Bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley will defend his title against the only man to beat him in a professional affair, Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera, at the main event of UFC 299 on March 9.
Taking center stage in Miami, Florida, Sean O’Malley will have a chance to avenge that defeat and continue being the UFC champion. That said, Marlon Vera boasts a record of 21-8-1 and has never won the UFC title. At UFC 299, he will also desperately try to attain the champion status against his former rival.
‘Suga’O’Malley and ‘Chito’ Vera have a storied past. Vera knocked out Sean O’Malley at UFC 252 , which many cited to be the end of the ‘Suga Show’. However, Sean O’Malley didn’t consider it to be a loss. He claimed to have entered the cage with an injured leg, ruling out Vera’s winning accomplishment.
Almost four years later, O’Malley holds the world title while he will cross paths with ‘Chito’ Vera again. Before they settle the professional rivalry at UFC 299, here’s a look back to their first meeting.
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Sean O’Malley got crushed by Marlon Vera
Sean O’Malley and Marlon Vera co-headlined the UFC 252- Miocic vs Cormier 3 PPV. Both men entered the cage with sheer confidence and the same was reflected in their gameplan. Nevertheless, O’Malley had his legs wrapped while his movement seemed a bit off.
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They both traded shots and showed no intentions of taking each other to the ground. While O’Malley and Vera were exchanging shots, the former had his leg misplanted and fell off the brakes. That’s when ‘Chito’ pounced upon Sean O’Malley and took him to the deepest waters. ‘Chito’ landed hard shots and scored a TKO win over O’Malley.
The fight ended in the maiden round itself. More than three years later, O’Malley has scored five wins and one no-contest since the loss and also holds the UFC belt. On the contrary, Marlon Vera has earned five wins with two losses. Now they will lock horns at the Kaseya Centre in a few days to clarify who’s the superior fighter and the world champion of today.
