Marlon 'Chito' Vera's Fighting Style: Is the UFC Star a BJJ Black Belt?

Marlon Vera is all set to face Sean O’Malley for the bantamweight title on UFC 299. It will be O’Malley’s first title defense after cracking the code to defeat the former champion, Aljamain Sterling. ‘Chito’ had already defeated O’Malley once back in 2020 on UFC 252. Vera’s victory against ‘Suga’ had momentarily stopped the hype train for O’Malley.

‘Chito’s superior skills had helped him clinch the victory right from the mouth of defeat. His last win against O’Malley was the highlight of his professional skills. Well, Marlon Vera’s training methods have always been a mystery for the MMA community. So what are Vera’s strengths and weaknesses? Let us find out.

Marlon Vera’s fighting style

Marlon Vera’s fighting style is quite diverse. The Irvine, California native employs a combination of strong punches, good wrestling, and magnificent Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. ‘Chito’ has garnered some truly impressive victories in his career so far. With a record of 23 victories and 8 losses, Vera understands the need for a complete fighting style more than anyone.

‘Chito’ is known to be an amazing grappler, which is not surprising as he is a black belt in BJJ. Vera maintains his distance from his opponents and employs kicks and jabs to knock his opponents. ‘Chito’s left jab is specifically powerful, he considers it to be his dominant hand. ‘Chito’ has knocked out 8 opponents so far in his professional career.

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Vera’s wrestling however is not his strongest suit and this is one of the prime reasons why he maintains a healthy distance from his opponents. However, with time, Vera has improved his wrestling game. And as expected, Marlon Vera’s BJJ is top-notch. Vera started doing ‘BJJ’ when he was just sixteen and throughout these years, he has crafted it so much that most of his wins have BJJ behind them.

Vera’s Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Prowess

As mentioned above, Marlon Vera has been learning Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu since he was 16 and he has been proficient in subduing his opponents. Out of his 23 victories, Vera has submitted 10 opponents. He started training Brazilian jiu-jitsu in Guayaquil after getting into several street fights as a teenager.

Vera ͏exhibits ͏a dynamic grou͏nd ͏game, showcasing͏ ͏a proactive appro͏ach from͏ his͏ back. His tactical use of leg movement is notable, often employing it to ͏hunt for armbars ͏and triangle͏s͏. In response to opponents attempting wrest͏ling maneuvers, Vera ade͏ptly transition͏s to his jiu-jitsu ͏skills, effectively fending off takedowns.

A testament to his versatility, Vera also boasts a couple of rear-naked choke victories within the Octagon. His strategy is elegantly straightforward: capitalize on striking opportunities to disorient his adversary. When he senses vulnerability after landing impactful strikes, Vera seizes the moment to swiftly take the back, threatening with a choke if his opponent turns away or makes a misguided shot.