A significant change has hit the UFC 316 fight card: former bantamweight title challenger Marlon “Chito” Vera is reportedly out of his planned matchup against Mario Bautista.
Sources familiar with the promotion`s plans have confirmed that Vera has withdrawn from the June 7th pay-per-view event scheduled to take place in Newark, New Jersey. The specific reason for Vera`s withdrawal has not been disclosed. The news was initially reported by MagicM_MMABets on Twitter.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship is now in the process of finding a new opponent for Mario Bautista, but a replacement fighter has not yet been secured.
Vera was expected to make his first appearance of 2025 and was looking to get back into the win column. “Chito” is currently on a two-fight losing streak and has lost three of his last four bouts. This recent skid includes a decision loss in his first title shot against Sean O`Malley at UFC 299, followed by a unanimous decision defeat to former flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC Abu Dhabi last August.
In stark contrast, Mario Bautista is on an impressive run, boasting a seven-fight winning streak and holding a UFC record of 9 wins and 2 losses. The 31-year-old`s most recent performance was a split decision victory over the legendary Jose Aldo at UFC 307 in October.
UFC 316 is scheduled to be headlined by a bantamweight championship rematch, featuring Sean O`Malley attempting to reclaim his title against the current champion, Merab Dvalishvili.
