A notable fighter has been removed from the upcoming UFC 316 card.
According to multiple sources with knowledge of the promotion`s plans, Marlon “Chito” Vera will no longer compete against Mario Bautista at the pay-per-view event scheduled for June 7 in Newark, New Jersey. The reason for Vera`s withdrawal has not been disclosed. The news of his removal was initially reported by MagicM_MMABets on Twitter.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship is actively seeking a new opponent to step in and face Bautista on the card, although no replacement has been secured at this time.
This would have marked Vera`s first appearance in 2025, where he aimed to bounce back into the win column. “Chito” is currently facing a two-fight losing streak, having lost three of his last four bouts. His recent record includes a decision loss to Sean O’Malley in his first bid for a UFC championship at UFC 299, followed by a unanimous decision loss to former flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo last August at UFC Abu Dhabi.
Meanwhile, Mario Bautista enters this situation on a strong seven-fight winning streak, boasting a UFC record of 9 wins and 2 losses. The 31-year-old competitor secured his most recent victory via a split decision over the legendary Jose Aldo at UFC 307 in October.
The UFC 316 event is set to be headlined by a highly anticipated bantamweight championship rematch between current titleholder Sean O’Malley and top contender Merab Dvalishvili.
Marcus Blakely