Vera to face Bautista at UFC Des Moines
A bantamweight bout between former title challenger Marlon "Chito" Vera and Mario Bautista will take place at UFC Fight Night on May 3 in Des Moines, Iowa.
Bautista posted about the matchup on his Instagram Stories on Thursday, confirming reports, while Vera teased he was returning to the Octagon on that date.
Vera is looking to snap a two-fight losing streak. The 32-year-old suffered a unanimous decision defeat to former flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo last August after unsuccessfully challenging Sean O'Malley for the 135-pound belt last March. Vera, ranked No. 7 in the division, was last victorious when he earned a decision over Pedro Munhoz at UFC 292 in August 2023.
Bautista, the No. 10-ranked bantamweight, is coming off a split-decision win over UFC Hall of Famer and former featherweight champ Jose Aldo last October. The 31-year-old is riding a seven-fight winning streak and hasn't lost since 2021.
A bantamweight tilt between Cory Sandhagen and Figueiredo is scheduled to headline UFC Des Moines.