Marlon Vera Nickname: Ecuadorian Fighter Explains the Origin and Meaning Behind ‘Chito’

Marlon Vera is one of the fighters that fans know by his nickname, even more so than his actual name. The UFC bantamweight is called ‘Chito’ Vera, and it has become somewhat of an unofficial name for him in the octagon. The origins of his moniker are unclear at the moment. However, the term ‘Chito’ is a Spanish term which has multiple meanings.

According to SpanishToGo, the word has two meanings. One meaning of the word ‘Chito’ is silence. Spanish speakers use it colloquially to say ‘Shush’ or ‘Hush’.

However, another meaning of the word is ‘small’. In Spanish, speakers use the term informally to describe something small.

In an exclusive interview with News18, the Ecuadorian fighter revealed the meaning behind his nickname:

“Really, that’s just because my family called me like that since I was a little kid. So there’s not really like a meaning behind it.”

He went on to explain that as a child he could not pronounce his name, so his family came up with the nickname ‘Chito’. It was sort of like a cheat code for him, since he could not pronounce Marlon.