The CHAMP.
MMA Greatness.
VERA: The Battle-Tested Mixed Martial Artist Wins it All!
Brandon Vera’s first professional mixed martial arts bout was on July 6, 2002, while training under Lloyd Irvin. He won the fight against Adam Rivera via TKO in the first round. He fought and won another bout in 2004 before entering the WEC 13 Heavyweight Tournament in 2005, where he won two bouts in one night, including a bout against The Ultimate Fighter 2’s Mike Whitehead in the final.
Brandon then moved to San Diego, California, on New Year’s Eve, 2003, to accept a training position with City Boxing; excelling as a trainer and garnering partial ownership of City Boxing.
He made his UFC debut at Ultimate Fight Night 2 on October 3, 2005, against BJJ black belt Fabiano Scherner. Brandon tore through the UFC with finishes in each of his fights during a thirteen-month span, including a stoppage of former heavyweight champion Frank Mir, where he needed just 69 seconds for a first-round victory at UFC 65.
Brandon's list of opponents during his tenure in the UFC included a Who’s Who of MMA champions including Tim Sylvia, Fabricio Werdum, and Hall of Famer Randy Couture, arguably, the most beloved UFC fighter of all time. The judges awarded Couture a unanimous decision victory, despite the media and Couture believing that Brandon Vera won the fight.
On March 21, 2010, Brandon Vera faced Jon “Bones” Jones, considered by mixed martial arts experts and fans alike to be the greatest pound-for-pound fighter in the history of MMA. Brandon lost the fight after an elbow from Jones broke Vera’s face in three places.
Brandon healed, came back strong and continued to fight valiantly until his tenure with the UFC ended in 2013.
Brandon becomes the ONE!
On July 13, 2014, Brandon Vera signed with Singapore-based promotion ONE FC. His debut was on December 5, 2014, against Igor Subora at ONE Fighting Championship: Warrior’s Way. Brandon won the fight via knockout and “The TRUTH” was back!
On December 11, 2015, Brandon faced Paul Cheng in the main event at ONE Championship: Spirit of Champions. He won the fight via knockout just 26 seconds into the first round to win the very first ONE Heavyweight Championship!
For the next five years, Brandon successfully defended his championship and even battled Aung La Nsang for the ONE Light Heavyweight Championship.
At the end of 2022, Brandon Vera fought courageously in front of a capacity crowd in Manila, Philippines, breaking his hand in his final fight and immediately announcing his retirement in front of his fellow Kababayans.
Even in retirement, Brandon continues to inspire BJJ neophytes and veterans alike; would-be athletes; MMA hopefuls; people of all races and walks of life, who have come to admire Brandon’s determination, his down-to-earth personality, and his love of family.