Raul Rosas Jr.’s grappling ended up being enough to outwork Rob Font and his striking focus, as Rosas picked up the decision win at UFC 326.
Font found success early with his jab, as his boxing brought Font out to a strong start. But Rosas scored multiple takedowns during the round, slowly taking momentum as the round went on.
Rosas continued to use that strategy to success, repeatedly landing takedowns on Font and dominating with top position. Rosas also fought off submission attempts from Font.
Rosas swept the scorecards for a dominant decision victory.
Raul Rosas Jr. Scores Decision Over Rob Font At UFC 326
All that control time just for Raul Rosas to attempt no subs and barely any damage..
In just his second UFC fight, taking a UFC co-main event opportunity in a fill-in fashion, David Martinez pulled off a highlight performance as he scored a decision over bantamweight contender Rob Font at Noche UFC.
Martinez looked to show off with his speedy strikes early as he took control to start the fight. Font looked to load up, landing a strong right hand, but Martinez landed a pair of strong shots not long after.
Font picked things up with his pressure and power shots, finding a rhythm in the second round while going tit-for-tat with Martinez. Martinez seemed to slow down during the second round, but he came alive again in the third round, completely overtaking control to score the decision win on all three judges’ scorecards.
David Martinez Pulls Off Decision Over Rob Font In Noche UFC Co-Main Event
Crazy, to go into your 2nd UFC fight against 9th Ranked Rob Font and win a unanimous decision due to someone else pulling out and you stepping in for the co-main event during UFC Noche while you're a Mexican born fighter. Great win for David Martinez and well deserved top 10.
The Noche UFC lineup has undergone a shake-up with a little more than two weeks left before fight night.
According to MMA Junkie’s Nolan, the bantamweight co-main event of Noche UFC between Rob Font and Raul Rosas Jr. has been scrapped after “El Niño Problema” withdrew for undisclosed reasons.
In turn, Font will now square off against late-replacement David Martinez, who was originally scheduled to face Quang Le on the same card.
#Breaking: Rob Font vs. David Martinez is nearing finalization for #NocheUFC, multiple sources say now that Raul Rosas Jr. is out. Pending finalization, that’ll be Sept. 13 in San Antonio. pic.twitter.com/Ti7Q026SFy
Font will make his second walk to the Octagon this year after edging Jean Matsumoto by split decision at UFC Seattle in February. The 38-year-old heads into the bout riding a two-fight win streak, though inconsistency has marked his recent run with a 3-4 record over his last seven appearances. Holding a 12-7 slate in the UFC, the American has secured seven of those victories by stoppage.
Meanwhile, Martinez is fresh off an impressive first-round knockout of Saimon Oliveira in his promotional debut at UFC Mexico City this past March. The 27-year-old Mexican earned his UFC deal just months earlier, securing a decision victory over Xavier Franklin on Dana White’s Contender Series in October 2024.
“Black Spartan” boasts a professional record of 12-1, with 10 of those victories coming by knockout. His lone setback came in April 2021, when he dropped a split decision under the Combate Global banner.
Image: @blackspartan_official/Instagram
Who Will Headline Noche UFC?
This year’s Noche UFC marks the third annual celebration of Mexico’s Independence Day and will take place on September 13 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. The event was originally slated to be UFC 320 in Guadalajara, Mexico, however delays in completing Arena Guadalajara led the promotion to relocate the card to Texas and repackage it as a Fight Night.
The main event of the upcoming card will feature a marquee featherweight clash, as former title challenger Diego Lopes takes on rising knockout artist Jean Silva. The card also showcases a strawweight bout between former title contenders Tatiana Suarez and Amanda Lemos.
The Noche UFC card now officially has a co-main event.
This year’s Noche UFC will be the third annual event celebrating Mexico’s Independence Day, set for September 13 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. The card was initially planned for Guadalajara, Mexico, as UFC 320, but delays in the construction of Arena Guadalajara forced the promotion to relocate the event to U.S. soil and rebrand it as a Fight Night.
