10 UFC Prodigies Who Didn't Live Up To The Billing

A Muay Thai kickboxer and master of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, the diminutive Heavyweight, Brando Vera, used his excellent technical ability to cut down his heavier rivals. Either knocking them out and making them tap, Vera had a fair few weapons up his sleeve.

At just 25, Vera began his MMA career and would go on to achieve a 4-0 record, which prompted UFC to approach the former United States Air Force wrestler with a contract. He accepted and would go on to earn three victories, even TKO'ing Frank Mir. Thinking that this would earn him a Heavyweight title shot, Vera was infuriated as a contract dispute kept him on the shelf for almost a full year.

By the time he faced former champ Tim Sylvia (who had recently lost the title to Randy Couture) Vera's head had obviously gone and Sylvia bullied Vera for the entirety of the fight, earning a unanimous decision victory.

Being the first loss on his record, it took a clear toll on Vera's mentality and he went on to lose his follow up fight to Fabricio Werdum. He would then drop down to Light Heavyweight and began positively with a 3-1 run in the division.

Unfortunately, he would lose to Couture, Jon Jones, Thiago Silva, Mauricio Rua and Ben Rothwell, and was deemed not to be in the same class as the victors, which led to his eventual exit from the company in 2013.