Marlon Vera takes on Pedro Munhoz Saturday at UFC 292. Chito was going to face Henry Cejudo, however, Munhoz had to step in because the former double champion had to pull out. A win for either man would put them in title contention, and it could be a fight-of-the-night contender.
Many people are interested in seeing the fight, including UFC Hall of Famer BJ Penn.
What Has Marlon Vera Been Up To?
The fighter from Ecuador has a professional record of 28-8-1 and is currently ranked sixth in the bantamweight division. Vera is coming off a loss against Cory Sandhagen, where he showed glimpses of his best but failed to get going in earlier rounds.
He has also had a great run in the UFC with wins over Sean O’Malley and Dominick Cruz, which shows he can compete with the best. Vera is known for his cardio and knockout ability, and it is easy to see why many fans back Vera as a future world champion. He will be looking for a big win on Saturday to thrust him back to the division’s top.
It is important to note that Vera is the only person to hand a defeat to O’Malley, who is fighting for the title on the same card. If they both win, they could square off next as the story practically writes itself. As O’Malley has always made it clear that he believes his loss to Vera doesn’t count.
Penn’s Thoughts
Penn has a great legacy in sports and has accomplished many milestones, including capturing the lightweight and welterweight titles. In his prime, he is one of the greatest fighters the sport has ever seen. When on an episode of UFC Embedded, Penn spoke very highly of Vera and how he thinks the fight will play out,
“I always train with Chito, but this time, he took care of this by himself. He’s a big boy now, you know? Contender. He does have the championship qualities and what it is, is the work ethic. He wants it.”
Quotes via BJ Penn
No matter what, it will be an entertaining contest with big things coming to whoever is victorious.
Featured image credits to Embed from Getty Images
