“I feel like I have too much time” - Brandon Vera has been enjoying life away from the cage

While Brandon Vera is excited to get back to work in ONE Championship on December 3rd, ‘The Truth’ would be lying if he said he didn’t enjoy his time away.

Vera will make his long-awaited return to the Circle at ONE 164 when the promotion heads back to the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila for the second part of back-to-back events featuring five incredible world title fights.

Ahead of his return, Vera spoke with The MMA Super Fan about his time away and how he has kept busy over the last 18 months:

“Man, I wish I could say a lot of things, but I’ve only been doing a couple of things. Being an amazing dad, hanging out with my wife, enjoying the island, and training. Enjoying the islands in the Philippines."

He added:

“Shooting, you know like doing more films. That’s pretty much all that I’m doing. There’s a lot to do with that, but man it doesn’t seem like a lot because I haven’t been, I don't know man, I feel like I have too much time.”

Brandon Vera has a tough task ahead in his ONE Championship return. The former ONE heavyweight world champion faces dangerous Iranian wrestler Amir Aliakbari, a UWW Grecco-Roman Wrestling world champion with a solid 11-3 record and a second-round knockout in his last appearance at ONE on Prime Video 1 in August.

Watch the interview below:

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Brandon Vera is excited to compete in front of his countrymen at ONE 164

While the Filipino heavyweight star has enjoyed his time away from competition, Brandon Vera is excited to step back into the spotlight surrounded by thousands of his countrymen cheering him on. Speaking with the CNN Sports Desk, ‘The Truth’ said:

“I'm excited to perform in front of our kababayan [countrymen] in Manila. Oh my God. Sobrang excited na talaga. [I'm really very excited]. I'm sorry, it's been so long, fam. Sorry.”

Brandon Vera reigned as ONE heavyweight world champion for nearly six years, capturing the belt in December 2015 and becoming the promotion’s first heavyweight titleholder. He successfully defended the world title against Hideki Sekine and Mauro Cerilli before dropping the title to reigning heavyweight king, Arjan Bhullar, in May 2021.

Vera hopes that a victory over Amir Aliakbari at ONE 164 will lead to an opportunity to recapture the heavyweight crown against either Bhullar or the promotion’s interim heavyweight champion, Anatoly Malykhin.