Photo by Christian Petersen/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC
Marlon Vera wants what he missed out in January 2017, and that’s a fight with top bantamweight contender Jimmie Rivera.
Almost three years after they were supposed to fight at UFC Phoenix, Marlon Vera has called out Jimmie Rivera for a fight, promising he will “end his career.”
Vera was poised to fill in for the injured Bryan Caraway at the event in January 2017, and although Rivera initially accepted the fight, he changed his mind and withdrew from the bout. “El Terror” later explained he refused to take the fight as he had “nothing to gain” from it.
Talking recently to MMA Junkie, Vera explained why he wants to run the fight back with Rivera.
“I want Jimmie Rivera – I want to run this back,” Vera said. “I feel of all the ranked guys it’s the perfect fight. We were supposed to fight. The fight was announced. He pulled out with some dumb sort of excuse.
“I’m sure about one thing: I will end his career. He’s done and he’s old, but he’s got a good number next to his name. It will be so sweet to take it away from him and be there.”
Currently on a five-fight winning streak dating back to August of last year, Vera said that Rivera’s recent fights in the UFC evidence he isn’t the fighter he used to be. Rivera, who went twenty fights unbeaten at one point in his career, has lost three of his last four UFC appearances.
“He’s fought tough guys, but I see how works,” Vera said. “They were even fights until he breaks. He doesn’t have the dog inside him any more. At this point, I will go back to him. A couple years ago he said he was too much for me. I was like, ‘Okay. Whatever you want, son.’ Now he’s coming off of three losses in four fights. I’m coming off of five finishes. Now, he can’t say (expletive).”