UFC bantamweight Marlon Vera has won his last three fights in a row and feels he’s almost ready for a title shot.
That’s why the Ecuadorian currently has his sights set on a matchup with Petr Yan as ‘Chito’ feels a win over the former bantamweight champ all but guarantees him the next title shot.
“We’re right there,” Vera told The Schmo in a recent interview (h/t MMA Fighting). “We’re literally one win away from fighting for that belt, so I hope we get it done with Yan. I think that’s the path to the belt, number one contender. We kick his ass, and we move forward.”
As far as Dominick Cruz goes, though, Vera says ‘The Dominator’ is old news.
“Dominick is an old story for me,” he said. “He don’t want to do it, he don’t want the smoke, well, we move forward. He wants it, he gets it. I stop Yan, and I get a title shot.”
If Yan isn’t available, however, Vera is willing to rematch Sean O’Malley whom he previously beat via stoppage after ‘Suga’ suffered a freak leg injury in the first round.
Vera, who has surpassed O’Malley in the bantamweight rankings, would be quite happy to run it back with the 27-year-old and ‘kick his ass again’.
“He has a fight coming up, I don’t have a fight yet, but if they want to make it happen, I’ll kick his ass again, put him out the same way,” Vera said. “He can keep talking, I’ll keep winning.”
O’Malley is currently booked to fight Pedro Munhoz at UFC 276 but, after that, the top-fifteen bantamweight would gladly welcome a rematch with Vera.
The main priority for Vera, though, is Yan. But judging by this recent Twitter exchange between both fighters, that matchup could be in jeopardy.
@PetrYanUFC bitch out august 13th
— C H T O V E R A (@chitoveraUFC) May 26, 2022
If you want to fight the best you can wait till September/October, but if you want to just to be ufc’s bitch and fill out the spot in August you can fuck off and don’t waste my time https://t.co/ynfPyE5lhD
— Petr “No Mercy” Yan (@PetrYanUFC) May 26, 2022
About the author
