Credit: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

Former UFC bantamweight title challenger Marlon Vera questioned everything during his recent struggles inside the Octagon.

Marlon Vera has struggled since a loss to then-UFC bantamweight champion Sean O'Malley at UFC 299. Following a unanimous decision title fight loss to O'Malley in their UFC 299 rematch, Vera has lost three consecutive fights and is out of the bantamweight Top 15 for the first time in years.

Vera will look to right the ship when he faces Charles Jourdain at UFC 331 later this month. The card is headlined by a rematch between UFC flyweight champion Joshua Van and former titleholder Alexandre Pantoja.

Vera's current skid is the longest of his career by a considerable margin, and the UFC fan favorite hasn't won consecutive fights since 2022. Dealing with unprecedented adversity, Vera's mental strength has been tested, as he recently admitted ahead of his return.

Marlon Vera opens up on ‘depressing' losing skid ahead of UFC 331

In a recent appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, Vera was asked about the mental toll his recent struggles have taken on him.

“It's pretty s—–. It's hard, man. It's depressing. It hits you where it matters the most. I don't even really know how to express it,†Vera admitted.

“You put so much into it. You're trying so hard and you fail. Then you say, ‘OK, let's get back on the horse. I'm a tough person. I've got to keep my chin high.' And then you fail again, and you fail again.

“You get to the point where it's like, ‘OK, I'm not ever going to succeed again. This is just not working for me.'†Vera continued. “Then you go into yourself and you're like, ‘What's wrong? What am I doing wrong?'â€

If Vera is victorious at UFC 331, he could potentially return to the bantamweight Top 15. In the meantime, recent work with Raul Rosas Jr. and his new team might've paid massive dividends.

What is your prediction for Marlon Vera vs. Charles Jourdain? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM

ONE Championship

A win here does more than extend a streak. For both women, it opens a direct path to a World Title shot.

Stamp Fairtex meets Selina Flores in an atomweight Muay Thai main event when ONE Fight Night 47 streams live on Prime Video from Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, on Friday, September 4.

Stamp made history as the promotion's first-ever three-sport World Champion before injury derailed her momentum shortly after claiming atomweight MMA gold. Her most recent outing, a split-decision win over Cynthia Flores at The Inner Circle 20, fell short of her own standard by her own admission, leaving her hungry to prove that performance was the exception rather than a sign of decline.

Flores, meanwhile, has climbed the rankings quickly since her promotional debut, a unanimous decision win over Marie McManamon that immediately positioned her for a marquee opportunity against a name as big as Stamp's. She enters on a five-fight winning streak overall, with a win here extending that run to six.

Stamp Fairtex's path back to gold runs through Flores

A loss would be a significant setback for Stamp's hopes of reclaiming relevance in the title conversation, while a win keeps her firmly in the picture heading into the year's final months. For Flores, the stakes are just as high, since a win over a name as recognizable as Stamp's could fast-track a shot at reigning ONE Women's Atomweight Muay Thai World Champion Allycia Hellen Rodrigues, a title Flores has made clear is the ultimate target of her ONE Championship run.

Both women understand the scale of the opportunity in front of them, and neither has shown any hesitation about embracing the pressure that comes with it.

This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM

Dan Hooker is fine being considered a gatekeeper heading into UFC Paris.

Hooker is set to headline UFC Paris on Saturday against newcomer Salahdine Parnasse. Heading into the fight, Hooker is a sizable +420 underdog while the Frenchman is a -650 favorite on FanDuel.

Although Hooker is a sizable underdog, he has plenty of confidence in himself that he can silence the Paris crowd and upset Parnasse. If he does upset Parnasse, Hooker knows he won't be considered a gatekeeper anymore and will be back to a true contender.

“I'm more than happy to play the role that I'm in right now and the role that I'm in right now is gatekeeping the top 10 of the UFC's lightweight division,†Hooker said at UFC Paris media day. “And I'm more than happy to play that role. Is that a position that defines my career? No, it's not. You get your hand raised, and then I'll be looking up at the rankings, and I'll be looking to get back in the mix and to get myself back to title contention.

Dan Hooker eyes top-10 opponent after UFC Paris

“Yes, you're playing the role of a gatekeeper right now, but that doesn't define your career, the future of your career. The beauty of the sport is it can change in one single night. You get your hand raised against Salahdine with an impressive fight, and showcase the skill and the level that I'm prepared to showcase, that I anticipate of showcasing, we're back in the mix, we're not playing that role anymore, we're targeting someone in the top 10.â€

If Hooker does beat Parnasse at UFC Paris, he does want a top-10 opponent next. Even though Parnasse is a UFC newcomer, he does think highly of him and points to the fact that he's headlining a UFC card in his debut.

Dan Hooker enters UFC Paris with a record of 24-14 and is coming off back-to-back stoppage losses. He suffered a TKO loss to Benoit Saint Denis at UFC 325 in February and suffered a submission loss to Arman Tsarukyan before that.

Do you think Dan Hooker can pull off the upset at UFC Paris?

This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM