"Flat-footed, never faked" - Henry Cejudo "disappointed" with Marlon Vera's UFC 299 performance, praises Sean O'Malley
Former multi-division champion Henry Cejudo has criticized Marlon Vera's performance at UFC 299.
Vera locked horns against Sean O'Malley in a rematch for the bantamweight title on March 9. The title clash headlined the card that took place at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida.
The bout turned out to be a one-sided affair where 'Suga' outclassed his opponent for the majority of the 25-minute duration. In the end, O'Malley was declared the winner by unanimous decision. The three judges scored the contest 50-45, 50-45 and 50-44 in favor of the 29-year-old.
In the latest episode of the Pound 4 Pound podcast, 'The Messenger' showered praise on O'Malley for his striking skills. Cejudo then proceeded to express his disappointment with 'Chito' and claimed that the Ecuadorian's one-dimensioned approach to the fight resulted in his loss.
"Sean's f**king good, man. When it comes to striking, he's got good fakes... he's a lot tighter, his distance was better. I mean he was able to really pick [Marlon Vera] apart... I'm a bit disappointed with 'Chito' because I'm thinking 'Chito' is gonna at least fight him, at least attempt a takedown but 'Chito' never attempted anything. Flat-footed, never faked... It was a striking war. 'Chito' never brought it. This is the same reason why he'll probably never touch a UFC title because they just focusing on striking."
Check out Henry Cejudo's comments on Sean O'Malley vs. Marlon Vera 2 from the 31:20 mark below:
Marlon Vera and Henry Cejudo were once scheduled for a fight
Marlon Vera and Henry Cejudo were once matched up for a bantamweight clash in the UFC. The two athletes were supposed to lock horns at UFC 292 in August 2023. The card was headlined by a title fight between Sean O'Malley and Aljamain Sterling.
Unfortunately, Cejudo had to withdraw from the bout due to a shoulder injury.
"Some important news... Unfortunately, I won't be able to compete on Aug 19 at UFC 292. I have a tear in my right shoulder that requires rehab. I wish I could've got in there w/ Chito, but I won't be able to make a full recovery in time."
MMA veteran Pedro Munhoz stepped in as a replacement to fight 'Chito' at UFC 292. Vera outclassed his opponent for the majority of the fight and took home the victory via unanimous decision. The three judges scored the contest 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28 in favor of the 31-year-old.