Marlon Vera
Active 2014–present · rated in 3 editions · peak overall 85.0
Scouting report
A durable chin and third-round finishing surges carried Marlon "Chito" Vera from Chone, Ecuador, to become the first Ecuadorian to challenge for undisputed UFC gold. Known for his chin, front kicks, and elbows, Vera has knockout wins over Dominick Cruz and Frankie Edgar. His durability and offensive versatility are showcased by his 95 Durability, 89 Kickboxing, and 85 Overall rating.
Peak ratings
By edition
Vera moved into the bantamweight top ten across 2020 and 2021, stopping Sean O'Malley with elbows and punches in the first round at UFC 252, and defeating Davey Grant and Frankie Edgar with a front-kick knockout at UFC 268 in Madison Square Garden. His durability, timing, and finishing power are reflected in an 85 Boxing and 88 Kickboxing.
Vera headlined cards between 2022 and 2024, beating Rob Font by decision and knocking out Dominick Cruz with a head kick, defeating Pedro Munhoz at UFC 292, and losing a five-round decision to Sean O'Malley in a bantamweight title fight at UFC 299 in Miami. His chin, kicks, finishing instinct, and conditioning are captured in an 86 Boxing and 88 Cardio score over five-round distances against premier opponents.
Marlon Vera, the Chone-born kid who found jiu-jitsu after too many street fights
Marlon Vera was born in Chone, Ecuador, got into street fights as a teenager and began jiu-jitsu at sixteen in his newly adopted hometown of Guayaquil. He turned professional in February 2012 and had an 8-1-1 record in Latin America before trying out for The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America on Team Werdum, where he beat Henry Briones by knockout in the quarterfinals. What followed was a long run of high-volume fights, including wins over Frankie Edgar, Dominick Cruz and Sean O'Malley.
Vera's ratings, explained
Boxing. Strong at 86. He beat Sean O'Malley by first-round TKO with elbows and punches in August 2020.
Kickboxing. His striking peak at 89. He knocked out Frankie Edgar with a front kick in round three in 2021 and Dominick Cruz in round four in 2022.
Wrestling. A middle number at 78, below his 86 in BJJ and 89 in kickboxing.
BJJ. A real weapon at 86. He submitted Roman Salazar, Brian Kelleher and Guido Cannetti, and beat Nohelin Hernandez by submission.
Strength. The lowest rating at 76.
Durability. The headline number at 95. Deiveson Figueiredo dropped him with a right hand in round three of their August 2024 fight, the first knockdown of Vera in the promotion.
Cardio. Very good at 88. He won a Fight of the Night decision over Davey Grant in 2021 and a five-round decision over Rob Font in 2022.
Fight IQ. Strong at 86. He beat O'Malley in 2020 and took him five rounds in the 2024 rematch.
Durability is why he is a difficult opponent: 95
Durability at 95 is the top number on his card. He took a five-round title fight against O'Malley in 2024, lost on the cards and was still standing, and against Figueiredo later that year he was knocked down in round three and still finished the fight on his feet. That chin turns a fight into a long slog for the other side, and it lets him keep throwing until something lands.
Bigger, stronger opponents can grind him: Strength
Strength reads 76, the lowest on his card. His losses to Cory Sandhagen in 2023 and Deiveson Figueiredo in 2024 both went the distance, so he was outpointed rather than stopped. If he cannot land his kicks early, an opponent who controls range and forces the pace can take rounds on the scorecards without needing to hurt him.
Keep exploring
Closest bantamweight profiles to Marlon Vera, measured by how near their peak attribute ratings sit across all eight categories.
- Pedro Munhozbest durability 92 · weakest strength 76
- Renan Baraobest kickboxing 90 · weakest strength 76
- Kyler Phillipsbest cardio 88 · weakest strength 74
- Cory Sandhagenbest kickboxing 92 · weakest strength 74
- Bantamweight division guide: how the whole division rates and who to draft from it.
- Protecting your streak: a guide that fits Marlon Vera's strongest attribute, Durability.
Draft Marlon Vera into your build
Marlon Vera enters the pool on any spin landing on bantamweight between 2020 and present. Spin, draft eight attributes, then simulate 25 fights.
Ratings shown are my own estimates, made with AI assistance and informed by how Marlon Vera is regarded by the MMA community. They are unofficial and do not constitute an assessment of Marlon Vera's real-world abilities. How the ratings are made. See the disclaimer below. Ratings and write-ups by Haaris A. Last reviewed 2026-09-30; spot an error? Tell us. Read our editorial standards.