Marlon Vera finds himself in a difficult phase of his career, still searching for his first victory in more than two years. At UFC Vancouver last week, the former title challenger endured yet another setback, suffering his third straight defeat at the hands of local favorite Aiemann Zahabi. Much like several other bouts on the card, this bantamweight clash didn’t conclude without controversy. ‘Chito’ voiced his frustration with the judges’ scorecards after a razor-close three-round battle that ended in a narrow split decision in Zahabi’s favor.

The American star posted shortly after the fight on social media, “But not giving up will get you light. Don’t get it twisted I won tonight we got robbed in Canada.” Despite the narrow margins, a loss is still a loss, though ‘Chito’ appears unwilling to fully accept the outcome — the former title challenger even considered slapping the judges after the defeat. Following his victory, Zahabi immediately called out former champion Sean O’Malley, aiming to climb higher in the bantamweight rankings. Marlon Vera, however, had a different opponent in mind for ‘Suga’.

Marlon Vera gives honest take on potential Sean O’Malley vs Aiemann Zahabi fight

At UFC Vancouver, Marlon Vera made his return after more than a year-long hiatus, aiming to stage a comeback before his 33rd birthday. However, the former title challenger suffered a razor-thin defeat, extending his recent struggles inside the Octagon. Despite the setback, Vera remains focused on the future. In a recent conversation with Ariel Helwani, ‘Chito’ evaluated the skills of No. 9-ranked contender Aiemann Zahabi and No. 1-ranked Sean O’Malley. He described the Canadian as “durable,” but noted that he doesn’t match the technical finesse of ‘Suga’ or Cory Sandhagen in footwork.

Marlon Vera instead labeled Aiemann Zahabi’s movements as “awkward,” comparing them to the Philly shell style. Reflecting on his cage experience with Zahabi, ‘Chito’ said, “He carries some power. There were a few times he was really throwing hard, there’s some power there. The kicks were okay, and you know, still fighting guys like that, coming off seven wins, or six wins at the time, you have to be good. But yeah, he’s a good fighter too. I’m not going to f***ing say he’s not.”

Helwani then asked Marlon Vera, “Afterwards, he called out Sean O’Malley… You’ve shared a lot of time with both.” ‘Chito’  responded, “I mean, Sean definitely hits harder. I don’t know if Zahabi will wrestle him or clinch him — he doesn’t really clinch-wrestle much. Yeah, probably a good fight, but I don’t think it’ll happen.”

Earlier this month at UFC 320, Cory Sandhagen faced reigning bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili, where he struggled to cope with Dvalishvili’s relentless pressure and wrestling. Despite successfully defending all takedowns, Sandhagen was ultimately handed a decision loss. Sean O’Malley is also coming off back-to-back defeats against Dvalishvili. For Marlon Vera, now 1–4 in his last five UFC outings, this string of setbacks raises questions about his prospects for another title shot.

Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera acknowledges Sean O’Malley’s striking power

When former UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley entered the promotion, many hailed him as the next Conor McGregor, drawn to his charisma and precise striking. At the same time, ‘Suga’ faced criticism from some fans who pointed to his early fights against unranked opponents, his flashy yet polarizing personality, and what they saw as preferential treatment from the UFC. For these critics, O’Malley was less a rising star and more a “knockoff McGregor,” while others saw him as a carefully groomed future champion.

Despite the divided opinions, the UFC eventually matched Sean O’Malley against Marlon Vera in March 2024. Ahead of the fight, ‘Chito’ spoke to MMA Hour and acknowledged O’Malley’s talent. “For all the people that say that [Sean O’Malley] sucks and he’s just all talk, I never thought that. I always said before, the guy can fight, the guy is talented. The guy has his tools… I actually think he can fight, I actually think he has power in his hands, I think he’s kind of slick. But so does the rest of that division, so does the rest of the top 15 bantamweights,” explained Marlon Vera.

Despite the hype surrounding him, Sean O’Malley has struggled in recent years. He lost his title to Merab Dvalishvili last year at UFC 306, and earlier this summer, he suffered another defeat in the instant rematch, this time by submission, marking a significant setback in the former champion’s career. Do you think ‘Suga’ can reclaim the bantamweight crown in the future? Share your opinion below.