Vera: ‘My Head Got Real Big and Somebody Needed to Pop It’

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Brandon Vera has known ups and downs in his UFC career, but his most recent defeat may have been his greatest learning experience to date.

At the pre-fight news conference for UFC 125 in Las Vegas on Wednesday, the 33-year-old light heavyweight spoke of exactly what was going through his head when he faced hot prospect Jon Jones in March.

“I remember being off in my own world while he was throwing elbows and missing, and holding his wrists. And I was thinking, ‘Jeez, man, really? All the hype was about you? This is what you have to offer on the ground?” said Vera. “I remember, I said, ‘You effin’...’ And then I said ‘suck,’ but before I finished the work ‘suck,’ the elbow came down on my face and smashed my face.”

“That’s when I realized, right then and there, ‘That’s what you get, you bastard. That’s what you get for thinking you saw ahead of the game.’”

The ground-and-pound elbow from Jones fractured Vera’s orbital and cheek bones, injuries which left the fighter unable to even board a plane and fly home. Three metal plates and six screws later, Vera is fully healed and markedly humbled ahead of his Saturday showdown with Thiago Silva.

Vera, who tore through his first four UFC opponents at heavyweight and holds a 7-5 Octagon record, admitted that overconfidence was a major factor in his loss to “Bones.” He does not plan on making the same mistake against Silva.

“I guess my arrogance caught up with me. My head got real big and somebody needed to pop it. Too bad he had to pop my face for it to pop, but it’s popped,” said Vera. “I don’t like looking past any fighter anymore. Thiago has my full attention, my full respect.”

Despite dropping two of his last three bouts and having not competed since January, Silva remains one of the 205-pound division’s most feared strikers. The Brazilian is no easy assignment for any fighter, let alone one coming back from a serious injury for his first fight in nine months. Vera, however, welcomes the challenge.

“I appreciate that they didn’t give me a ‘gimme.’ They gave me a chance to come back into the UFC and prove my salt, make sure I’m worth what I’m worth,” said Vera. “Thiago’s been off for a minute and I know he’s got something to prove.”

And, although Vera insisted that he remains focused entirely on Silva, he could not deny that he would like another shot at the man who broke his face.

“If Dana would give it to me, I would love to fight Mr. Jones again. And this time, he will have my full respect. No arrogance will be in that cage, and I’ll give him what it’s worth.”