Venue & Fight Details
Event: UFC Fight Night 262: de Ridder vs. Allen
Bout: Marlon Vera vs. Aiemann Zahabi – Bantamweight (135 lbs), 3 rounds
Location: Rogers Arena, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Time: Main Card, approx. 9:00 p.m. ET
Broadcast: ESPN+ (U.S.), TSN (Canada), UFC Fight Pass (International)
Fighter Records & Recent Form
Marlon Vera (Ecuador, 23-10-1): Former title challenger, known for switch-stance striking, durability, and late-fight surges. Vera is 2-3 in his last five, including a decision loss to Sean O’Malley in a title fight and a rebound win over Pedro Munhoz.
Aiemann Zahabi (Canada, 13-2-0): Fighting out of Tristar Gym, Zahabi is on a 4-fight winning streak, including a controversial decision over Jose Aldo. Known for his tactical discipline, counter-striking, and defensive awareness.
Recent Form (last 5 fights):
Vera: L–W–L–L–W
Zahabi: W–W–W–W–L
Injury Report
Both fighters enter with no reported injuries and completed full training camps.
Key Matchups
Striking: Vera’s switch-stance volume and leg kicks vs. Zahabi’s orthodox precision and counter-punching.
Grappling: Vera has 8 career submissions and strong clinch work; Zahabi is more defensive but well-schooled in grappling fundamentals.
Durability: Vera is notoriously hard to finish, while Zahabi has only been stopped once in his career.
Series History
First-ever meeting between Vera and Zahabi.
Vera is 15-9 in UFC competition, with wins over legends like Frankie Edgar and Dominick Cruz.
Zahabi is 5-1 in the UFC, steadily climbing the bantamweight ladder.
Betting Trends
Vera has gone to decision in 4 of his last 6 fights.
Zahabi has won 3 of his last 4 by decision.
Bantamweight fights historically go the distance 65% of the time.
FIGHT ODDS
Marlon Vera – 175
Aiemann Zahabi + 150
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Friday, October 17, 2025
