After more than a year of hiatus, Brandon Vera is set to return to the Circle as he takes on Amir Aliakbari on Dec. 3 at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

Vera, who owns a 16-9 win-loss record, becomes the latest Filipino contender to be part of the ONE 164 event which will be headlined by Team Lakay stalwart and reigning strawweight champion Joshua Pacio and top-ranked Jarred Brooks.
The development was announced by no less than the ONE Championship chairman and CEO himself Chatri Sityodtong on Friday, Nov. 4.
This means that the former heavyweight king will be joining the likes of Team Lakay members in Pacio, Danny Kingad, Geje Eustaquio, Jeremy Pacatiw, and Jenelyn Olsim as ONE returns to Manila since January 2020.
The 45-year-old Vera last saw action in April 2021 and absorbed a technical knockout at the hands of reigning heavyweight champion Arjan Bhullar.
Prior to the match against Bhullar, Vera also yielded to Aung La N Sang last October 2019.
Aliakbari, 34, for his part, emerged victorious with a TKO against Mauro Cerilli last August to improve to an 11-3 slate.