On Wednesday, the promotion confirmed that seasoned bantamweight contender Rob Font will square off against rising prospect Raul Rosas Jr. in the co-main event of Noche UFC.
Bantamweights are set to throwdown! 👀@RobSFont vs Raul Rosas Jr.
Font is set for his second Octagon appearance of the year after edging out Jean Matsumoto by split decision at UFC Seattle in February. The 38-year-old veteran enters on a two-fight win streak, though his form has been uneven in recent years, going 3-4 across his last seven outings. The American striker carries a 12-7 UFC record, with seven of those victories coming by way of stoppage.
Meanwhile, Rosas Jr. enters the bout on a four-fight winning streak, most recently outpointing Vince Morales by unanimous decision at UFC Mexico City in March. ‘El Niño Problema’ carries just one blemish on his professional record, a decision loss to Christian Rodriguez at UFC 287 in April 2023. The 20-year-old Mexican standout has already compiled a 5-1 record in the UFC since debuting in December 2022.
Image: UFC/Zuffa LLC
Who Is Set To Headline Noche UFC This Year?
Noche UFC will be headlined by a pivotal featherweight showdown, as ex-title challenger Diego Lopes squares off against surging knockout artist Jean Silva. The card also features a high-stakes strawweight clash between former title challengers Tatiana Suarez and Amanda Lemos.
Here is the confirmed lineup:
Featherweight: Diego Lopes vs. Jean Silva
Bantamweight: Rob Font vs. Raul Rosas Jr.
Strawweight: Tatiana Suarez vs. Amanda Lemos
Welterweight: Rodrigo Sezinando vs. Daniil Donchenko
Lightweight: Jared Gordon vs. Rafa García
Flyweight: Jesus Aguilar vs. Luis Gurule
Women’s bantamweight: Alice Pereira vs. Montserrat Rendon
Though it’s been a tough go for Rob Font as of late, he looked sharp in the final two rounds of his clash with Kyler Phillips in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night: Hernandez vs. Pereira, winning via decision.
Phillips brought the fight to the ground in less than 20 seconds, with Font offering little in the way of defense as his opponent worked in side control. The longtime contender was finally able to get away from Phillips’ pressure in the final minute of the round. He chased after his own takedown attempt but wasn’t able to secure it.
The #10-ranked contender was able to answer back in the second round, bringing pressure and making the most of his expert-level boxing to trouble Phillips. Font then continued to work over a tired Phillips in the third round with the same approach, going on to earn a unanimous decision win.
Rob Font Outpoints Kyler Phillips In UFC Fight Night Co-Main Event
Rob Font better do all of his training camps with Firas Zahabi at Tristar going forward. He looked like a brand new fighter tonight #UFCVegas99
Rob Font desperately needed this one. Lost 4 of his last 5, all to top 10 ranked opponents. Lost the first round to Kyler Phillips and didn’t allow him to have any grappling success after that. Veteran win. #UFCVegas99pic.twitter.com/OqyzAyBssh
Rob Font looked incredible tonight. He came to tristar a few months ago, and really adapted his style with what Firas was showing him and it paid off. Incredible.
Font lost four of his last five fights entering tonight’s contest. This was his first appearance since the UFC event in Austin last December, where he dropped a decision to Deiveson Figueiredo.
Phillips, meanwhile, had won six of his seven UFC fights prior to tonight. He defeated Pedro Munhoz earlier this year at UFC 299 to climb to #12 at 135 pounds.
MMA News has you covered with this week’s UFC matchmaking bulletin, featuring all the additions to the upcoming cards.
With UFC events being held most weekends, Mick Maynard and Sean Shelby have their matchmaking work cut out if they’re to fill them, meaning new bouts are confirmed each and every week.
In recent days, a few notable fights were made official by the UFC or reported by reputable sources. For more information on those matchups, check out the links below:
Font is coming off of his first setback in a while during his UFC career, losing to former UFC champion José Aldo last December. Before that, he earned four straight victories over the likes of Marlon Moraes and Cody Garbrandt.
