May 01, (THEWILL) – Marlon “Chito” Vera did not earn a knockout in the UFC Vegas 53 main event, but he bloodied and bludgeoned Rob Font with many knockdowns over five rounds to win a unanimous decision.
Despite having to deal with an incredible amount of output from Font throughout the fight, Vera was able to connect with his biggest strikes right before each round finished, and he came close to finishing several times.
Font managed to stay alive for the rest of the night, but by the end of the night, his face was bruised, swollen, and bloodied from Vera’s incredible amount of damage.
Vera won his third bout in a row, with judges scoring the fight 48-47, 49-46, and 49-46.
Font landed a vicious lead jab, prompting Vera to retaliate with a flurry of kicks, including six hard strikes to his opponent’s lead leg’s calf. Font was using his right hand with a lot of zip as he continued to focus on his boxing while also firing some big uppercuts if Vera got too near.
Font was tremendously active on his feet, delivering rapid-fire combinations, but Vera did not back away, returning kicks and demonstrating incredible durability. Every time Font seemed to be getting close to putting up some impressive numbers, Vera would counter with another tremendous kick to square the score.
Vera uncorked a brilliantly timed left hook that put the New England Cartel fighter to the canvas just when it appeared Font might win the second round. Vera blitzed him with blows in an attempt to end him, but Font was able to escape due to the passage of time.
As the knockdown had him startled, Font swiftly recovered after emerging from his corner, continuing to connect with volume while Vera retaliated with pure power. Font’s output was insane, as he was continually unleashing three and four punch combos, but Vera was able to catch him late in the round and make him pay.
Vera struck Font with a jumping knee with seconds left in the third to put him down on the ground again. Vera landed a couple more stinging elbows on Font, but time ran out before the Ecuadorian boxer could finish the bout.
Font was able to recover during the one-minute break, but it was just a temporary respite as Vera struck again, this time with a flush hook kick. Font wobbled as soon as Vera’s foot touched the head, and he fell to the ground for the third time in the fight.
Vera chose to kick Font’s legs rather than attack on the ground before the referee stood the boxers up again. Font was able to return to his corner, which gave him just enough time to catch his breath before returning to the game for the remaining five minutes.
Font started strong, but it was Vera who was able to stroll through the early barrage before delivering another shot that nearly knocked the Massachusetts native out. Font exhibited amazing bravery by persevering until the last horn, whereas Vera appeared to be in good shape, as if he could go another 25 minutes.
In post-match comments, Vera said about his win: “It means the world. I feel like everything I dream in my life is happening. This is amazing. I’m living the dream. I’m going to be a world champion.”
Vera has been steadily rising through the bantamweight rankings, and this victory will almost certainly place him in line for a top-five opponent, which is precisely what he wants next. “Four, three and two [ranked bantamweights], let’s go,” he said. “Any of those three. Any time, any moment.”
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
