Vera ends reign as ONE Heavyweight champ after loss to India's Bhullar

MANILA, Philippines — Brandon Vera has ended his five-year reign as the ONE Heavyweight World Champion.

This after the American-born Filipino fighter suffered a TKO loss against India's Arjan Bhullar in ONE: Dangal in Singapore broadcasted on Saturday.

Vera, 43, looked gassed in the second round where the Indian wrestler came through with a flurry of strikes with Vera on the ground to force the referee to stop the fight with around 30 seconds left in the round.

Arjan Bhullar ???????? becomes the FIRST Indian Mixed Martial Arts World Champion, stopping Brandon Vera with second-round strikes! @TheOneASB #ONEDangal #WeAreONE #ONEChampionship pic.twitter.com/e6gblkjshC

— ONE Championship (@ONEChampionship) May 15, 2021

Bhullar thus became India's first-ever World Champion in ONE Championship and stipped Vera of the title he held since 2016.

This also marked Vera's second straight defeat in ONE Championship after he had lost his last fight against Aung La N Sang when he attempted to take the latter's ONE Light Heavyweight belt in ONE: Century last October 2019.

Vera's Heavyweight title was one of the erstwhile two world titles held by Filipinos.

Now, only Joshua Pacio's strawweight title remains in the hands of a Philippine fighter.

At one point in 2018, five Filipinos held world title belts in ONE Championship.