This will be Font’s third straight UFC main event after headlining Fight Nights in his win against Garbrandt and his unanimous decision loss to Aldo. Earlier in his career, he earned wins over current Bellator champion Sergio Pettis and Thomas Almeida in dominant performances.
Font will face a tough task in Vera, who will fight in his first career UFC main event. He rebounded from a tough loss to Aldo in late 2020 by earning back-to-back victories over Frankie Edgar and Davey Grant.
Vera’s knockout of Edgar at UFC 268 was arguably one of the most violent finishes in 2021.
Vera began his rise in the bantamweight division by handing Sean O’Malley his first loss at UFC 252. He also earned wins over the likes of Andre Ewell and Brian Kelleher since making his UFC debut back at UFC 180.
Font and Vera will compete for positioning in the stacked bantamweight division. Aljamain Sterling and Petr Yan will finally fight in their title rematch at UFC 273, nearly a year after their first matchup ended in controversy.
What is your prediction for Rob Font vs. Marlon Vera?
Cody Garbrandt is set to make his UFC flyweight debut and that has rejuvenated him of sorts.
Garbrandt, the former UFC bantamweight champ, has been on a bit of a skid as he’s 1-4 since winning the title, with three of the four losses coming by knockout. In his last fight, he fought Rob Font in a Fight Night main event which the former champ says didn’t motivate him. He also says that made him not train and prepare as the way he should’ve for a fight against a skilled opponent in Font.
“This fight, if you’re comparing it to my last fight, I came here and was like, ‘Yeah, I feel good, I feel ready to go,’ but I didn’t prepare the way that I should’ve prepared, you know, for a five-round fight. And that’s the word that I hate to use is motivated. I was not motivated,” Garbrandt said at media day.
“This fight camp I’ve been inspired. I’ve been inspired this whole entire camp because it’s to do something that a few people have done. Yes, I’ve been a world champion, I’m a former world champion in a previous weight division; that’s a small percentage of humans being able to have that title to their name,” Garbrandt continued. “But even a smaller percentage of going to a different division and being a world champion as well, so I’m inspired by myself, but also a lot of people around me, for what’s about to take place Saturday, and that’s just the start of it.”
At UFC 269, Cody Garbrandt is set to face the sixth-ranked flyweight, Kai Kara-France in a very intriguing matchup. Garbrandt has never been the biggest bantamweight and the flyweight move has always been talked about. If all goes well on Saturday night, the next time he fights could be for the flyweight strap.
Do you think Cody Garbrandt will beat Kai Kara-France at UFC 269?
The Pulse of MMA: Fan Reactions To The Sport’s Biggest Stories
In this installment of The Pulse of MMA, we look at the raw, unfiltered reactions from MMA fans to the result of UFC Vegas 44’s main event between José Aldo and Rob Font.
José Aldo def. Rob Font via Unanimous Decision At UFC Vegas 44
Last night at UFC Vegas 44, José Aldo picked up his third consecutive victory when he defeated Rob Font via unanimous decision. Font brought the fight to him but Aldo stood strong and struck back with more firepower behind his shots. You can check out the official scorecards from the bout below.
Judges Derek Cleary and Junichiro Kamijo gave all five rounds to Aldo while Sal D’Amato gave the third to Font. If you missed the action, you can catch our highlights from yesterday’s event right here.
After the bout in the Octagon interview, Aldo reiterated what he said leading into the bout, which is that he would fancy a fight against T.J. Dillashaw next. With Petr Yan and Aljamain Sterling on a collision course to settle their unfinished business, Dillashaw is unbooked and should be ready to return from knee surgery in early 2022.
Aldo’s peers have reacted to his win over Font last night, but what about the Pulse of MMA? Check out the raw, unfiltered reactions of what fans had to say about the UFC Vegas 44 main event below!
