmie Rivera. Vera admitted that he wasn't upset over their previous fight getting nixed under controversial circumstances.
Vera versus Rivera was originally pitched to happen in January, 2017. However, Rivera turned down the fight citing various reasons. Firstly, 'El Terror' didn't wish to fight a lower-ranked Vera.
There was another layer to the story. Vera's daughter was suffering from a few health complications at that time and Rivera didn't want to take away the money that Vera could have used to treat his daughter.
While Vera isn't upset regarding the nature of the previously cancelled showdown against Rivera, Chito feels that Rivera is an ideal opponent out of all the ranked fighters in the Bantamweight division.
Vera went one step further to claim that he is confident about ending Rivera's career if they meet inside the Octagon.
“I want Jimmie Rivera – I want to run this back. I feel of all the ranked guys it’s the perfect fight. We were supposed to fight. The fight was announced. He pulled out with some dumb sort of excuse.
“I’m not mad or upset, but I want to fight. I feel like that’s the easiest fight, not because the guy is easy. It’s easy to get because we already were scheduled to fight before. We can run it back.”
“I’m an emotional person when it comes to family. But in the sport, I have absolutely no feelings. You can say the worst. You can say gross things about my family. I’ll probably laugh because I can’t control what another man says. So I don’t really give an (expletive) about that.
“I’m sure about one thing: I will end his career. He’s done and he’s old, but he’s got a good number next to his name. It will be so sweet to take it away from him and be there.”
Despite giving Rivera credit for overcoming tough guys in the UFC, Vera knows he holds the edge over the 30-year-old New York native.
“He’s fought tough guys, but I see how works. They were even fights until he breaks. He doesn’t have the dog inside him any more. At this point, I will go back to him. A couple years ago he said he was too much for me. I was like, ‘Okay. Whatever you want, son.’ Now he’s coming off of three losses in four fights. I’m coming off of five finishes. Now, he can’t say (expletive). “Now, he has to take it like a man and run it back. Don’t be a (expletive), Jimmie.” H/t Credit: MMAJunkie
Marlon Vera (15-5-1) is on a five-fight win streak with three of those wins coming in 2019 itself. Jimmie Rivera (22-4) is coming off two losses and sits at #7 in the UFC Bantamweight rankings.
