TLDR
- Marlon Vera defeated Charles Jourdain via third-round TKO at UFC 331, ending a four-fight losing streak
- Jourdain waved off the fight after losing his vision in the third round from strikes
- Vera switched training camps and parted ways with longtime coach Jason Parillo before the fight
- The victory gave Vera a UFC record for most knockdowns in bantamweight history with three in one fight
- Vera tied Sean O’Malley and T.J. Dillashaw for most knockout wins in UFC bantamweight history at seven
Sources: mmajunkie.usatoday.com | ufc.com | mmafighting.com
Marlon Vera ended a career-worst four-fight losing streak with a third-round stoppage victory over Charles Jourdain at UFC 331 last Saturday at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The win marked Vera’s first victory since August 2023.
The fight ended when Jourdain waved to the referee to stop the bout after Vera hurt him with strikes in the final round. Jourdain later explained on Instagram that he lost his vision during the third round.
“Lost my eyesight in the third,” Jourdain said. “I waved the fight ’cause I don’t need to receive more strikes to the head.”
Chito Vera explains what changed in camp that helped him look like himself again:
“I went back to my rhythm. It’s almost like dancing — if you don’t dance for a few years, you’re gonna be a little rusty.
You start seeing flying knees, spinning elbows, good guys in the gym, and… pic.twitter.com/G4bIKRTBqL
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) September 22, 2026
A New Training Camp Brings Results
The victory came after Vera made major changes to his training camp following four consecutive losses. He parted ways with longtime coach Jason Parillo and set up a completely new fight camp.
“Sometimes, you get comfy where you’re at, and if nothing bad happens, it’s hard to make changes like that,” Vera explained before the fight. “But then I look at my career and look at the results, and I can only try, right?”
Vera’s new camp includes training alongside Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champions Jalen Fonacier and Kennedy Maciel. He also works closely with fellow UFC bantamweight Raul Rosas Jr.
The Ecuadorian fighter had slipped to 10th in the media rankings after losses to Sean O’Malley, Deiveson Figueiredo, Aiemann Zahabi, and David Martinez. All four fights went the distance with the judges siding against him each time.
“Just like not doing enough,” Vera said about those losses. “I’m responsible for that.”
Jourdain entered the fight on a three-fight winning streak at bantamweight. He had defeated Kyler Phillips, Davey Grant, and Victor Henry to establish himself as a rising contender at 135 pounds.
Record-Breaking Performance
Vera knocked Jourdain down three times during the fight, setting a new UFC record for most knockdowns in bantamweight competition. He now holds that record alone after breaking away from the previous mark.
The knockout also tied Vera with Sean O’Malley and T.J. Dillashaw for most knockout victories in UFC bantamweight history at seven total KOs. That statistic puts Vera in elite company at 135 pounds.
Former champion O’Malley praised Vera’s performance on his YouTube channel. “This might have been his best performance yet against a very dangerous Charles Jourdain,” O’Malley said.
O’Malley defeated Vera in a lopsided bantamweight title fight at UFC 299, winning 50-45 on all scorecards. That loss started Vera’s four-fight skid that finally ended on Saturday.
“Four-fight losing streak, everyone’s counting ‘Chito’ out,” O’Malley said. “He went out there and broke him. He looked good.”
Vera, now 24-12-1 overall and 16-11 in the UFC, fought for the 27th time inside the Octagon. Before the fight, he said he needed to prove to himself that he did everything possible to get his hand raised.
“I really need it,” Vera said. “So I’m gonna put everything on the line.”
For Jourdain, the loss marks his first defeat since dropping to bantamweight. He will look to recover from the vision injury and return to the winning track that had him positioned as a dark horse contender in the division.