Font vs Aldo was such a good scrap, had me on the edge of my seat! #UFCVegas44
Jose "King Of Rio" Aldo ran this town tonight. Fantastic performance, FOTY contender. Rob Font brought many great ideas and gutted through a hellacious fight. But Jose Aldo was not going to be denied tonight #UFCVegas44
To drop 10lbs to a new weight class to the deepest division in MMA and get unanimous decision wins over Marlon Vera, Pedro Munhoz and Rob Font (5×5) all while 17 years into your MMA career, 13 years at the highest level in the sport.
@josealdojunior is beating top 5 bantamweights after being in the fight game for more than 10 years! Let that sink in…. Most older fighters move up due to cutting weight becoming harder when u get older.. what a god damn legend you are @josealdojunior. #legend
Every fighter has made weight ahead of UFC Vegas 44, including the event’s headliners, Rob Font and José Aldo.
UFC Vegas 44 takes place Saturday, December 4, 2021, from the UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada. In the main event, Rob Font (#4) will battle José Aldo (#5). Font has candidly stated that he does not believe a win here would be enough for him to earn a title shot, yet he still expects that his jab and other tools in his arsenal will be enough to get the job done nonetheless.
In the co-main event, Rafael Fiziev will take on Brad Riddell. MMA News caught up with Fiziev prior to tomorrow’s battle. One of the things Fiziev had to say ahead of tomorrow’s contest is he views this fight as a must-win if he is to secure a strong new UFC contract. If he is victorious, he would have handed Riddell his first loss in the UFC.
Also competing on tomorrow’s card is ranked lightweights Jimmy Crute and Jamahal Hill. Hill told MMA News that he is moving on from the brutal outcome of his previous bout against Paul Craig. Tomorrow, the world will witness how the promising young light heavyweight rebounds.
The main card for UFC Vegas 44 begins at 10:00 PM ET, with the preliminary bouts starting at 7:00 PM. The entire card will be available on ESPN, ESPN+, and ESPN Deportes.
You can find the full weigh-in results below, courtesy of UFC.com, and you check out the video of today’s weigh-ins here, courtesy of MMA Weekly.
UFC Vegas 44 Weigh-In Results
Main Card
Main Event – Bantamweight Bout: Rob Font (134) vs Jose Aldo (136)
Co-Main Event – Lightweight Bout: Brad Riddell (155.5) vs Rafael Fiziev (155.5)
Light Heavyweight Bout: Jimmy Crute (205.5) vs Jamahal Hill (205)
Lightweight Bout: Clay Guida (155) vs Leonardo Santos (156)
Middleweight Bout: Brendan Allen (185.5) vs Chris Curtis (185)
Welterweight Bout: Alex Morono (170.5) vs Mickey Gall (170.5)
Preliminary Card
Middleweight Bout: Maki Pitolo (184.5) vs Dusko Todorovic (185.5)
Flyweight Bout: Manel Kape (125.5) vs Zhalgas Zhumagulov (125.5)
Welterweight Bout: Bryan Barberena (170.5) vs Darian Weeks (170)
Welterweight Bout: Jake Matthews (170) vs Jeremiah Wells (170.5)
Strawweight Bout: Cheyanne Vlismas (115.5) vs Mallory Martin (115)
Light Heavyweight Bout: Alonzo Menifield (205.5) vs William Knight (206)
Lightweight Bout: Claudio Puelles (155) vs Chris Gruetzemacher (156)
Bantamweight Bout: Louis Smolka (135.5) vs Vince Morales (135.5)
Be sure to visit MMANews.com tomorrow full for coverage of UFC Vegas 44, including all the highlights and results from the event!
UFC bantamweight contender Rob Font believes he’ll need a couple more victories before he earns a shot at 135-pound gold.
Since an inconsistent start in the promotion saw him go 5-3, which included losses to John Lineker, Pedro Munhoz, and Raphael Assunção, Font has been in fine form. After decision wins against Sergio Pettis and Ricky Simón put him back on track, the 34-year-old shot into contention with a TKO victory over former title challenger Marlon Moraes.
