Aiemann Zahabi secured a slim cut up choice victory over Marlon “Chito” Vera within the bantamweight headliner at UFC Combat Evening 262 in Vancouver, British Columbia, on Saturday evening. Two of the three judges scored the bout 29-28 in favor of Zahabi, whereas the dissenting decide awarded the identical rating to Vera, leading to a 2–1 choice for the Canadian veteran.
Aiemann Zahabi vs. Marlon “Chito” Vera
Vera, a former title challenger from Ecuador, set the tone early by urgent Zahabi against the fence and concentrating on leg kicks within the opening spherical. He additionally landed a notable mixture that momentarily shocked Zahabi. Nonetheless, Zahabi answered with crisp counterstrikes, together with a strong left jab that marked the spherical’s most vital second. Vera appeared to nurse a dislocated finger however remained lively and constant by means of the five-minute body.
Within the second spherical, Vera continued to work from the middle of the octagon, mixing jabs and leg kicks. Halfway by means of the spherical, Zahabi shook off earlier stress and opened a reduce above Vera’s eyebrow with a collection of hooks. He then backed Vera in opposition to the cage and landed a number of combos earlier than the horn sounded. Reside followers and media scorers have been almost unanimous in favor of Vera in Spherical 2, with 96.9 % awarding him the spherical.
The final round unfolded as a back-and-forth exchange. Vera resumed his forward march, landing jabs and leg kicks, while Zahabi countered with uppercuts and body shots. Both fighters pressed the action in the closing minute, trading strikes until the final bell. According to UFC statistics, Vera landed 68 significant strikes to Zahabi’s 65, but Zahabi held a 53 percent accuracy rate compared to Vera’s 37 percent. Vera also recorded the bout’s only knockdown with a precise left jab in Round 2, though judges gave the round to Zahabi on two scorecards.
After the decision was announced, Vera voiced his disagreement on social media, calling the outcome a robbery in Canada. “Don’t get it twisted; I won tonight. We got robbed in Canada,” he wrote. His remark followed his third straight defeat and fourth loss in five fights, halting a run that included a title shot at UFC 299 in 2024.
Zahabi (17-4 MMA, 11-2 UFC) prolonged his winning streak to seven and moved nearer to a top-five rating within the bantamweight division. He opened 2025 with a unanimous choice win over former champion José Aldo at UFC 315 and has since constructed momentum with victories over veterans reminiscent of Marlon Moraes and Pedro Munhoz. Zahabi referred to as for a bout with former champion Sean O’Malley within the post-fight octagon interview.
Vera (24-8 MMA, 16-8 UFC) falls to 3 consecutive choice losses, his first setbacks coming in title fights in opposition to Sean O’Malley and Deiveson Figueiredo. His final win got here by unanimous choice over Pedro Munhoz at UFC 278. Regardless of the setback, Vera’s consistency in difficult high opponents and his document of by no means being completed within the UFC underscore his sturdiness and willpower.
This consequence units the stage for Zahabi to pursue higher-ranked opponents within the 135-pound division, whereas Vera should regroup if he hopes to return to title competition. UFC Combat Evening 262 additionally featured a principal occasion victory for middleweight contender Brendan Allen and a collection of finishes throughout the undercard, confirming Vancouver as an evening of aggressive matchups and shut selections.
