Marlon “Chito” Vera is suddenly in the position to call the shots. He’s riding a huge victory over former champion Frankie Edgar where he saw the champion KO’d via a massive front kick that went viral. Now, just a few days removed from that stunner, he’s calling for his next opponent.
“Literally, how the situation is, there’s only two guys ahead or that are free, which are Merab [Dvalishvili] and [Cory] Sandhagen,” Vera said while on the MMA Hour. “I can fight any of those two tomorrow.”
Of the two, Dvalishvili will likely be ready sooner. Sandhagen is coming off a tough loss to Petr Yan for the interim title just two weeks ago and will likely need some time to recover.
Dvalishvili is coming off a comeback of the year type victory over Marlon Moraes putting him into to title talk.
“He’s a wrestler,” Vera said about Dvalishvili. “I would be more scared if he was an Anthony Johnson type of f*cking guy. Anthony Johnson touch you, you don’t grow a beard. He’s a bad motherf*cker but I understand that. We all are.”
While on the MMA Hour Vera also touched on the viral photo of his opponent getting his face kicked. The image has circulated across social media and Vera isn’t a fan of it.
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“It’s a f*cked up picture,” Vera said. “I don’t post it. It’s f*cked up. I put it like this — it’s him or me. I always talk like this, it’s my family that I’ve got to bring the bread home against your family. I’m sorry. F*ck you for that. I’m going to do everything to do for my family, for my loved ones. We’re fighting for that. We’re fighting for a better future, for everything at home.
“But it’s a f*cked up picture. I don’t post that picture. Everybody’s tagging me. I don’t think even in the stories, I don’t even want to reply. The guy still has a family, the guy still has a life and that was Saturday night.”
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Marlon Vera wants Merab Dvalishvili or Cory Sandhagen next after UFC 268 victory