In a recent interview with MMA Fighting’s Mike Heck, Font said that while his December 4 clash isn’t an interim title opportunity, which he was forced to turn down in October, Aldo is still a huge name that he hopes to use to cement himself further into contention.
“We had to turn it (UFC 267 interim title fight) down, but at the same time it was like, ‘This doesn’t work, but we might have something for you in a couple of weeks after that.’ I kind of had an idea it would be Aldo. So I was like, ‘Yeah, alright, that works, perfect.’ It’s not, obviously, an interim belt, but it’s just as big a name, just as big of a challenge, and it puts me right back into title contention. This’ll be my fifth win (in a row). You can’t deny I’m there (in contention).”
With a win, Font will add yet another former UFC titleholder to his résumé and extend his winning streak to five. Despite that, the #4-ranked contender doesn’t see himself getting a title shot with a victory over “Junior.”
“It’s weird, it’s tough, because the division’s all jacked up. You’ve got Sterling still out, I’m pretty sure Cory is still in the mix, obviously, even though he lost two in a row, and then you’ve got TJ (Dillashaw) coming back. So it’s like, even after this win, I still think I have one more before I even get like, a real title shot.”
Font Targets Dillashaw Or Loser Of Yan vs. Sterling 2
Having revealed his expectation that he’ll have to fight again before securing his first championship opportunity, Rob Font discussed the options he’ll have for 2022 if he emerges victorious on Saturday.
As well as the possibility of facing Cory Sandhagen, who was granted the interim title shot at UFC 267 after Font’s inability to make the date, the 34-year-old mentioned TJ Dillashaw or the loser of the inevitable unification fight between UFC Bantamweight Champion Aljamain Sterling and interim titleholder Petr Yan.
“It’s frustrating (the current bantamweight situation). It’d be more frustrating not knowing when I’m gonna fight. But at least I have options. I feel like I have options, as far as maybe fighting the loser of Aljamain and Yan fight or, you know, maybe get in there with TJ… That’s all cool, but I’ve still gotta win these fights; I’ve gotta win the Aldo fight. I feel like we’re there. I’ve got this fight, then one more fight, obviously Cory Sandhagen’s still out there, too. I just gotta go out there, do my job, and see how this all shapes out.”
Do you think Rob Font will move further into contention with a victory over José Aldo this weekend?
UFC bantamweight contender Rob Font believes he’ll be bringing a weapon to José Aldo that the former featherweight champion has never faced before.
The pair are set to collide in this weekend’s UFC Vegas 44 main event, which will be held in the familiar surroundings of the Apex facility in Las Vegas, Nevada. For Font, Saturday’s clash will represent his second headliner of the year.
Since defeats to Pedro Munhoz and Raphael Assunção stalled his rise up the 135-pound ladder, Font has been unstoppable. In three straight wins, the 34-year-old defeated Sergio Pettis and Ricky Simón on the scorecards, and finished former title challenger Marlon Moraes.
With his place in the top five and title contention cemented, Font will look to jump one step closer to the throne with a victory over Aldo this weekend.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CW5-zkpNek9/
Font “Lives And Breathes” With His Jab
Aldo is widely regarded as the greatest featherweight of all time. The two-time and inaugural 145-pound titleholder defended the gold a record seven times between 2011 and 2015. In that period, he fended off the challenges of Chad Mendes, Frankie Edgar, and “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung.
Given his upcoming foe’s success at featherweight, and reported weight struggles earlier in his career, Rob Font told MMA Fighting’s Mike Heck that he never thought a fight against Aldo was a possibility.
“I’d have thought you were crazy man (if you pitched a fight with Aldo years ago), especially (because) he was having trouble making weight for a little bit at 45, you know. There was a couple times where there was rumors that he wasn’t gonna make the weight and all that. So, I definitely wouldn’t have believed he’d make his way down to 35. I don’t know what he did with a nutritionist, if he got a nutritionist or whatever, but he’s making weight… Now we get to jump in there and mix it up, and become a legend.”
