‘I really don’t give a f*** about the guy’ – Marlon Vera not thinking about a rematch with ‘dorky kid’ Sean O’Malley

Marlon Vera insists he’s put Sean O’Malley in his rear-view mirror and is no longer intent on settling his beef with ‘Suga’ inside the Octagon.

‘Chito’ is set to main event UFC Vegas 53 alongside fellow bantamweight contender Rob Font on Saturday. A win over Font will move Vera one step closer to a shot at the 135lb currently held by Aljamain Sterling.

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Despite the fact he’s closing in on a title shot, fans continue to clamour for a rematch between Vera and his biggest rival, O’Malley, but he insists it’s not something that’s on his mind.

“I have not thought about the guy. I'm fighting number five in the world, you know? I think if you dream or think about something that is behind you, you’re a fool, so I really don't give a f*** about the guy,” Vera told talkSPORT.

The 29-year-old will gladly accept a second fight with O’Malley but says he has told the UFC to approach his bantamweight rival first, as he has previously turned down the rematch.

“I’m too busy with my life to think about a dorky kid thinking he’s a gangster. If the UFC offer us the fight again, as they did in the past, I told them, ‘Ask them first’ because I’m here to fight. I’m a fighter and I fight."

Vera and O’Malley first faced off at UFC 252 in August 2020.

The Ecuadorian quickly derailed the O’Malley hype train with a series of brutal leg kicks that left the previously unbeaten prospect unable to stand.

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As ‘Suga’ hit the mat, Vera followed him before landing some vicious brutal ground and pound to spring an almighty upset.

In the aftermath of UFC 252, the 27-year-old claimed ‘Chito’ scored a fluke win and O’Malley has irked Vera and fight fans for refusing to accept his lone career loss.

“On paper, I’m 12-1,” O’Malley said post-fight. “I lost August 15. I’m 12-1. And in my head, I didn’t lose sh-t. I’m 12-0, I didn’t lose. I get that I lost. But mentally, I didn’t lose.”

“Did he win? Yes. Am I undefeated? Yes,” O’Malley added. “Mentally, I’m 12-0. I didn’t lose s***. I was dominating that fight, I felt superior in there until my foot gave out.”