Brandon Vera back in the UFC

[Buffalo Dave]

Light heavyweight Brandon Vera is still a UFC fighter.

Vera (11-6 MMA, 7-6 UFC) was cut by the promotion this past month following his third consecutive loss, which came against Thiago Silva (15-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) at UFC 125.

However, it has been learned that the result of that bout is expected to be changed to a "no contest" following additional scrutiny of Silva's post-fight drug test, and the promotion has rescinded Vera's release, sources close to the event told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).

FiveOuncesofPain.com first reported Vera's return as a possibility earlier today.

As of now, Vera merely is back on the roster and does not have a pending booking. Until this past week, he was medically suspended for a broken nose he sustained in the third round of the Silva fight, which took place Jan. 1 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

MMAjunkie.com earlier reported that the Nevada State Athletic Commission still is processing the drug-test results for one of the athletes who competed on the Jan. 1 event, and that athlete is believed to be Silva.

If Silva is confirmed to have failed his post-fight drug test, the NSAC is likely to issue him a suspension and fine, as well as changing the result of the Jan. 1 fight to a "no contest."

The Brazilian slugger was set to meet Quinton "Rampage" Jackson at UFC 130 but since has been replaced by Matt Hamill.

Vera spoke about his struggles to return to form as the fight with Silva approached and knew he was in a make-or-break situation.

"When I first came in here as a young kid, guns blazing, you learn a lot," Vera told MMAjunkie.com at the pre-event press conference for UFC 125. "Life experiences, fighting experiences, I've learned a lot.

"My team got on me. My coaches got on me. People smacked me around and told me to get it together. I think I got it together."

Unfortunately, things didn't go Vera's way during the fight. Silva dominated the fight when it hit the mat and earned a unanimous-decision win with two scores of 30-27 and one of 30-26.

This is definitely the right move to make. Give Vera a fair chance of getting his ass kicked by someone else. But seriously he does deserve another fight in the UFC, he showed up clean and ready to fight at UFC 125 and was cheated.

Here's a little piece I found from an interview from a few day's ago,

In a new interview with Heavy.com, Vera says he’s got, “no idea” what’s going on, but admits that, “If he does test positive for some kind of strength enhancing substance, it would make me feel a little bit better about myself.”

And according to Vera, on the night he felt like the Brazilian was unusually strong.

“I roll with Phil Davis, I roll with Travis Browne. I roll with Junior dos Santos,” Vera says. “I roll with the Nogueira brothers. When I’m in the half guard underneath somebody and I have their leg, and my other leg’s half-cocked up on their arm pit, I can rock people back and forth. I can rock you and either stand back up or get the sweep.

“I remember when I was underneath him and I was pushing him back and forth. I was thinking, ‘What the hell? Why is this guy so damn strong?’ And I remember thinking during the fight, ‘Yo, I gotta start lifting weights again.’ He was one of, if not the strongest dudes I ever rolled with in my life. Strong b******.”

Funny how he can say that now, once the failed drug test thing came up, where was this after the fight? This just makes me dislike Vera all the more.

Either way it seems he will get another fight with the UFC. His suspension is done, so he should be ready to go. With Vemola out against Luiz Cane at next months UFC 128, maybe put Vera on there. Or have Kyle Kingsburry destroy him within the next few months. Vera just hasn't been the same in his past few fights. It's true he lost a controversial decision to Couture, murdered by Jones, and got his ass handed to him by Silva, even though Silva now cheated, but that's still no excuse for him not looking better in all of those fights. Whoever he get's next he better put on the performance of his life, or else he will be gone again. If Vera does win in his next fight, I would book a rematch between him and Silva.

 

[INDYjon22]

This is definitely the right move. I am no fan of Brandon Vera but I was all for him getting one more fight after that fight happened anyways. One, Thiago Silva is not exactly the kind of guy that it is fair to get matched up with in a win or go home kind of fight. I am not saying I didn't agree with the match making, just that the cards were already stacked against Vera. Two, if Silva did truly test positive then he obviously had an unfair advantage in addition to his superior fighting skills, which warrants another fight, preferably against a lesser level fight. And third, I am biased against Silva anyways. I thought he acted like a classless piece of shit in that fight, especially in the third round and actually felt bad for Vera.

