MANILA, Philippines - Fil-Am mixed martial arts fighter Brandon (The Truth) Vera is out to “whip ass” when he takes on legendary icon Randy (Captain America) Couture in the main event of UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) 105 at the Manchester Evening News (MEN) Arena in Manchester, England, tonight (tomorrOw in Manila).
Vera, 32, is unbeaten in two bouts so far this year but has still to win in England where he lost to Fabricio Werdum by stoppage and Keith Jardine on points. This time, Vera said he won’t be denied and that’s the “Truth,” the nickname he was given by a friend and which he shares with Boston Celtics star Paul Pierce.
“I’ve trained long and hard for Couture,” Vera told The STAR in an overseas telephone interview yesterday. “I took just a one-week break from my last fight (a decision over Krzysztof Soszynski three months ago) then went back straight to the gym. I know I’ve lost twice in England. That’s not going to happen again.”
Battling Couture, 46, has brought out mixed emotions from Vera.
“It’s awesome fighting a legend,” said Vera. “I don’t know what this will do to my career. It’s just a fight I’ve got to win. I’ve watched Randy since 1997, five years before I turned pro. Sure, I’m awed by his credentials. But when we get into the octagon, all I’ll be thinking of is I’m whipping his ass.”
Vera started his career on a scorching streak of eight straight wins but has since lost three of his next six bouts. The losses were heartbreakers. In his first career setback to Tim Sylvia, he broke his left hand with the first punch but didn’t quit, ending up losing a unanimous three-round decision.Then came the Werdum defeat which Vera disputed because he claimed the referee stopped the fight too soon. And the Jardine bout could’ve gone either way with Vera dropping a split decision.
Vera said he’s far from being down and out.
“Yeah, I lost some close ones but I’m not feeling sorry for myself,” he went on. “I’m a fighter. Fighting is my job. I can’t afford to feel down or frustrated. My long-term goal is to win the world championship, lightheavyweight or heavyweight or both. Right now, my short-term goal is to beat every opponent I face, no matter whom - whether it’s Couture or anybody else.”
Couture is a three-time heavyweight and two-time lightheavyweight UFC titlist. In the UFC, the lightheavyweight range is 185 to 205 pounds while it is 205 to 265 for heavyweights. Vera’s record is 11-3, with seven KOs and one submission. Couture’s record is 16-10, with seven KOs and two submissions.
Couture, who is three inches shorter than the 6-3 Vera, has fought some of the world’s toughest UFC stars like Chuck Liddell thrice, Tito Ortiz and Brock Lesnar. He’s coming off back-to-back losses to Lesnar and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira but “Captain America” isn’t finished fighting. Couture has five more fights left in his UFC contract that expires in March 2011.
Although Vera began his career as heavyweight, he’s now comfortable campaigning in the 205-pound division.”My body was adjusted right away, from my first fight as a lightheavyweight (against Reese Andy last year),” said Vera. “It wasn’t difficult. I did all the things necessary to bring down my weight from about 230 pounds – working hard in the gym, eating the right foods and all that. Making 205 pounds is no problem for me.”
Vera said his wife Kerry will fly in from the US to watch his fight in Manchester then take the next flight out back to prepare for her fight against Couture’s former wife Kim in a Strikeforce Challengers mixed martial arts promotion in Kansas City on Nov. 20. Couture recently filed a case to divorce Kim, his third wife.
“It’s no distraction at all,” said Vera, referring to his wife’s coming fight. “She’ll be at ringside when I fight Couture and I’ll be at ringside when she fights Kim. We train together and it’s really motivating.”
Vera said he’s looking forward to fighting in the Philippines.”I’m waiting for it to happen,” continued Vera whose father Ernesto is a full-blooded Filipino and his mother Paula, an American-Italian. “I love the Philippines and the Filipino fans. I would give anything to fight in the Philippines.”
When Vera visited Manila last year, some 4,000 fans turned out to witness his public workout at the Mall of Asia. He got a lot of media mileage for training actor Richard Gutierrez in martial arts and appeared as an assassin in the GMA-TV show “Kamandag.” Proud of his Filipino roots, Vera has a tattoo on his back with the alibata/baybayin inscriptions of mundo or lupa (earth), hangin (wind), apoy (fire) and tubig (water) – the four elements of mother nature.
In the interview, the first thing Vera said was “kumusta ka?”
Vera said right after fighting Couture, he’ll race to his hotel room to watch his idol Manny Pacquiao take on Miguel Cotto on TV.
“It’ll be about 3:30 or 4 a.m. in Manchester when Manny’s fight starts and I’ll be watching from my hotel room,” he said. “What I like about Manny is his never-say-die attitude. He’ll get hit but he’ll hit right back harder than when he got hit. He’s the man. I see Manny whipping Cotto’s ass.”
As for his fight against Couture, Vera told writer Michael David Smith, “you have to give it a great fight and that’s what I’m going to do – he’s going to fight to his full potential and I’m going to fight to my full potential and that makes it a great fight.”