Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera put up a superb show of his in-octagon prowess against his UFC on ESPN 41 opponent, Dominick Cruz. ‘The Ecuadorian’ outclassed his opponent with a TKO victory in the fourth round of the bout. He is loved by numerous MMA fans for an awesome achievement. ‘Chito’ currently boasts a record of 20-7 in his professional career, but has never been defeated via knockout or submission.

However, the story behind his UFC joining is quite disheartening. Vera initially appeared on the UFC-produced MMA-based reality show, ‘The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America’ in 2014. After advancing strongly to the semifinals, he had to face the wrath of luck. ‘Chito’ was barred from competing in the later stages of the contest which had him terribly broken. He also revealed in an old video that his daughter was the prime reason why he wanted to get into the UFC and earn a lot of money.

Who is Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera’s Daughter?

Marlon Vera became a father for the first time in 2011. His wife Maria Paulina Escobar gave birth to their first child whom they named Anna Paula. They also have two other kids together. Vera’s son was born in 2015 and his second daughter in 2018.

However, it was Vera’s eldest daughter, Anna Paula, who propelled him to get into the UFC.

What has happened to Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera’s Daughter?

Vera’s mid-TUF setback broke him down. Talking about his eldest daughter Paula, he had once revealed, “I have never seen her smile, and that’s why I am working here”. ‘Chito’s’ eldest daughter, Paula, is diagnosed with a disease called Moebius Syndrome. Patients with this neurological disorder are reportedly unable to control the muscles responsible for facial expressions.

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It’s quite understandable that due to this disease, Paula had never been able to smile. A lot of other fathers might relate to Vera’s agony in this regard. It’s hard to most fathers to go for even a day without seeing or listening to their little ones’ giggles. Vera’s distress here might be termed unimaginable.

Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera was seen breaking down while revealing his daughter’s condition

An old video that surfaced on Reddit, showcased Vera’s ‘TUF: LA’ days. It showcased Vera having a conversation with his gym mates. Vera was also seen breaking down quite a few times in the video. Talking about one of his bouts, ‘Chito’ also stated, “I’m a bit tired, but I was strong. And I did it”.

But he was seen breaking down at the thoughts of his daughter after that. One of his mates also consoled him saying, “Relax. She’s your inspiration, right? That’s a very unique moment. She’s your daughter”.

In the video, Vera also stated, “The first thing I’ll do once I’m in the UFC is pay for my daughter’s surgery”. Vera’s dream of getting his daughter cured finally came to life in 2018. As per reports, his daughter is currently living a happy and normal life post her surgery. ‘Chito’ also stated that his daughter being able to smile after her surgery was “the best thing that’s ever happened in my life”.

Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera’s next fight

‘Chito’ is currently all set to highlight the UFC on ESPN 43. He will be taking on the known UFC Bantamweight, Cory Sandhagen, in the event scheduled for March 26, 2023. ‘Chito’ will take the Octagon with a commendable three-fight win streak on the night of the event. Whereas, his opponent, Sandhagen is currently on a one-fight win streak.

Hence, a lot may predict that ‘Chito’ will be more confident inside the octagon than his opponent. However, Sandhagen will have a chance to claim an unmatched record of scoring a KO or a submission victory over ‘Chito’ for the very first time in his career. What are your thoughts on Vera vs Sandhagen? Tell us in the comments below.

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