As for what Vera said, fuck him. Like I said, I am not a fan of his. He thinks he's hot shit but is barely above average if even. I may have felt bad about his ass beating but where does he get off talking shit about a guy testing positive months after the fight. If he truly thought that shit then his opinion would have mattered a lot more immediately after the fight, but since he didn't say anything he can go piss off. Just because of his comments, I retract my statement about him fighting a lesser opponent. I want to see him get put in the ring with an elite striker who will knock him the fuck out.

 

[ITurnGirlsGay]

I personally think this is a waste of time by the UFC. Even if they do the right thing and give Vera another fight because Silva tested positive, it's still a waste of their time. Here's what's going to happen:

Vera will, most likely, get a fight against a can that he'll beat. He will ask for, and receive, a tougher fight and get beat. He hasn't once lived up to any sort of potential as a fighter and refuses to acknowledge that he's going to need a complete game if he EVER wants to see himself crack the top ten.

For the record, Indy, I disagree with you. Vera was actually outstriking Thiago pretty handily when they were standing. Thiago broke his nose and did his damage after he took Vera down. About the only accurate thing that Vera said during this whole Thiago "post-fight test failure" was something to the effect of "if he tested positive, give me him in his comeback fight and I'll kick his ass on the feet like I was during the last fight."

I actually made a bunch of comments during this fight about how Vera was winning the exchanges on the feet pretty cleanly. Only problem was that Vera couldn't keep it there.

Vera's problems don't come from strikers. Only one one Brandon Vera's loses has come to someone that I would consider an "outright" striker; Tim Sylvia.

I would put Jon Jones, Werdum, Couture, and Thiago (IN THEIR LAST FIGHT) in the grappling category. Thiago didn't beat Vera on the feet, he took him down, at will, and punished him on the ground. I know that Thiago is a "striker," but that is not what he used, AT ALL, to beat Vera in their fight.

I know that Jardine is sandwiched in there, but Jardine is an awkward fight for just about anyone and has beaten much better fighters than Vera because of the problems he poses as an awkward striker.

 

[Ace Sleeper]

I can't say this is a waste of time at all. Brandon Vera has always had potential but could never live up to it, and now that he's literally been cut, and rehired, there's no other way about it. He either wins and survives by the teeth of his skin, or loses one more time and gets what he had gotten just one fight before. Plus, now he knows they aren't joking around with cutting him, and he's gonna try his hardest to survive. If he doesn't do it, well then I guess we know he doesn't belong there.

I remember when Vera was going to be the next big thing, he was gonna be the first to hold two belts at the same time. 8-0. Young guy. Nothing could stop him. Except anyone in the top 10. I always saw Brandon as overrated, but there's no doubt he's good. He actually out strikes most of his opponents and has sick Muay Thai. I'm hoping he can do something with this last chance, but if not, what can you do.

On the other hand, very disappointing for Thiago Silva. I used to like him, but it seemed like he was getting too cocky and now he's being accused for using banned substances. His career went downhill from his prospect status fast. He's still dangerous, and he could still make it big, but I don't have the same respect for him as I did when he was 13-0 and fighting dangerous. Seems like he's taking the safer road now. He wasn't afraid to stand with anyone and in that fight it seemed like he really wanted to play it safe. I'm hoping it's not the case of the Greg Jackson bug (despite not training there), and he just didn't want to stand with Vera.

Either way, welcome back Brandon Vera, make the most of it. And Thiago, I hope you get your shit together. I really, honestly, sincerely do. Get back out there and break some heads, without using steroids.

