Vera ends four-fight skid with third-round knockout of Jourdain at UFC 331

Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera stopped Charles Jourdain by third-round knockout at UFC 331 in Los Angeles on Saturday, ending a career-worst four-fight losing streak that had placed his future in the sport under serious doubt.

Vera controlled the contest from the opening bell, battering the fast-rising Jourdain across the first two rounds before the referee stepped in during the third. The moment the fight was waved off, an emotional Vera dropped to his knees — a release that reflected just how much was riding on the result.

“It’s not a secret,” Vera told reporters at the post-fight press conference. “It’s been a long time just failing short and failing short. You lose two in a row, it’s part of the game. Then when I went and faced Zahabi, I was like, finally, I woke up. I felt that I was winning. Split decision loss. Then I kind of felt like I was just in a hole. It was like a nightmare. I couldn’t get out of there.”

The slump began at UFC 299 in March 2024, when Vera received his long-awaited bantamweight title shot against Sean O’Malley. O’Malley, seeking revenge for the only loss of his career — a defeat to Vera at UFC 252 — won by unanimous decision. Vera then dropped successive decisions to Deiveson Figueiredo, Aiemann Zahabi, and David Martinez, marking the first time in his career he had lost more than two fights in a row.

Ahead of UFC 331, Vera made a significant change, parting ways with longtime head coach Jason Parillo and linking up with fellow UFC bantamweight Raul Rosas Jr. and his brothers. He credited the new environment with helping him rediscover his best form — but admitted the demons were still present walking into the arena.

“Walking into the locker room, walking into warming up, there was a lot of demons just knocking the door and kicking the door,” Vera said. “I was just like, ‘F*ck you, man. I’ve got to feed my family.’”

The raw honesty continued when Vera explained the stakes he felt personally. “Tonight was literally fighting for the plate of food for my family,” he said. “With another loss tonight I wouldn’t be able to handle that as a man. I would literally be looking for a job on Monday because I don’t want to lose that.”

The win halts the slide for a fighter who, not long ago, was considered one of the most dangerous bantamweights in the world. Whether it marks a genuine turning point remains to be seen, but Vera’s relief — and his willingness to speak candidly about the pressure he was under — made Saturday night in Los Angeles one of the more emotionally charged moments of his career.