Despite his opponent’s immense experience, which has seen him rack up 37 professional fights across over 17 years in the sport, Font expects to have something new for Aldo. The Massachusetts native doubts that “Junior” has ever faced a jab quite like his.
“It’s crazy because he’s fought everybody you could think of, from Max Holloway to Volkanovski to Faber, back in the day with WEC. He’s seen it, done it, so there’s nothing that I can throw at him that he hasn’t seen, except for how consistent I am with my jab and how much I believe in it; how dedicated I am to it. I do believe that I’m really consistent and accurate with it, and I don’t think he’s ever fought anyone that lives and breathes with their jab.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CWlmBcRNwRo/
As well as the blockbuster main event between Font and Aldo, a number of other matchups are set to thrill fans on Saturday night. In the co-main event, lightweight friends Brad Riddell and Rafael Fiziev will throw down in a fight many believe will earn the Fight of the Night honor.
Elsewhere, the likes of Jimmy Crute, Jamahal Hill, Alonzo Menifield, Mickey Gall, Louis Smolka, Clay Guida, and Brendan Allen will all be in action. It stands to reason they’ll set the table nicely for the night’s bantamweight main course.
Who do you think will have their hand raised in the UFC Vegas 44 main event, Rob Font or José Aldo?
UFC bantamweight contender Cory Sandhagen has given his prediction for the upcoming 135-pound main event between Rob Font and José Aldo.
The pair are set to headline next weekend’s UFC Vegas 44 event inside the UFC Apex facility. Font, who has surged up the rankings after an inconsistent start to his career in the promotion, will enter the clash riding a four-fight winning streak. Since losses to Pedro Munhoz and Raphael Assunção, the 34-year-old has outpointed Sergio Pettis, Ricky Simón, and Cody Garbrandt, and finished Marlon Moraes.
After three consecutive defeats, including an 0-2 start at bantamweight, Aldo rebounded with controlling decisions over Munhoz and Marlon Vera. He’ll look to continue his road back to UFC gold with a victory over #4-ranked Font.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CUdjK7DpasY/
Sandhagen Confidently Backs Font
Sandhagen, a former interim title challenger and undoubtedly one of the top contenders in the bantamweight division, has given his take on next weekend’s main event. Speaking to MMA journalist James Lynch, “The Sandman,” who is yet to meet either man inside the Octagon, suggested there’s little chance of the former featherweight champion getting the job done on December 4.
“Yeah, that’s a good one. I think Font will win. Is that one a five-rounder? I definitely think Font would win that 9 times out of 10 in a five-rounder. (I’ve) definitely got Font.”
Given the fact Sandhagen, who sits at #3 on the bantamweight ladder, recently fell short of an interim title crowning against Petr Yan at UFC 267, and has already fought and lost to #2-ranked contender TJ Dillashaw, it seems inevitable the 29-year-old will be matched up with the Font vs. Aldo victor in 2022.
Do you agree with Cory Sandhagen? Will Rob Font defeat José Aldo at UFC Vegas 44?
UFC bantamweight contender Rob Font doesn’t see any path to victory for Aljamain Sterling in his unification bout with arch-rival Petr Yan.
Yan and Sterling met in the octagon earlier this year at UFC 259. At the time, the Russian was undefeated in the UFC and occupied the 135-pound throne. “Funkmaster,” meanwhile, entered his first championship opportunity off the back of a five-fight winning streak that included victories over Cody Stamann, Jimmie Rivera, Pedro Munhoz, and Cory Sandhagen.
After three rounds, Yan was firmly in the driving seat and looked on his way to a comfortable first defense. However, disaster struck for “No Mercy” in the fourth frame when he delivered an illegal knee to a downed Sterling. With the 32-year-old unable to continue, Yan was disqualified and the belt left the Apex in the possession of Sterling.
