Marlon Vera isn’t about to trip over things he can’t control.

Vera made a statement at the conclusion of his UFC San Diego bout on August 13, 2022. “Chito” collided with former two-time UFC Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz. “The Dominator” is a surefire future Hall of Famer and he’s been looking to make one last run at the top.

“Chito” put a halt to that plan when he delivered a fourth-round head kick knockout victory. It’s the biggest win in Vera’s pro MMA career but he isn’t about to sweat whether or not he’ll be getting a title shot at 135 pounds next.

During the UFC San Diego post-fight press conference, Vera said he has learned to not concern himself with things that are out of his control (h/t MMAJunkie.com).

“That’s a good thing, having a good mindset and just really not giving a f*ck about things you cannot control,” Vera said. “… I know for a matter of fact (the UFC likes) me, so why be tripping when you know everything’s gonna come your way? Just keep working.”

“Chito” went on to say that he’s living the dream and doesn’t have much to complain about.

“When I was 14 years old in Ecuador, I was telling everybody I want to be a UFC fighter, I want to be a world champion, I want to move to U.S. and train with a real gym. Looking back, everything was a fantasy back then, but nobody knew I was being for real. That was my dream. Now that I’m living it, I’m f*cking happy.”

Vera finds himself at the number five spot on the official UFC bantamweight rankings. At the very least, “Chito” has seemingly earned himself a number one contender fight. Time will tell how UFC officials play things out.