Marlon Vera earned his biggest victory to date on Saturday when he defeated Dominick Cruzin the UFC on ESPN 41 main event.
Vera (20-7-1 MMA, 14-6 UFC) continued to add to his case for a bantamweight title shot with a fourth-round knockout win over former UFC/WEC champ Cruz (24-4 MMA, 7-3 UFC) in their headlining bout at Pechanga Arena in San Diego.
“Chito” has now won 10 of his past 12 fights, and added a second UFC champ’s name to his resume alongside Frankie Edgar.
Check below for the top Twitter reactions to Vera’s victory over Cruz at UFC on ESPN 41.
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MMA Junkie
It's time! Marlon Vera vs. Dominick Cruz is going down NOW in the #UFCSanDiego main event.
Follow play-by-play: https://t.co/r1BYBU1K54 pic.twitter.com/VcOs4bMf6S
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) August 14, 2022
UFC
The hometown hero makes his entrance 👏
[ #UFCSanDiego | @DominickCruz ] pic.twitter.com/OEF229d3Lq
— UFC (@ufc) August 14, 2022
UFC
Who's ready for the 𝑪𝑯𝑰𝑻𝑶 𝑺𝑯𝑶𝑾 📺
[ #UFCSanDiego | @ChitoVeraUFC ] pic.twitter.com/qmvEwH0xRo
— UFC (@ufc) August 14, 2022
UFC
Let the battle begin 🤜🤛
[ #UFCSanDiego | Tune in LIVE on @ESPN ] pic.twitter.com/4VLUxlwY1W
— UFC (@ufc) August 14, 2022
Nick Kalikas
#UFCSanDiego Main Event Closing Betting Odds via @CircaSports
Dominick Cruz +185
Marlon Vera -215@UFC 💰 | @ESPNPlus | @ESPN— Nick Kalikas (@FightOdds) August 14, 2022
Sherdog
Cruz comes out aggressive, throwing a high kick and blitzing with punches! Clearly hoping to catch Vera cold. #UFCSanDiego
— Sherdog (@sherdogdotcom) August 14, 2022
Cageside Press
Cruz leg kick. Vera front kick and Cruz gets him down and lands a couple kicks to the hammies before Vera gets up! OHHH LEFT HAND DROPS CRUZ!!!!! CRUZ SCRAMBLES TO HIS FEET!!!! WOW!!! VERA JUST WAITING TO LAND THE KILL SHOT!! CRUZ COMING FOR HIM! #UFCSanDiego
— Cageside Press (@Cagesidepress) August 14, 2022
OHHHH ARM BAR FOR VERA!!! NOPE!!!! Cruz gets up! Cruz landing to the hammies with the kicks. Vera waiting. Herb Dean stands Vera up as the round ends. #UFCSanDiego
— Cageside Press (@Cagesidepress) August 14, 2022
Ryan Clark
Dominick Cruz is such an enigma, & Vera’s power is crazy.. @ufc San Diego main event is gonna be good
— Ryan Clark (@Realrclark25) August 14, 2022
Gorgeous George
Cruz 10 – Vera 9. #UFCSanDiego
— Gorgeous George (@MMAJunkieGeorge) August 14, 2022
Nick Kalikas
LIVE In-Game Wagering Odds After Round-1 via @CircaSports
Dominick Cruz +120
Marlon Vera -150@UFC 💰 | @ESPNPlus | @ESPN— Nick Kalikas (@FightOdds) August 14, 2022
Marcus Kowal
@DominickCruz vs @chitoveraUFC is one of the year’s most exciting fights! #UFCSanDiego #MMA
— Marcus Kowal (@MarcusKowal) August 14, 2022
Michael Carroll
Chito way down in strikes but scores the knockdown. It's him vs. Font all over again. #UFCSanDiego
— Michael Carroll (@MJCflipdascript) August 14, 2022
Aljamain Sterling
Cruz looking solid! Vera needs to capitalize on those heavy shots or Cruz will dance around him all night. #UFCSanDiego
— Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) August 14, 2022
Teddy Atlas
Cruz- Vera, Cruz’ style difficult to deal with, blitzes you like Pacquiao, best bet is to time him as Vera did. #UFC
— Teddy Atlas (@TeddyAtlasReal) August 14, 2022
Gorgeous George
Cruz — great pressure, body shots, movement
Vera — patient, not biting, nice kicks up the middleCruz 20-19 after two rounds#UFCSanDiego
— Gorgeous George (@MMAJunkieGeorge) August 14, 2022
Nick Kalikas
LIVE In-Game Wagering Odds After Round-2 via @CircaSports
Dominick Cruz -140
Marlon Vera +110@UFC 💰 | @ESPNPlus | @ESPN— Nick Kalikas (@FightOdds) August 14, 2022
Tim Elliott
Cruz looking good, up 2 imo #UFCSAnDiego
— Tim Elliott (@TElliott125) August 14, 2022
Aljamain Sterling
Cruz up 2 RDs. Vera needs more activity. I think he’s waiting on the TD attempts. #UFCSanDiego
— Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) August 14, 2022
Teddy Atlas
Vera needs to use jab to chest just to stabilize Cruz on outside. #UFCSanDiego #UFC
— Teddy Atlas (@TeddyAtlasReal) August 14, 2022
Caposa
It’s so weird seeing Cruz this aggressive.
— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) August 14, 2022
Eric Nicksick
Notice how every time Chito goes southpaw, Dom goes right head kick #UFCSanDiego
— Eric Nicksick (@Eric_XCMMA) August 14, 2022
Right on time, DC. 😂💯
— Eric Nicksick (@Eric_XCMMA) August 14, 2022
Belal Muhammad
I wonder if dc is commentating knowing that Dominick is gonna go back and check his work lol
— Belal Muhammad (@bullyb170) August 14, 2022
Chris Camozzi
Just realized Cruz isn’t wearing Monster and Chito is? Did monster cut Cruz?
— Chris Camozzi (@ChrisCamozzi) August 14, 2022
Fight Ghost
Vera turning up the heat now. Last two rounds are going to be VERY interesting. #UFCSanDiego
— Fight Ghost (@Fight_Ghost) August 14, 2022
Simon Samano
Watching cageside, I’ve got 29-28 Cruz after three rounds. Fun main event for sure. #UFCSanDiego
— Simon Samano (@SJSamano) August 14, 2022
Nick Kalikas
LIVE In-Game Wagering Odds After Round-3 via @CircaSports
Dominick Cruz +125
Marlon Vera -155@UFC 💰 | @ESPNPlus | @ESPN— Nick Kalikas (@FightOdds) August 14, 2022
UFC
We move to championship rounds 👀
[ #UFCSanDiego | LIVE on @ESPN ] pic.twitter.com/jbSloOLYeC
— UFC (@ufc) August 14, 2022
Mike Bohn
Marlon Vera halts Dominick Cruz with a head kick and becomes the first bantamweight in history with 10 UFC finishes. #UFCSanDiego pic.twitter.com/COFouQCKxS
— Mike Bohn (@MikeBohn) August 14, 2022
MMA Junkie
#UFCSanDiego results: Marlon Vera (@ChitoVeraUFC) def. Dominick Cruz via knockout (head kick, punches) – Round 4, 2:17
Full results: https://t.co/r1BYBU1K54 pic.twitter.com/L2ghDmbF4x
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) August 14, 2022
Brett Okamoto
OOHOHOHOHOOHHOHMYYYYYYYGODDDDDD
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) August 14, 2022
Belal Muhammad
Wooooow
— Belal Muhammad (@bullyb170) August 14, 2022
Boston Salmon
OUCH 🥶
— Boston Salmon (@bostonboomboom) August 14, 2022
Eric Nicksick
