UFC Vegas 53: Marlon Vera Credits Aldo Loss For Recent Success

Las Vegas, NV — In his last two fights, UFC Vegas 53 headliner Marlon Vera has claimed a Fight of the Night and Performance of the Night bonus, winning fights against Davey Grant and Frankie Edgar.

“Chito” Vera (18-7-1) credits that recent success to his last loss.

Speaking to media outlets including Cageside Press during Wednesday’s UFC Vegas 53 media day, Vera explained that it was his loss to Jose Aldo that helped him put on a pair of performances that got people to stand up and take notice.

“I really think losing to Aldo the way I lost— I’m never the person that wants say ‘oh he was hold[ing] me down.’ That’s not a thing. I was the one that was supposed to escape and kick his ass. I don’t believe in get ups, I don’t believe the referee should be standing up. If you’re fighting someone that is boring, or wants to hold you down, f*ck it. Winning is way better than f*cking losing, good for them,” Vera explained. “I think losing like that almost kills me on the inside. Because I know how close I was to finishing him, I know how tired he was. It’s all on me. Mentally, I’m focused, I will never blame a coach or a person, it’s all my fault. I think that loss just made me angry, I was not happy with myself.”

There’s only one thing you can do, coming off a loss like that, said Vera, who dropped a unanimous decision to Aldo in December 2020. “And it’s get better, learn from it, suck it up and go. And that’s why I fought the way I fought the last two fights, and coming this Saturday I’m going to fight just as hard and just as smart. Because I don’t want to lose like that.”

Getting paired up in a main event slot against Rob Font “feels great, it feels like a dream come true,” Vera stated. Despite the long road he took to get here. “I don’t mind the long road, the hard work. At the end of the day, it’s to make it at the end of the day. For me, it’s step-by-step, go hard, and it’s as simple as just f*ck shit up.”

Aside from the Aldo fight, Vera also credits his level of competition for keeping him sharp. “I got a lot of tough opponents in front of me, I got former champions in front of me. I feel like all that being around and fighting at the top consistently will make me a better fighter and more dangerous for future fights. I feel like I’m in a great moment, I’m in a good mental space, physically, I don’t think I can be more ready or train harder than I already did. I feel great, Saturday will come and I’m going to kick Rob’s ass.”

Watch the full UFC Vegas 53 media day appearance from Marlon Vera above. The event takes place this Saturday, April 30, 2022 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada. More coverage can be found below.