The biggest piece of growth for the Ecuadorian has been in his cardio. He has been super dialed in on learning when to explode and use that cardio. When he isn’t competing, Vera is someone who likes to do long-distance runs, sometimes running close to 13 miles for over three hours, and while some may think that it would be good for cardio purposes, Vera has learned that it actually may be harming him when it comes to training for a three or five-round fight.
“Fighting is only 15 or 25 minutes, so you need to be quick and move often,” Vera said. “It was hard for me to stop doing (the runs) because that’s something that I really like, but we switched out, and we went to faster type of stuff, and the only way to prove if that works will be Saturday night. I do know almost in my sparring sessions, all my wrestling sessions, I wasn’t waiting until like minute 20 to say okay, now it’s my time to kick some ass. I’ve been starting a little better, so we’ll see if that helps. I’m very positive that it was a good change, even if I really wanted to run long distance every week, but I don’t make money on long distance yet, so might as well figure out how to be a better fighter.”
Get Ready For UFC Vancouver With A Breakdown Of Every Matchup
November will mark 11 years since Vera made his first walk to the Octagon, and he has fought everyone from champions to newcomers to veterans. This weekend marks another matchup against an up-and-coming guy who is on a hot streak. Dating back to 2021, Zahabi has rattled off five straight wins and sits at No. 9 in the 135-pound rankings. Having only been knocked out once in his career, Vera knows he has a tough task ahead of him, but believes his preparations during this camp will allow him to be victorious.
“He’s a great fighter,” Vera said. “He’s very good with his tactics. He fights well, seems like a guy who has power. I just prepare the best I can. I’ve brought in very tough sparring partners and competition. I do spar very hard. I do bring in good guys, so I’m ready to go, whatever challenge you bring to me, I know mentally I can go through most things, and I’m in very good shape. If I go in there and outclass him, amazing, and if I go in there and I have to bleed for my paycheck, I’ll be there too, so I’m ready to go.”
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