"They never called back" - Marlon Vera details how a possible rematch against Sean O'Malley fell through back in July 2021

Marlon Vera (left) and Sean O'Malley (right) [Images courtesy: @chitoveraufc and @sugaseanmma via Instagram]

Marlon Vera recently revealed that the UFC tried to put together a rematch between him and Sean O'Malley after he handed the bantamweight prospect his first career loss.

Speaking to TMZ Sports, 'Chito' explained that he was open to the idea of a potential rematch when the promotion reached out to him last July. However, O'Malley seemed uninterested. Here's what the 29-year-old said:

"The UFC already called me last July, 'Hey, you want to fight O'Malley on the McGregor card?' I said, 'Cool!' But my coach actually said this, 'Don't say nothing, have them [UFC] call him [O'Malley] first, and you will see what happens.' They never called back. So, it's not up to me."

Catch Marlon Vera's full interaction with TMZ Sports below:

Although Vera beat Sean O’Malley via first-round TKO during their first meeting, 'Sugar' continues to claim that he's still undefeated as a pro. The fight ended when O'Malley suffered a leg injury and could not defend himself properly on the ground. The nature of the loss could be a possible reason why he is no longer interested in exacting revenge on Vera.

Since his defeat to the Ecuadorian, O'Malley has won three fights in a row. His most recent win came over Raulian Paiva via first-round TKO last December.

Marlon Vera warns Rob Font ahead of their Fight Night clash on April 30

Marlon Vera is gearing up to take on Rob Font in the main event of UFC Fight Night: Font vs. Vera. The event will take place at the UFC Apex Center on April 30 and 'Chito' has his sights set on a strong finish.

View this post on Instagram

Instagram Post

During the same interview with TMZ Sports, 'Chito' was asked if he had a message for his opponent ahead of their bout. His message to Font was short and to the point:

"Don't blink. I'm gonna finish you!"

After his win over Sean O'Malley in August 2020, Vera (18-7) fell to Jose Aldo via unanimous decision in December the same year. However, he returned to winning ways in 2021, earning a decision win over Davey Grant in June before knocking out Frankie Edgar in November.

Meanwhile, Rob Font (19-5) is coming off a loss to Jose Aldo in December 2021. Prior to that defeat, the 34-year-old was on a four-fight win streak.