Athletes
Marlon Vera | Rested And Recharged
Former Bantamweight Title Challenger Took Some Much-Needed Time Off And Now Looks To Get Things Back On Track In Vancouver
Sometimes, a little rest and relaxation are what the body needs.
That was the case for Marlon “Chito” Vera, who returns to the Octagon for the first time since last August to face Aiemann Zahabi this Saturday in Vancouver, Canada. Even though the bantamweight hasn’t been actively competing, he still very much has been in front of UFC fans, sometimes as a commentator for the Espanol broadcast, and other times just catching a fight as a fan. For the 32-year-old, the time off has been exactly what he needed.
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“I took time off competition, but my love for the sport, being around, doing either commentating or being a guest fighter, I was around as much as I could, and I really didn't stop training,” Vera said. “It's just the time off competition, and sometimes you need that. Sometimes you're doing too much for too long, and you might be a little burnt out. I feel I took the right decision on just stepping a little away and really see everything from the outside. Now that I'm back, I feel it was a good thing to do.”
The former title challenger stated that in his time away, he was able to improve in all aspects of his game, mixing his wrestling and grappling, and taking the time to learn from his recent losses to Deiveson Figueiredo and former champion Sean O’Malley.
The biggest piece of growth for the Ecuadorian has been in his cardio. He has been super dialed in on learning when to explode and use that cardio. When he isn’t competing, Vera is someone who likes to do long-distance runs, sometimes running close to 13 miles for over three hours, and while some may think that it would be good for cardio purposes, Vera has learned that it actually may be harming him when it comes to training for a three or five-round fight.
“Fighting is only 15 or 25 minutes, so you need to be quick and move often,” Vera said. “It was hard for me to stop doing (the runs) because that's something that I really like, but we switched out, and we went to faster type of stuff, and the only way to prove if that works will be Saturday night. I do know almost in my sparring sessions, all my wrestling sessions, I wasn't waiting until like minute 20 to say okay, now it's my time to kick some ass. I've been starting a little better, so we'll see if that helps. I'm very positive that it was a good change, even if I really wanted to run long distance every week, but I don't make money on long distance yet, so might as well figure out how to be a better fighter.”
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November will mark 11 years since Vera made his first walk to the Octagon, and he has fought everyone from champions to newcomers to veterans. This weekend marks another matchup against an up-and-coming guy who is on a hot streak. Dating back to 2021, Zahabi has rattled off five straight wins and sits at No. 9 in the 135-pound rankings. Having only been knocked out once in his career, Vera knows he has a tough task ahead of him, but believes his preparations during this camp will allow him to be victorious.
“He's a great fighter,” Vera said. “He's very good with his tactics. He fights well, seems like a guy who has power. I just prepare the best I can. I've brought in very tough sparring partners and competition. I do spar very hard. I do bring in good guys, so I'm ready to go, whatever challenge you bring to me, I know mentally I can go through most things, and I'm in very good shape. If I go in there and outclass him, amazing, and if I go in there and I have to bleed for my paycheck, I'll be there too, so I'm ready to go.”
After coming up short in his opportunity to claim a UFC title against O’Malley, “Chito” is eager to get things back on track and start the path toward a title shot once again. With Merab Dvalishvili starting to clean out the division the way that he is, it may only take a few wins for Vera to be a part of that conversation. But it all starts on Saturday night, his first fight in over 12 months.
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He knows a great performance is crucial, and at the end of the day, he just wants his actions to speak for him. All the work that he has been putting in the gym and, in his time, away will lead him to leave Vancouver with his hand raised, a feeling he has been longing for.
“It will feel amazing. It will feel amazing to prove to myself that I can do it, to prove to myself that I don't work this hard for nothing. I'm hoping and aiming for the best.”
UFC Fight Night: De Ridder vs Allen took place live from Rogers Arena in Vancouver, Canada on October 18, 2025. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!
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