Marlon Vera: "I 1,000% Respect Cruz. I Stand by My Comments But I Wasn't Talking Sh*t."

[Substance Abuse]

This past Saturday, Vera knocked out Cruz in the fourth round of the main event of UFC San Diego. Afterward, “Chito” said Cruz’s style was “very low level” and “not the best style for MMA,” which drew the ire of some who felt Vera was pouring salt in the wound of his downed foe. That was not his intention though.

Speaking with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, Vera made it clear that he stands by what he said, but that he has a ton of respect for Cruz.

“I respect, 1000 percent, him for what he did,” Vera said. “I said this in the press conference: He made bantamweight cool. He was the name that brought up the bantamweights. When he was the champion and was fighting other people, he was fighting alright guys. He was a cool guy, making a name for the division, and I think [he’s] the reason there’s a big gap between 125 and 135 in terms of names. Because he was the WEC champ, came to the UFC and got the belt. Even when he was injured over the years, no one forgot about it. He comes back, he did what he did against [Takeya] Mizugaki, which was f****** phenomenal, then again he broke f****** something, comes back and beats T.J. [Dillashaw]. That’s f****** amazing. But I can’t bring any of these emotions or respect once we’re fighting.

On the "Low Level" line:

“I’m going to explain a little bit when I say the low level thing. Talking about fighting technique, it doesn’t matter what your style is. We’ve got a guy like Israel Adesanya, he’s very flashy, he’s very technical, but he has a real solid base. His technique is sharp as f***, but he’s really flashy. With Dominick, the ... movement that he does, me and my coaches, we think that’s a low-level style to do MMA. It’s just our opinion. It’s not a fact, but maybe we prove it because of the way that we finished him. But I wasn’t talking s*** like he sucks. I don’t think he sucks. It’s the movements we don’t think work for MMA, because there’s kicks, elbows, knees. There’s so much more you can run into. Yeah, you make a little trick, sure, but he’s not having a good base.

When I say good base, I mean proper fundamentals,” Vera continued. “Throw good combos, move well, move your feet correctly, instead of just doing crazy back and forth [movement]. It makes a little harder, but it’s not technical or correct for us. That’s an opinion. Yes, I said it like that and I mean, it just sounds a little f***** up, it sounds like I was talking s***. I wasn’t talking s***. I do respect him. ... I have respect for him and I appreciate what he did, because without a guy like that, maybe bantamweight wouldn’t be what it is.”

Cruz is a pioneer of MMA, becoming the first UFC bantamweight champion when the promotion absorbed the WEC in 2013. Though much of his career was set back due to ongoing injury issues, Cruz still defended his title three times and is generally considered to be the greatest bantamweight of all-time.

And on Saturday, for much of the fight he looked to still be in peak form, winning the first two rounds on the judges scorecards with his trademark style.

Ultimately it was Vera who got his hand raised though, after landing a vicious head kick in the fourth round that put Cruz out. “Chito” says that was always what was going to happen — he just needed to be patient.

On Cruz' performance and movement:

“I was expecting the movement,” Vera said. “I know he’s really good, when you throw a combination he goes side to side and then he comes back with something. But it’s very easy to say that. But once you’re in there, it’s a different animal. That’s why I don’t like to make fantasies in my head like, ‘Oh, I’m going to catch him!’ The guy is just as strong as any other young guy that I fought, he f****** got balls, he’s going to try hard. But I just knew one thing that I remembered from the last time he got dropped, from the [Pedro] Munhoz fight in the first round — Munhoz dropped him and then Munhoz unloaded. He threw every single ounce just to put him out.

“When I dropped him, as you can see, I was calculated. I never went ape s***, I never went crazy. I was like, ‘Take your time, be a sniper.’ When you have somebody hurt, you don’t have to kill him, you just have to touch him again, touch him again. And coach was doing a great f****** job of telling me the right little things, and I think we showed up a little better than the last fight. Next time, we’ll show up even better. I feel we’re adding wrinkles to my game. I feel like I’m getting better by practice, I’m better by every day on the job, and I’ve said it and I’ll say it again: I’m becoming a problem, because I’m getting better. I’m getting better.”

Vera certainly does seem to be improving. Since losing to Jose Aldo in 2020, Vera has put together four straight wins, including devastating knockouts of Cruz and fellow MMA legend Frankie Edgar. Vera is now the No. 5-ranked bantamweight in the world according to the UFC rankings and could be fighting to the title in the near future.

With that in mind, Vera is already over the Cruz win, and looking ahead to what comes next.

“That performance was f****** cool, but that’s in the past,” Vera said. “I don’t live in [the past] or enjoy myself because of what I just did. I forgot about it. I’m going to take the good, try to take away the bad, and get better for the next one. I don’t live for that moment. I live for different things. That is business. My livelihood really makes me happy, so for now, just keep getting better, keep adding wrinkles to the game, keep figuring out how to become a better fighter, because these years coming up are going to be the best years of my life and I’m going to take a lot advantage of it.”

