UFC on ESPN 41: Vera vs. Cruz Odds, Schedule, Predictions

The UFC heads to San Diego with a UFC on ESPN card that features former bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz taking on Marlon "Chito" Vera in the main event.

A Cruz fight has been a rare occurrence as the former champ has spent more time in the commentating booth than the cage, but he remains a relevant presence in the division. After picking up two wins in 2021, he will look to add another win in 2022.

Standing opposite him is a man in Vera that continues to be a problem in the 135-pound division. He has racked up three wins in a row and continues to make a case to be considered a top contender in the division.

He'll get a chance to bolster his growing resume with a win over Cruz.

Here's a look at the complete offering and preview of the biggest fights queued up for the night.

Main Card (ESPN/ESPN+, 7 p.m. ET)

• Dominick Cruz (+195; bet $100 to win $195) vs. Marlon Vera (-230; bet $230 to win $100)
• Nate Landwehr (+285) vs. David Onama (-345)
• Yazmin Jauregui (-205) vs. Iasmin Lucindo (+175)
• Devin Clark (+125) vs. Azamat Murzakanov (-145)
• Priscila Cachoeira (+170) vs. Ariane Lipski (-200)
• Gerald Meerschaert (+230) vs. Bruno Silva (-275)

Prelims (ESPN/ESPN+, 4 p.m. ET)

• Loopy Godinez (-345) vs. Angela Hill (+285)
• Lukasz Brzeski (+240) vs. Martin Buday (-285)
• Cynthia Calvillo (-195) vs. Nina Nunes (+165)
• Gabriel Benitez (-330) vs. Charlie Ontiveros (+275)
• Tyson Nam (+280) vs. Ode' Osbourne (-340)
• Josh Quinlan (-280) vs. Jason Witt (+235)
• Da’Mon Blackshear (+110) vs. Youssef Zalal (-130)

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Four or five years ago, it would have been impossible to think of a matchup between Dominick Cruz and Marlon "Chito" Vera.

Cruz was the reigning bantamweight champion with multiple title defenses against the likes of Urijah Faber, T.J. Dillashaw and Demetrious Johnson. Vera was picking up losses to fighters like Marco Beltran, Davey Grant and Douglas Silva de Andrade.

In other words, they weren't even in the same stratosphere.

But time has a way of changing things in the MMA landscape. Cruz has been in and out of the cage with various injuries throughout his career, and Vera has proved to be a tough out for anyone.

He's currently on a three-fight winning streak against Rob Font, Frankie Edgar and Grant.

Meanwhile, Cruz has beaten Casey Kenney and Pedro Munhoz by decision in two 2021 fights.

Cruz has never been a powerful fighter. He's been tricky with his unorthodox footwork, timing and striking approach, and he's also a slick wrestler. Vera, on the other hand, is much more dangerous. His straightforward kickboxing and cunning submission game have helped him get a finish in 15 of his 19 wins.

At this stage in the game, it's unclear if Cruz has the defensive prowess to avoid the big shots that Vera is going to throw his way. That could spell trouble for the former great.

Prediction: Vera via third-round TKO

No one is going to confuse the David Onama vs. Nate Landwehr matchup for a summer blockbuster, but there's a reason the UFC has this as the lead-in to the main event.

Onama and Landwehr are both exciting fighters stylistically, and with Landwehr alternating wins and losses in his first four UFC fights, there's some pressure to actually put together a winning streak.

The end result is two featherweights who are likely to put on an action-packed fight as the penultimate bout on the card.

Landwehr comes in as a sizeable underdog, and that likely comes from the two losses that he's already suffered. Each time he's lost in the UFC, it's been by way of highlight-reel knockout. Onama is a man who has already shown a flair for the dramatic.

It stands to reason this fight is headed in the same direction.

Onama has shown that he's a quick and explosive striker in his limited UFC action. Landwehr has merely proved that he's willing to exchange.

That's a recipe for Onama to add to his hype train.

Prediction: Onama via first-round TKO

The only fight set to go down between two fighters ranked in the top 15 of their weight division is actually on the undercard. While Nina Nunes and Cynthia Calvillo have not put on their best performances recently, both are still clinging to a ranking.

The women's flyweight bout could be seen as a loser-leaves-town match. Calvillo is on a three-fight skid including back-to-back knockout losses to Jessica Andrade and Andrea Lee. Meanwhile, Nunes has dropped two fights in a row to Tatiana Suarez and Mackenzie Dern.

The matchup is a good test for both women. Calvillo has struggled with superior strikers, and while Nunes might not be as dangerous as Andrade or Lee in that department, she's good enough to hurt her.

By the same token, Nunes has struggled with powerful grapplers, and Calvillo could be classified as such. She's not as strong as Suarez and isn't as dangerous at submissions as Dern, but she's good enough.

Ultimately, Calvillo's grappling should be enough to get the win here.

Prediction: Calvillo via decision

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