Marlon Vera is all set to make a comeback against Charles Jourdain at UFC 331 on September 19. But before the Ecuadorian star steps into the Octagon this month, his mind appears to be clouded with doubts and negative thoughts. It’s been three years since ‘Chito’ has been searching for a victory in the UFC, but his inability to secure one has made the entire ordeal mentally grueling.
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In an interview with Ariel Helwani, the former bantamweight title challenger opened up about feeling “depressed” because of his four-fight losing streak, and he also feels that finding success is much more than just an arduous task.
“Man, it’s pretty s—y,” Vera told Helwani. “Honestly, it’s hard, man. It’s depressing. It’s a hit where it matters the most, and sometimes, like, it’s yours. Man, I don’t even know how to really express it. But I’m sure people out there have been through ups and downs, you know, more than once in life. And it’s just like, I feel like it’s hard because you put so much into it.
“You’re trying so hard, and you fail, and you say, ‘Okay, let’s get back on the horse.’ I’m a tough person. I gotta keep my chin high, and you fall again, and you fall again. And then you get to the point that it’s like, ‘Okay, I’m not gonna ever succeed again. This is just not working for me.’”
Marlon Vera’s struggle with his ongoing losing streak is unsurprising. The 33-year-old enjoyed one of the most glorious periods of his career from 2020 to 2022, during which he suffered just one loss against Jose Aldo and defeated five elite opponents, including Sean O’Malley, Frankie Edgar, and Dominick Cruz. However, after that period came to an end, Vera experienced a significant fall from grace.
In March 2023, Vera endured a massive loss against Cory Sandhagen in a UFC Fight Night event, but he quickly rebounded with a win over Pedro Munhoz at UFC 292 later that very same year. Unfortunately for Vera, his victory over Munhoz in 2023 would stand as his last, as he dropped four straight bouts via decision against Sean O’Malley, Deiveson Figueiredo, Aiemann Zahabi, and David Martinez over the span of three years.
Well, many factors have contributed to his current four-fight losing streak. But one recurring criticism has been that Vera doesn’t throw enough in his bouts, which ends up swinging the decision in his opponent’s favor, and he has finally accepted it.
“And looking back at these fights that I’ve been losing by decision,” Vera added. “I’m like, well, yeah, it’s me. I’m not throwing enough. Yes, it’s me. I’m not doing.”
Now, as Marlon Vera is ready to face Charles Jourdain in his next bout, hopefully he can learn from his mistakes and put on a stronger show. Still, the Ecuadorian is far from the first fighter to become depressed after facing tough losses.
Most notably, former welterweight champion Tyron Woodley expressed that he was “depressed” after Kamaru Usman beat him at UFC 235 for the belt. Later, veteran UFC fighter Dan Ige also revealed that he felt “numb” after dropping his second fight in a row against Josh Emmett at UFC 269.
That said, fighters facing depressive thoughts after losing fights are definitely much more common than we think. But whether they can make a comeback or not, that’s what actually matters. With ‘Chito’ having the same thoughts, only time will tell whether he can shrug them off and finally score a victory at UFC 331.