Like I said…. #UFCSanDiego https://t.co/jwDiA8NWLJ
— Eric Nicksick (@Eric_XCMMA) August 14, 2022
Brian Campbell
Vera’s most violent year continues. #UFCSAnDiego
— Brian Campbell (@BCampbell) August 14, 2022
Ryan Clark
Power is the great equalizer!! Chito Vera just waited and exploded… Snot to blood! Game time. @ufc 💥
— Ryan Clark (@Realrclark25) August 14, 2022
UFC
OHHHH MYYYYYY GOOOOOOODNESSSSSS!!!!!! 😱
[ @ChitoVeraUFC | #UFCSanDiego ] pic.twitter.com/d65uxmlEo5
— UFC (@ufc) August 14, 2022
Nolan King
C
H
I
T
O— Nolan King (@mma_kings) August 14, 2022
UFC
NO. WORDS. NECESSARY. #UFCSanDiego pic.twitter.com/jcO1IiHRTi
— UFC (@ufc) August 14, 2022
Tanner Boser
Lights out!!!! Great win for Chito Vera. #UFCSanDiego
— Tanner Boser (@BulldozerBoser) August 14, 2022
Jessy Jess
Perfect @chitoveraUFC #UFCSanDiego pic.twitter.com/0ggBDaJUAL
— Jessy Jess (@missjessyjess) August 14, 2022
Shaheen Al-Shatti
First Frankie Edgar, now Dominick Cruz. If I'm a legend in his last title run, I want absolutely NOTHING to do with Chito Vera. Good lord that was brutal. #UFCSanDiego
— Shaheen Al-Shatti (@shaunalshatti) August 14, 2022
Aaron Bronsteter
That is the first time that Dominick Cruz has lost a non-title bout.
— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) August 14, 2022
Teddy Atlas
As I said Vera can time Cruz going out or coming in, caught him going. Impressed with steadiness/ patience of Vera! #UFCSanDiego #UFC
— Teddy Atlas (@TeddyAtlasReal) August 14, 2022
UFC
THE CHITO SHOW CAME AND DELIVERED 📺👏
[ @ChitoVeraUFC | #UFCSanDiego | LIVE on @ESPN ] pic.twitter.com/6m2LiO6qZz
— UFC (@ufc) August 14, 2022
Helen Yee
Luke Rockhold is PUMPED for his friend Chito Vera #UFCSanDiego pic.twitter.com/dFcviKtV8F
— Helen Yee (@HelenYeeSports) August 14, 2022
Simon Samano
Marlon Vera emerges from a gang of Ecuadorian fans to stop and take a victorious selfie with Khabib Lady. 🇪🇨🤳 #UFCSanDiego pic.twitter.com/LEH63KdoTg
— Simon Samano (@SJSamano) August 14, 2022
Derek Brunson
Chito Vera isn’t even 30 yet ! 🔥He should have several good years ahead for himself ! #UFCSanDiego
— Derek Brunson (@DerekBrunson) August 14, 2022
Aljamain Sterling
Yea, I can’t believe how ppl are ignoring this fact. That chin was long gone. He looked good but we all know you need to be able to take what you can dish out. Chito landed shots that most bantamweights could take, OUTSIDE of that headkick. That was nasty! https://t.co/q70zCfDy3l
— Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) August 14, 2022
Adrian Yanez
That was brutal #UFC
— Adrian Yañez (@yanezmma) August 14, 2022
Walt Harris
Yesssssss!!!!!!! #IridiumGang #UFCSAnDiego @chitoveraUFC is nasty!
— Walt Harris (@thebigticket205) August 14, 2022
Henry Cejudo
Dominic was easily wining that fight(4-0) he leans the head to heavy and it’s the same way I knocked him out too. Chito won but I’m not impressed by his performance. Going back to much and getting point fought the whole fight. Chito could have finish him a couple times and didnt
— Henry Cejudo (@HenryCejudo) August 14, 2022
