Marlon Vera’s journey to the UFC bantamweight title is a story of overcoming adversity and learning from defeat. Discover how he turned a devastating loss into a turning point in his career.
| Marlon Vera is set to fight for the UFC bantamweight title for the first time at UFC 299 when he faces Sean O’Malley in a rematch.
| Vera reflects on his loss to José Aldo and how it became a turning point in his career.
| Since losing to Aldo, Vera has gone 5-1 at bantamweight with impressive victories against top opponents.
| The loss to Aldo taught Vera valuable lessons and changed his mindset for the better.
| Vera sees the loss as a blessing in disguise and an opportunity to grow as a fighter.
Marlon Vera’s Journey to UFC Bantamweight Title
Marlon Vera is set to fight for the UFC bantamweight title for the first time at UFC 299 when he faces Sean O’Malley in a rematch.
"Chito" has been competing in the UFC since 2014 but it’s really in the past three years that he has started to establish himself as one of the top 135-pounders in the world.
He’s suffered some setbacks on the way but Vera has been able to learn from those experiences and take away some valuable lessons.
He attributes his recent step up to one particular defeat that made him raise his game in order to get the best out of himself mentally…
Vera Explains How 2020 Loss To Aldo Allowed Him To Come Back Better Than Ever
During a recent interview with Kevin Iole, Vera was asked about where his career seemed to turn the corner in his own opinion.
After his win over O’Malley the first time around, which remains the one loss on the champion’s record, "Chito" got a big spot against Brazilian legend José Aldo.
He reflected on the unanimous decision loss during the interview and how the third round of that fight proved to be a great learning experience.
"That loss hurt me so much because watching on TV is something but being in there, like the first round I was calculating, I was trying to figure out his speed, I was trying to see his body shots. Second round, I’m 100 percent sure I won that round and leaving the second round, at the end of the second round, he was so tired and overwhelmed.
"I remember his energy, he was like, ‘Oh, I’m going to lose again and then I’m done,’ and I got so cocky and arrogant and I make a childish mistake on just rushing around the cage and throwing a haymaker for no reason, I don’t even fight like that. That cost me the fight."
Since losing to Aldo, Vera has gone 5-1 at bantamweight with signature performances against Frankie Edgar, Rob Font, and Dominick Cruz.
He revealed what exactly it was about the loss to Aldo that changed his mindset and how he looks back on that defeat as a blessing in disguise.
"That was a 1000 percent on me, I made the biggest mistake of my life but it was also the best mistake of my life because it teach me so much in the long run. That’s why my career turned the way it turned because I was like you have to be cautious of everything at all times, it just teach me so many things.
"That loss I would say it could be the best loss of my career and I’m not a hater, why not against a legend like Jose Aldo."
