Top Bantamweight Replaces Henry Cejudo for Fight With Marlon Vera at UFC 292

Vera gets the chance to rebound from his last loss when he faces a top-ranked opponent in Boston.

Marlon Vera will now meet top bantamweight contender Pedro Munhoz at UFC 292 after Henry Cejudo pulled out of the event with an injury.

The news comes just a week after “Triple C” revealed that he’d be unable to compete due to an issue with his shoulder, which prompted a disappointed response from Vera. 

“Chito” initially suggested that former bantamweight titleholder Petr Yan should step up to fight him on August 19, but Vera’s management team Iridium has confirmed that he’ll now be facing Munhoz.

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🚨 #TeamIridium News 🚨

Our man @chitoveraUFC goes for his 15th @ufc victory vs. Pedro Munhoz on Aug. 19 ✍️🏼 #TheDarkside pic.twitter.com/OvbKaFrYhI

— IridiumSportsAgency (@TeamIridiumISA) July 7, 2023

Vera will now be taking a slight step back to fight the #10-ranked Munhoz, but the matchup is a good opportunity for the Ecuadorian to rebuild some momentum after having a four-fight win streak snapped by Cory Sandhagen last March.

Munhoz will enter the night looking to win back-to-back fights for the first time in over four years after he got back on track with a strong performance against Chris Gutierrez in April.

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Munhoz earned his first win since 2021 against Chris Gutierrez.  :: (Denney/Medley/USA TODAY Sports)

“The Young Punisher” has fought nothing but top competition over the last few years, including former UFC champions Dominick Cruz, José Aldo, and Frankie Edgar, as well as current bantamweight titleholder Aljamain Sterling and his next challenger Sean O’Malley.

The bantamweight title fight between Sterling and O’Malley will serve as the headlining bout for UFC 292, which should provide further motivation for Vera and Munhoz to put on a convincing performance earlier in the night. “Chito” already holds a win over O’Malley, while Munhoz’s meeting with the 28-year-old last year ended in a disappointing No Contest due to an eye poke.

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