The UFC 299 main card fights were brutal! Except for Michael Page vs. Kevin Holland, all the other fights saw fighters ending up in a bloody mess. And we saw the worst of it in Marlon Vera vs. Sean O’Malley 2. The main event ended with ‘Suga’ avenging his lone defeat that came at the hands of Vera. While their initial clash saw O’Malley leaving the Octagon on a stretcher, this time, the arena saw a beaten and broken Marlon Vera, and that raised concern among fans.

When O’Malley entered the arena, he was welcomed with chants of ‘Chito.’ But as soon as the fight started, he silenced them. O’Malley’s masterclass not only ensured his first defense of his bantamweight title but also a brutal 25 minutes for Vera. The fight was as one-sided as it could get. There were body shots, knees, and elbow strikes that O’Malley threw in perfect harmony, for which ‘Chito’ seemingly did not have any answer.

As the rounds progressed, Vera started to wear more and more damage. Worst among them was the aftermath of a knee strike he took in the second round. In light of this, though, the Ecuadorian’s durability deserves special mention for surviving that thudding blow early in the fight and still going the distance. But in the aftermath of that knee strike, one must wonder how much of a toll this fight took on Vera.

As per reports, ‘Chito’ was transported to the hospital right after, and he wasn’t even in the post-fight presser due to injuries. But Sean O’Malley was, and he opened up about a late scare that came at the hands of Vera. After winning the fight, the American sat down by the cage, and it seemed like he was just taking it all in. But that wasn’t the case.

When asked about this in the post-fight press conference, ‘Suga’ said, “F***er hit me with a nice body shot. Tim told me, ‘Don’t sit… you’re winning the fight. Don’t need to sit there’, but I just wanted that finish so bad.” He was looking for the knockout blow, but “[Vera] hit me with a nice body shot.” So, after the fight, he revealed, “I was just like, ‘I already whooped his a**. Imma sit down and relax a little bit.” 

Given how brutally O’Malley “whipped his a**,” so much so that Vera had to be taken to the hospital, fans speculated about his well-being and future. Let us take a look at what they had to say.

The UFC community might not see Marlon Vera “for a long time”

Fights like the one Vera had last night can forever change a fighter. As such, fans were worried about Vera being the same hereafter, and they took to X to express their opinions. One fan highlighted the second-round Knee that seemingly put ‘Chito’ on the back foot for the majority of the remainder of the fight.

Sean O’Malley caught Marlon Vera in a spiral with a knee so fast that it opened a cut above Vera’s eyes. Referring to that and its aftermath, they wrote, “That Knee shifted something, bro! Chito is a beast for finishing that fight!” Another user echoed that sentiment, writing, “That Knee took the soul out of him. Wasn’t the same in that fight afterwards. Hope he recovers, man.”

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This performance from both fighters put their first one at UFC 252 in perspective, where Vera TKO’d O’Malley in Round 1. A fan expressed, “You think hella admit the first fight was a fluke?” Not only this, but another user pointed out how O’Malley turned Marlon Vera’s prediction around on him. “remember he said Sean would be going out on a stretcher again,” they wrote.

The overwhelming response to the news about ‘Chito’ being hospitalized, though, was that of concern. And sympathy. One wrote, “Hope he’s ok, he went through a lot in that fight.” Another just felt sad for Vera. An understandable emotion since ‘Chito’ has a moving backstory. His daughter Ana Paula has Moebius Syndrome, and he fights to take care of her medical treatments and keep her smile on her face.

They wrote, “Gotta feel for the man.” But most of them also know that, despite his resilience inside the Octagon, he “Shattered [an] orbital for sure. We won’t see Chito for a long time.” Considering the beating he took, Vera will most likely get a medical suspension. He might take even longer to physically and mentally recover and return to the sport. What’s your opinion on the fight? When do you think we will see ‘Chito’ again?

Sean O’Malley Breaks Silence After Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera’s Last Minute Body Shot Scare at UFC 299