UFC Oklahoma City Reportedly Gets Banger Co-Main Fight After Main Event Announcement

The UFC’s return to Oklahoma City will reportedly feature a co-main event with significant implications for the bantamweight division.

Scheduled to take place at the Paycom Center on July 18, UFC Oklahoma City is headlined by a major middleweight clash between the division’s former titleholder Dricus du Plessis and former UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman.

News of the main event was only made official during the broadcast for last weekend’s UFC Vegas 119 card, and this week @MagicM_MMABets reports that the night’s co-main event will see Marlon “Chito” Vera square off with fellow top-ranked bantamweight contender Charles Jourdain.

Marlon Vera Brings Losing Streak Into UFC Oklahoma City Fight

A member of the UFC roster since 2014, Vera currently finds himself on the most difficult stretch of his MMA career after suffering four-straight losses.

Marlon Vera (red gloves) fights Aiemann Zahabi (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Rogers Arena. | Simon Fearn-Imagn Images

Following a loss to UFC Hall of Famer Jose Aldo in 2020, “Chito” put together a four-fight win streak that included stoppage-wins over two other UFC legends in Frankie Edgar and Dominick Cruz. The 33-year-old secured post-fight bonuses for all four of those victories before Cory Sandhagen ended his winning run in 2023, but he rebounded with a victory over Pedro Munhoz to earn his first UFC title shot.

Vera was soundly outworked by Sean O’Malley in their championship rematch at UFC 299 before he also fell to Deiveson Figueiredo later that year, and two more decision losses to Aiemann Zahabi and David Martinez put the Ecuadorian on his current four-fight skid.

Charles Jourdain Has Secured Three-Straight Post-Fight Bonuses

While Vera hopes to get back in the win column at UFC Oklahoma City, his opponent Jourdain will be looking to secure a fourth-straight victory and extend a perfect start to his time as a bantamweight.

Kyler Phillips (red gloves) fights Charles Jourdain (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Canada Life Centre. | Bruce Fedyck-Imagn Images

“Air” joined the UFC in 2019 and initially plied his trade in the featherweight division, where he secured back-to-back wins over Kron Gracie and Ricardo Ramos in 2023. After suffering losses to Sean Woodson and Jean Silva, Jourdain dropped down to the bantamweight division and submitted
Victor Henry and Davey Grant in consecutive fights before he most recently defeated Kyler Phillips in April.

Fans were growing frustrated with the fact that UFC Oklahoma City still didn’t have a confirmed main event prior to last weekend’s announcement, and if the report of Vera vs. Jourdain is true then the card should now be at full capacity with 14 fights.

UFC Oklahoma City Fight Card

Main Event: Dricus du Plessis vs. Kamaru Usman

Co-Main Event: Marlon Vera vs. Charles Jourdain

Brad Tavares vs. Marc-Andre Barriault

Kevin Holland vs. Jacobe smith

Jared Cannonier vs. Christian Leroy Duncan

Tommy McMillen vs. Alberto Montes

Tabatha Ricci vs. Fatima Kline

Alvin Hines vs. Allen Frye Jr.

Dione Barbosa vs. Veronica Hardy

Chase Hooper vs. Mitch Ramirez

Felipe Franco vs. Levi Rodrigues Jr.

Alden Coria vs. Stewart Nicoll

Jose Delgado vs. Austin Bashi

Seok Hyeon Ko vs. Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani

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