This past Saturday in the main event of UFC Vegas 53, we saw a pivotal matchup in the bantamweight division. Marlon “Chito” Vera (21-7-1) was looking for his third straight win as he took on Rob Font (19-6).
The last time Chito Vera was in the octagon, he was taking on former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar. After a slow start in the first couple of rounds, Vera was able to knockout Edgar with a big front kick.
This fight started out similar. Through the first couple of rounds, Font was able to get out ahead on the scorecards. Font was able to use his volume to rack up the points, but Vera was just biting his time.
Late in the second round, Vera was able to land some huge shots that hurt Font badly. From that point on, the fight was all about Chito Vera and his power advantage.
Font kept landing shots, but nothing like the shots that Chito was landing. Chito brutalized the face of Font and went on to pickup the huge decision win in the UFC Vegas 53 main event.
What’s next after UFC Vegas 53?
With his latest win, Chito Vera has moved up into the top five in the UFC’s bantamweight division. He’s now, only perhaps a win or two away from challenge for the bantamweight title.
So, with this win, who should be next for Vera? Well, there are a few options, but the fight I like the most is a fight with “The Sandman” Cory Sandhagen.
The last time we saw Sandhagen he was challenging for the interim bantamweight title against Petr Yan. Sandhagen came up short, but make no mistake about it, he’s one of the best in the promotion.
Speaking of the former UFC champion Petr Yan, this could be another fight for Vera. If Vera wants to prove how good he is, there’s no one better to face than the former champion. There are plenty of good options for the UFC, but these are the two I like the best for Chito Vera.