Link: https://www.mmafighting.com/2022/8/...ands-by-comments-on-his-style-i-wasnt-talking

 

[eighterumg5]

I like Vera. Always entertaining

 

[JustOnce]

Chito usually sounds and acts like a dick by default, so I doubt he was intentionally going out of his way to talk shit.

 

[JustOnce]

And he's clearly wrong. Just because it may not be traditional, it doesn't mean it's low level obviously.

 

[C0NCH3TO]

When he beats a top 5 guy, I’ll take him more seriously. He beat Frankie and Dom because they are almost 40 and have quite a mileage. Specially young Frankie would have pummeled him. Couldn’t deal with Jose who has tons of wars on him.

 

[spinitch]

A little better explanation. But as emphasized just his opinion, such a style does not appeal to his liking. Dom’s earlier success though was his downfall, he got over confident while Chito adjusted. Versatility, adaptive along with athletic ability to do it led to Chito success. Being younger and sharper helps too. If Dom went into a more cautious mode he risked losing on points so he stuck with his approach. Live or die by the Dom dance , what he is comfortable doing.

 

[cheesus]

I don't get what Chito's problem is, he wins the fight then shits on Cruz style and Cruz accomplishments, after the fight he was saying Cruz never really fought many true 135lbers then mentions Brad Pickett for some bizarre reason.

It was a great win for Chito no doubt, he beat an all time great no question, but the reality is Dom is 37 years old with a documented history of injuries but he wants to make it out like it's something else, questioning his style and career.

 

[jkthenatural]

If any of what he just said bugs you, you might just dislike the guy haha

I don’t feel like he’s downing on him really and he showed respect. He just has a certain way of talking

 

[felmmando]

When he beats a top 5 guy, I’ll take him more seriously. He beat Frankie and Dom because they are almost 40 and have quite a mileage. Specially young Frankie would have pummeled him.

Even in their old age, both did pretty well against him.

 

[AL-Tappo McSnappo]

This past Saturday, Vera knocked out Cruz in the fourth round of the main event of UFC San Diego. Afterward, “Chito” said Cruz’s style was “very low level” and “not the best style for MMA,” which drew the ire of some who felt Vera was pouring salt in the wound of his downed foe. That was not his intention though.

Speaking with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, Vera made it clear that he stands by what he said, but that he has a ton of respect for Cruz.



On the "Low Level" line:


Cruz is a pioneer of MMA, becoming the first UFC bantamweight champion when the promotion absorbed the WEC in 2013. Though much of his career was set back due to ongoing injury issues, Cruz still defended his title three times and is generally considered to be the greatest bantamweight of all-time.

And on Saturday, for much of the fight he looked to still be in peak form, winning the first two rounds on the judges scorecards with his trademark style.

Ultimately it was Vera who got his hand raised though, after landing a vicious head kick in the fourth round that put Cruz out. “Chito” says that was always what was going to happen — he just needed to be patient.

On Cruz' performance and movement:


Vera certainly does seem to be improving. Since losing to Jose Aldo in 2020, Vera has put together four straight wins, including devastating knockouts of Cruz and fellow MMA legend Frankie Edgar. Vera is now the No. 5-ranked bantamweight in the world according to the UFC rankings and could be fighting to the title in the near future.

With that in mind, Vera is already over the Cruz win, and looking ahead to what comes next.



Link: https://www.mmafighting.com/2022/8/...ands-by-comments-on-his-style-i-wasnt-talking

Well Dom kinda use to do that others, maybe someone will say that about Chito after they beat him.

 

[LBNose]

When he beats a top 5 guy, I’ll take him more seriously. He beat Frankie and Dom because they are almost 40 and have quite a mileage. Specially young Frankie would have pummeled him. Couldn’t deal with Jose who has tons of wars on him.

Chito finishes any version of Frankie and Cruz

 

[El Fernas]

At 37 and probably ready to retire Cruz had more wins and less loses on his record, it was their take but still a shit one, Cruz is in BW goat discussions, Vera has a lot of catch up to do here.

 

[Xoleth]

"With Dominick, the ... movement that he does, me and my coaches, we think that’s a low-level style to do MMA. It’s just our opinion. It’s not a fact, but maybe we prove it because of the way that we finished him."

Dude, you beat a guy who is 37 and had a lot of injuries.
And that guy won the first 3 rounds clearly... than you had a head kick.
If that was low level style for MMA, you would have finished him easily, in the 1st.
Cruz wouldn't lose in his prime to the guys you lost.

