Sean O’Malley expressed surprise at Marlon Vera’s comeback victory at UFC 331. Vera (24-12-1 MMA, 16-11 UFC) ended a four-fight losing streak by defeating Charles Jourdain last Saturday at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. His losing streak had begun with a decisive bantamweight title defeat against O’Malley at UFC 299.
“After four losses in a row, many had counted ‘Chito’ out,” O’Malley said on his YouTube channel. “I thought this might be the moment he finally gets knocked down for good. He hasn’t looked terrible or outstanding lately; more like how he’s generally performed throughout his career. But this could be his best fight yet, especially against a dangerous Charles Jourdain who was also on a winning streak.”
O’Malley continued, “At bantamweight, Vera is 3-0 now. He’s making a lot of noise, extremely dangerous, with solid submissions and knockout power. He went out there and dominated. He looked great. As for me, I beat him 50-45—a completely dominant win in Miami, which hosted the biggest bantamweight fight and gate in city history. But this isn’t about me.”
Vera is now tied with O’Malley and T.J. Dillashaw for the most knockouts in UFC bantamweight history, each holding seven. He also set a new record for most knockdowns in UFC bantamweight bouts by flooring Jourdain three times.
Fan Take: Vera’s resurgence is a thrilling reminder that perseverance pays off in the fight game, keeping the bantamweight division dynamic and unpredictable. For fans and the sport, it signals fresh matchups and narratives that elevate excitement and competition at the highest level.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
