Edgar Chairez likes CJ Vergara matchup at UFC Mexico for a bonus-hunting expedition

MEXICO CITY – Edgar Chairez met the media Wednesday ahead of his fight at UFC on ESPN 64.

Chairez (11-6 MMA, 1-2 UFC) takes on CJ Vergara (12-6-1 MMA, 3-4 UFC) at Arena CDMX in Mexico City. At the event’s media day, Chairez took questions from media members before his fight.

Although his UFC experience has been an up-and-down proposition so far, the flyweight nearly is a 3-1 favorite against Vergara to close out the prelims. He said he’s got his eyes on more than just his win bonus, too.

“(My loss to Van) wasn’t a physical thing. It was more of a personal thing – nothing related to preparation, nothing related to conditioning,” Chairez told MMA Junkie on Wednesday at a media day. “I felt ready, but it was something outside of the fight game. I’m very focused right now and pretty sure I’m going to come out with a win Saturday.

“I think it’s a fight, because of the style, it’s what the crowd wants and what the crowd needs. He’s a guy who goes after it in fights. Same thing for me. Ever since I started in the UFC, I’ve been looking for a bonus. For some reason, I haven’t gotten it. But that’s what I’m going to be going for (Saturday).”

Chairez lost his DWCS fight in 2022, but made his way to the promotion less than a year later, anyway. He dropped his promotional debut to Tatsuro Taira, had a no contest with Daniel Lacerda, and then badly missed weight for the rematch – which he won impressively, but had it marred by the 131-pound trip to the scale the day before. This past September, he lost to Joshua Van.

Check out Chairez’s full media day interview in the video above.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 64.