 

[Tha Wolfpac]

THE Brandon Vera you mean the guy that was billed the future of the UFC, rode a hype train into destruction. I never believed this guys hype, i never saw whats was good about Brandon Vera and i still don't to this day. His came into the UFC and held an eight fight win streak against nobody too noteworthy other than Frank Mir by TKO at UFC 65 i believe after that people couldn't believe how good this guy was he was the future of the heavyweight division but that train was stopped against Tim Sylvia. But people still had hope until the hype train got derailed by Fabricio Werdum after that Vera has never looked the same. He believed his own hype. I honestly believe shouldn't rehire this guy, is it worth it to rehire him and then potentially fire him again if he loses, how embarrassing is that for Vera.

 

[Uncle Chester]

It's really of question whether Vera's much touted potential has remained inside him and all he needed was some mental adjustment to realize it. However even if that potential was simmering, waiting for that moment to pounce on MMA, Vera should not be back in the UFC. As disappointing as Silva's failed test was I don't see how that has any bearing on the outcome and rapege Silva imposed on his helpless opponent. Like many you I thought Vera should've fought someone in a lump like he was. Someone who a win over could inflate his cage confidence and give the UFC something to work with. Instead he received a returning star, a hungry powerful individual determined to show the world he was deservant of a top fighter.

I personally feel that the UFC should've allowed him to fight 3-4 fights on the lower leagues, win those fights and come back to the company to be billed as a young fighter whose inexperience and naivety got in the way of his fighting, a fighter who can finally believe his own hype.

 

[The Best]

I feel like if Vera got in 2 or 3 more fights in other promotions than this would be the right move. The guy hasn't won in about a year and a half, and lost to fighters who match his strong muai thai ability(Jones and Silva which got reversed), so in my opinion if Vera got maybe a confidence booster fighting in lower-level promotions, and getting good wins in them, than this would be the right move. I just feel that the light heavyweight division is too stacked right now for Vera to just walk into after not winning for 1 1/2 years, and getting released. I mean who's he going to face who has good wins in their belt, and who Vera is better than?

 

[ITurnGirlsGay]

I completely agree with you. I definitely think that Vera is better than plenty of fighters in the division, it's just that none of them are toward the top. With the UFC and WEC merger, the UFC can't afford to keep fighters on that aren't winning. Vera has had multiple chances in two divisions and failed to deliver on this "greatness."

On a side note, how bitchin' would it be if Pat Barry and Brandon Vera fought for Vera's next fight? I know Barry is a HW, but he's also a small HW. Make it happen, Joe Silva, make it happen.

 

[The Best]

I completely agree with you. I definitely think that Vera is better than plenty of fighters in the division, it's just that none of them are toward the top. With the UFC and WEC merger, the UFC can't afford to keep fighters on that aren't winning. Vera has had multiple chances in two divisions and failed to deliver on this "greatness."

On a side note, how bitchin' would it be if Pat Barry and Brandon Vera fought for Vera's next fight? I know Barry is a HW, but he's also a small HW. Make it happen, Joe Silva, make it happen.

Barry's 240 it would be a push, but i do agree that would be an amazing fight, a great clash of standup fighters

 

[ITurnGirlsGay]

Barry's 240 it would be a push, but i do agree that would be an amazing fight, a great clash of standup fighters

Vera used to fight at HW, though. He can do it. I think Vera could easily come in at 235, himself, and let's see some fireworks.

 

[Turd Ferguson]

Am I the only one who thinks Tito Ortiz vs. Brandon Vera makes a lot of sense?

You have two guys who are pretty obnoxious and free-falling into oblivion. Both guys are really douchey. Both guys also talk a lot of trash. Both guys also make an obscene amount of money per fight and it would be the perfect time to cut bait on one of them once and for all.

I'd take Tito by decision. I still think he beat Forrest.

 

[ITurnGirlsGay]

Am I the only one who thinks Tito Ortiz vs. Brandon Vera makes a lot of sense?

You have two guys who are pretty obnoxious and free-falling into oblivion. Both guys are really douchey. Both guys also talk a lot of trash. Both guys also make an obscene amount of money per fight and it would be the perfect time to cut bait on one of them once and for all.

I'd take Tito by decision. I still think he beat Forrest.

I hadn't thought about this until now and I have to say, this is a damn good idea. I'd take Tito in this fight, too, though.