 

[VAfan]

And that guy won the first 3 rounds clearly... than you had a head kick.
If that was low level style for MMA, you would have finished him easily, in the 1st.

this. if it was so low-level, then why was he winning the fight and made it into the 4th round. doesn't hold water.

 

[onSMASH]

Can't wait until Yan rails this guy.

 

[ExitLUPin]

He's not wrong. Dom has flashy footwork but he's always been in poor position and masked his weaknesses in the fundamentals of striking there. He'd be able to transition to level changes for his wrestling as well to mask them but against a great, sharp counterstriker with reach like Chito he was getting timed over and over

 

[BluntForceTrama]

god ariel is a slimey scheister

 

[FIghtxIQ]

I don't get what Chito's problem is, he wins the fight then shits on Cruz style and Cruz accomplishments, after the fight he was saying Cruz never really fought many true 135lbers then mentions Brad Pickett for some bizarre reason.

It was a great win for Chito no doubt, he beat an all time great no question, but the reality is Dom is 37 years old with a documented history of injuries but he wants to make it out like something else, questioning his style and career.

Chito just says what his opinions are and people take it as disses. He's just being real, I appreciate this more than people who just bite their tongue so they don't offend anyone. It's true though, Cruz fought a lot of fighters who should be fighting at flyweight and eventually switched to flyweight once the division was made in UFC.

Cruz's style isn't low level but he is just limited because he doesn't have any other style to adjust to when needed. He doesn't know how to enter without his footwork and movement, and doesn't know how to block and be defensive without using his footwork and movement. Higher level strikers will pick up on his patterns and timing because he always needs to shuffle his feet or hop in and out first before committing to strikes and his defense is always to move backwards or dip and cut to the sides. There's just holes in Cruz's style that can be exploited. Cruz would do better if he had other styles to be able to switch to so he's harder to time and predict. Both Cejudo and Chito set traps for him and used his movement against him.

 

[sadowolf]

TL;DR
Chito's not trying to disrespect, and is just saying Cruz breaks a lot of fundamental rules that he and his coaches see as inadvisable. Cruz's age and injuries should definitely be considered factors, but another big reason Chito won this fight was because he took advantage of fundamental holes in Cruz's game.

I think Cruz is great, still probably the BW GOAT, and obviously still one of the most skilled BWs around. But I don't really disagree with Chito. I think there's a misunderstanding because of the wording he's using (low level), but he more just means Cruz does a lot of fundamentally inadvisable things, which is absolutely true. The results of his style aren't really replicable by others, whereas solid fundamentals and tight technique produce replicable good results for many.

I've always thought Cruz's combinations were sloppy, he ducks and leans to his right way too much (both of which finally led to his last two losses), holds his hands low all the time, and he seems to do a lot of moving just to move. But obviously it has worked for him way more than it hasn't, and it arguably makes him even more impressive as a fighter. His style is extremely tricky and has thrown a lot of guys off, but it's never been technically pretty or closely adhered to advisable fundamentals. Ever since his WEC days I wondered why more opponents didn't throw knees when he ducked in throwing wide hooks or head kicks to cut him off as he retreated leaning with his hands down. Both of those things eventually happened, but it's a testament to just how tricky his style is once you're actually in front of him that it wasn't until he was on the tail end. Still, you could always poke plenty of fundamental holes in it. Hell, remember that time when a bunch of fighters were starting to mimic "neo footwork?" There's a reason pretty much all of them abandoned it and went back to more fundamental styles; it only sustainably worked for Cruz (which again, speaks to how great he specifically is).

Now it doesn't work as much for him either. Sure, you can certainly put some of that on age and injuries, but I don't think you can really ignore the fact that fighters these days have seen it enough, and overall are just better schooled at finding patterns in "unorthodox" styles. Not to mention bigger; Cruz historically isn't used to being at size and reach parity, and with Chito's long legs, Cruz is probably used to recognizing that he's generally out of range when he angles out. Obviously Chito's shin knew better haha. And that head kick wasn't just a random shot, Chito knew it was there and tried it earlier. Cruz was doing well early and looked good until he didn't, but Chito is also a notoriously slow starter, was clearly landing the more impactful shots throughout, won the 3rd round, and the momentum was starting to change, as is generally the case in his fights. Cruz wasn't dominating him by any stretch, so I'm not sure why this narrative is being run by people. Cruz is and was great, but I didn't see some fight where Cruz wins it the majority of the times they go out there. I saw Chito being patient, finding his openings, and landing the kill shot, which is kinda what he's becoming known for.

 

[Oscar Madison]

Just because these guys get paid to beat each other for money — does not make them wise or worthy of respect as humans.

They are sketchy violent humans operating on self-interest and opportunism.

Chito can say what he wants — just like Cruz does. Their comments and perspectives are all part of the show.