Marvin Vettori was defeated but not deterred.
Vettori came up short this past Saturday at UFC Fight Night 209, where he lost a unanimous decision to former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker at Accor Arena in Paris.
Afterward, Vettori (18-6-1 MMA, 8-4-1 UFC) grabbed the mic from Michael Bisping inside the octagon to deliver a message in Italian before Whittaker’s post-fight interview. Vettori wasn’t available to speak at the post-fight news conference.
On Monday, Vettori, 28, posted about the fight on Instagram and remained optimistic about his future.
“Starting from Mezzocorona and getting to the MMA world summit didn’t happen overnight,” Vettori wrote. “Against all odds and working steadily through these years, many have become passionate and inspired by my journey, where my determination has always prevailed. For this, I thank you from first to last. What you’ve seen so far is not the top of the mountain. We will climb back to conquer higher peaks. It’s a promise.
“This game ain’t for the faint of heart. We got big shoulders, and we don’t quit. There is just one way, and that is forward. I promise everyone I’ll be back better than ever. Hat’s off to Whittaker, good execution and good adjustments. Nothing’s changed, we are gonna be champion one day. I promise you that.”
After five consecutive wins from 2019 to 2021, Vettori earned a title shot against current 185-pound champion Israel Adesanya at UFC 263 and lost by convincing unanimous decision. Vettori rebounded with a unanimous decision win over Paulo Costa last October before the loss to Whittaker.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 209.
