It didn’t take long for UFC bantamweight Marlon Vera to get down to business — and finish that business — on Saturday night.
After their previous meeting was scrapped from UFC 235 due to Vera pulling out thanks to illness, both Frankie Saenz and Marlon Vera returned to finish what they almost started, this time at UFC Nashville. Saenz (13-5) and Vera (12-5-1), both UFC veterans, entered the night on two fight win streaks. One of those would fall by the wayside, and it didn’t take long at all to figure out which.
Marlon Vera opened the action with a kick. Saenz looked to get close and exchange. Saenz fired off a leg kick and Vera answered that with high kick that missed the mark. Vera landed a hard leg kick, then followed it up by a left jab that hurt and dropped Saenz to the mat. Vera was quick to pounce on his downed opponent, raining punches until the ref had to step in and end the fight. That was it — Vera had another big win.
The jab that set it all up! @ChitoVeraUFC #UFCNashville pic.twitter.com/w0CmKDghdu
— UFC (@ufc) March 23, 2019
With bamtamweight in turmoil thanks to T.J. Dillashaw relinquishing the title after a positive drug test, it will be interesting to see where Vera goes from here. A step up in competition seems necessary in a division that is suddenly wide open.
Marlon Vera def. Frankie Saenz by TKO, Round 1, 1:25
