UFC Vegas 53 Results: Marlon Vera gets dominant win in main event

UFC FIGHT NIGHT: FONT VS VERA aired live in Asia on Sunday, May 1 from UFC APEX in Las Vegas. From the opening bout through all five rounds of the main event, the card was stacked with action-packed fights.

Bantamweight rankers #5 Rob Font and #8 Marlon Vera showcased elite striking skills Font's jab was on point and his stance switching opened up Vera, who used his body kicks and knees to good effect. Font's output was incredible, but Vera did massive damage. Upon getting the unanimous decision victory, Vera said,

"I feel today something that my coach always says: your mind is finally catching up to your body. It's been a long road for me, a long journey. Hard work. When you do everything you can to win, and put everything else aside, life will give you a good victory. I'm living the dream, I'm going to be a world champion, and I'm bringing the belt to Ecuador."

Heavyweight legend Andrei Arlovski faced shooting star Jake Collier and went the distance across three grueling rounds. Collier's damaging shots versus Arlovski's counters and experience sent the fight to the judges, who gave Arlovski the win by split decision. Arlovski said,

"I was sure that last takedown meant that I lost, that the third round cost me the victory, but I got what I got. One step closer. After my performance tonight, I have to do a lot of homework with my coaches. Then let's go."

Lightning finish! Joanderson Brito didn't let Andre Fili out of the first round, getting the KO in just :41 and earning a Performance of the Night bonus for his short order work.

There were four out of five finishes in the prelims, but it was lightweights Natan Levy and Mike Breeden who went the distance and made an early case for Fight of the Night honors, going back and forth for three rounds before Levy's savvy grappling emerged with his first UFC win via unanimous decision. Francisco Figueiredo did earn a Performance of the Night award for his kneebar finish of Daniel da Silva.

OFFICIAL RESULTS

Fight Of The Night: Marlon Vera vs Rob Font*

• Performance Of The Night: Joanderson Brito
• Performance Of The Night: Francisco Figueiredo

*Rob Font weighed in above the non-title fight bantamweight limit of 136 pounds. As a result, Marlon Vera receives his portion of the Fight of the Night bonus, totaling $100,000.

MAIN EVENT

• Marlon Vera defeats Rob Font via unanimous decision (48-47, 49-46, 49-46)

CO-MAIN EVENT

• Andrei Arlovski defeats Jake Collier via split decision (29-28, 29-28, 27-30)

MAIN CARD

• Joanderson Brito defeats Andre Fili via TKO (strikes) at :41 of round one
• Grant Dawson defeats Jared Gordon via submission (rear naked choke) at 4:11 of round three
• Darren Elkins defeats Tristan Connelly via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Krzysztof Jotko defeats Gerald Meerschaert via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

PRELIMS

• Alexandr Romanov defeats Chase Sherman via submission (Americana) at 2:11 of round one
• Francisco Figueiredo defeats Daniel da Silva via submission (kneebar) at 1:18 of round one
• Gabe Green defeats Yohan Lainesse via TKO (strikes) at 4:02 of round two
• Natan Levy defeats Mike Breeden via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
• Shanna Young defeats Gina Mazany via TKO (strikes) at 3:11 of round two

What are your thoughts on the event? Let us know in the comments below.

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