Marlon Vera, who is set to challenge Sean O’Malley for the bantamweight title at UFC 299, has expressed his disdain for O’Malley, saying he is not fazed by O’Malley’s attempts to get into his head and is ready to fight.
Marlon Vera isn’t exactly a fan of Sean O’Malley. Not by a long shot. This Saturday, he’s set to face off against O’Malley for the bantamweight title. The big event? UFC 299, happening in sunny Miami.
They’ve met before, these two. UFC 252 was the battleground, and Vera emerged victorious. Knocked O’Malley out in the first round, he did. O’Malley had a leg injury, but a win’s a win, right? The tension between them? It’s only getting hotter.
They had a little chat at the UFC 299 Media Day. O’Malley was all about the DMs they’d been exchanging. When it was Vera’s turn to talk, he gave his own version of the story. “He’s a strange one,” Vera said of O’Malley. “Likes all sorts of weird stuff. I try to keep my distance. I sent him a picture of me, but I didn’t bother reading his response.”
Vera gets it, though. O’Malley’s game is all about messing with people’s heads. “Good luck with that,” Vera scoffed. “I’m going to mess you up. I’m ready for Saturday. He’s trying to stir things up. Asked me if I was ready to lose. Didn’t hear my response, though. Shame the camera didn’t catch it. But that’s just one part of the game. I’m ready to fight. My head’s in the right place. I’m going to kick his ass.”
The cameras did catch Vera’s response, though. You can see it all in the latest episode of UFC 299 Embedded. Vera was also kind enough to elaborate for the reporters. “I told him to suck my d***,” Vera clarified. “Simple as that. I’m not here to play nice. I’m not here to show respect. I’m not a karate guy, I’m a fighter. You mess with me, I mess with you. I’m not messing around, man.”
Vera went on to say that this is all just O’Malley trying to get in his head. But it won’t work. Vera’s got a more direct plan for getting in O’Malley’s head. His fist. “I’m going to drill a hole through his face,” Vera said. “Then what? There’s no talking in there. His corner likes to talk, but I want advice to win the fight. If my corner’s more concerned about trash-talking my opponent and not telling me what to do, I wouldn’t be with those people.”
And once he’s the new bantamweight champion, don’t expect much to change for Vera. He’s got a simple plan. Fight whoever the UFC puts in front of him. “I’ll keep it real,” Vera said about his title reign. “I’ll do the same thing I’ve been doing for years. I’ll defend the belt against whoever’s No. 1. I’m not going to start getting picky or change weight classes. Whoever’s next in line, send them to me. Just like that, like a real champion.”