Arman Tsarukyan has been training kicks with Marlon Vera serving as his pad holder in an unexpected training collaboration between the two fighters.
Arman Tsarukyan and Marlon Vera have linked up for an unconventional training session, with the Ecuadorian bantamweight holding pads as Tsarukyan worked on his kicking game.
Tsarukyan enters the collaboration as one of the most highly regarded lightweights in the UFC, holding a 23-3-0 record and the number-one ranking in the 155-pound division. The 29-year-old Russian trains out of American Top Team and fights out of an orthodox stance, standing five-foot-seven with a 72-inch reach. He is a formidable all-around threat, averaging 3.26 takedowns per 15 minutes alongside a striking accuracy of 50 percent, giving him genuine two-way danger whenever he competes.
Vera brings a different set of credentials to the gym session. The 33-year-old from Ecuador, known as Chito, is ranked seventh in the bantamweight division and carries a 23-12-1 record built around aggressive striking. Fighting out of a switch stance at five-foot-eight with a 70-inch reach, Vera averages 4.18 significant strikes landed per minute, making him one of the more active volume strikers in his weight class. His background in high-output pad work makes him a credible partner for a fighter looking to sharpen kicking technique.
Why it matters
- Tsarukyan is the top-ranked lightweight contender, so any improvement to his striking arsenal carries significant divisional implications
- Vera is a switch-stance striker accustomed to generating power and variety from both sides, potentially offering Tsarukyan a unique look in training
- Cross-divisional training partnerships are relatively rare at the elite level, making this collaboration a notable moment in both fighters' camps
