According to reports, the UFC is looking to book Marlon Vera in a key matchup against Jose Aldo. Initially, the bout was targeted to take place at UFC 255 in November. However, now the fight is listed to take place at UFC Vegas 17 on December 19th, 2020 at the UFC Apex Center.
Since dropping down to bantamweight, Jose Aldo has been on a two-fight skid. Despite losing his 135lb divisional debut, he was awarded a title shot against Petr Yan. In the end, he would lose the fight, providing Yan an opportunity to grab the championship and start his reign. Since then, fans have been wondering what could be next for Brazillian legend.
Aldo vs Vera Rebooked
News of the matchup was made official via Cole Shelton. On social media, Shelton revealed that numerous confidential sources confirmed the matchup.
“BREAKING: Multiple sources have told me Jose Aldo vs. Marlon Vera has been rebooked for #UFCVegas17 on December 19. That card might be one of the best fight nights ever.”
BREAKING: Multiple sources have told me Jose Aldo vs. Marlon Vera has been rebooked for #UFCVegas17 on December 19. That card might be one of the best fight nights ever. https://t.co/JCLasJeTH1
— Cole Shelton (@ColeShelton91) November 19, 2020
Contendership Implications
At UFC 252, Marlon “Chito” Vera won via a contentious TKO against Sean O’Malley. However, despite the nature of the fight, he feels the win is fairly his and has no interest in a rematch. However, O’Malley, on the other hand, has an interesting perspective when it comes to the loss. He based the future of their careers on their potential, rather than the outcome of their clash.
A win for each man will propel them to the place they desire in the current state of their career. For Aldo, the victory will be much needed. As the only three-fight losing skid in Jose’s career, a loss would increase that number to 4, making any hopes of title aspirations dwindle away.
For Vera, a statement win over O’Malley escalated his trajectory to the matchup against Aldo. If he were to defeat one of the greatest MMA fighters of all-time, it would stamp the legitimacy of Marlon as a serious title contender.
