Marlon Vera has his hand raised again. The former bantamweight title challenger scored a knockout victory over Charles Jourdain at UFC 331, ending a three-year win drought and snapping a career-worst four-fight losing streak in the process.
The fight took place on Saturday at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Vera, who entered the night on the ropes after a run of losses, showed initiative throughout. He was the aggressor from the start, repeatedly beating Jourdain to the punch with a barrage of strikes.
In the final frame, Vera poured it on. He knocked Jourdain down again, and the Canadian contender signaled to referee Mike Beltran that he could not continue. The contest ended at the official time of 2:02 into Round 3.
Vera’s Road Back
Vera now holds a record of 24-12-1. His last win came by decision over Pedro Munhoz at UFC 292 in August 2023.
Vera had faced an uncertain future if he failed to have his hand raised again.
The knockout itself was the kind of finish that captures attention. Vera battered Jourdain for the majority of the contest, and the final frame delivered the result.
A Welcome Return
Vera answered the pressure with a knockout victory. The win is his to hold.
The Fight’s Course
| Round | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Vera aggressive from the start, beating Jourdain to the punch |
| 3 | Knockdowns pile up, Jourdain signals to quit at 2:02 |
Vera spoke about how badly needed the result was. He credited a change in training camps for his improvements.
See the a run of 16 images at Yahoo Sports.
Get the Notebook.
The day's best stories and every fresh verdict, in plain English, in your inbox by seven. One email a day, no more.