We have ourselves a new UFC bantamweight champion
What did you think of that strange, history-making ending? #UFC259
Since their controversial March clash, Sterling has been on the sidelines having undergone neck surgery. After being unable to put the strap on the line in a rematch with Yan at UFC 267 in October, the former champ met Cory Sandhagen in Abu Dhabi for interim gold.
Having left Fight Island with a belt around his waist again, courtesy of a five-round win against “The Sandman,” Yan has set up a blockbuster second fight with Sterling. And according to one top contender, who sees the Russian as the true bantamweight champion, he shouldn’t have much trouble unifying the titles.
During an interview with MMA Fighting’s Mike Heck, the #4-ranked Rob Font discussed Yan’s incredible standup skills inside the Octagon, describing the interim titleholder as “on fire” right now.
“Petr Yan is real calculated. He’s real efficient with his movement and his energy, and he kinda has, almost like a boxer’s approach where he kinda like, I don’t wanna say takes a round off, but he kinda feels you out for the first round, and then out of nowhere just turns it up as far as the cardio and the pressure and the power that he throws. It’s almost like he’s touching, touching, touching, and then out of nowhere big shots come in.
“He’s accurate and he’s confident right now. He’s beating everybody, he basically was winning that last fight versus Aljamain and just beat Cory Sandhagen, so he’s confident. That guy’s on fire. There’s nothing but killers in this division, man.”
Turning his attention to Yan vs. Sterling 2, which is expected to go down in the first quarter of 2022, Font suggested “Funkmaster” has little chance of emerging victorious. The 34-year-old believes Sterling has no rhythm on the feet, and unless he’s improved his wrestling exponentially, will have nothing to trouble Yan.
“You know what it is, man? It’s kind of messed up like, he just doesn’t have any rhythm. Aljamain doesn’t have any rhythm. It’s the weirdest thing ever. He doesn’t know how to string together combinations. It’s either touch, touch, touch and a big shot, and if he doesn’t get a takedown it’s kinda like, it’s obvious what he’s tryna do. He’s not putting together crazy power shots, so it’s tough man. You got a guy like Yan and you’re not really hitting him with something he has to respect. Why would he (Yan) stop coming forward?
“Then you saw the wrestling, and if he’s (Sterling) not a total different fighter when it comes to that wrestling pace and getting those takedowns, I don’t see him just dominating the takedown either, so it’s kinda like, you know, anything can happen. I don’t think he’s got a puncher’s chance. I don’t see it happening. I think Yan wins a decision.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CW9oKM9olms/
Given his place on the bantamweight ladder, Font will certainly be keeping a close eye on the division’s next title fight, especially if he extends his winning streak to five with a victory over José Aldo this weekend. The pair are set to meet in the main event of UFC Vegas 44 on Saturday.
Despite admitting he’ll likely have to win two more fights to secure a title shot, Font will be looking to set up a meeting with the champ for the second half of 2022.
Do you agree with Rob Font? Will Petr Yan exact his revenge on Aljamain Sterling in their rematch?
UFC bantamweight contender Rob Font has admitted that he sees interim titleholder Petr Yan as the division’s champion over Aljamain Sterling.
Up until the fourth round of his first title defense, Yan looked set for a long reign of dominance atop the 135-pound mountain. Having earned a shot at gold with a 6-0 UFC record that included wins against Jimmie Rivera and Urijah Faber, “No Mercy” faced legendary former featherweight champion José Aldo for the vacant strap last July. With a brutal fifth-round TKO, the Russian left Abu Dhabi with the title.
At UFC 259 in March this year, Yan faced the first challenge to his throne in the form of Sterling. After three-and-a-half rounds, the 28-year-old appeared comfortably on his way to a successful retention. But after landing an illegal knee, Yan was disqualified and saw the bantamweight belt leave the Apex in the possession of “Funkmaster.”
After his chance for redemption was called off after Sterling withdrew from UFC 267, Yan had to settle for an interim title shot. Against Cory Sandhagen, “No Mercy” looked at his best, and secured a unification fight with a five-round victory on Fight Island.
Despite only getting his hands on interim gold on October 30, many see Yan as the true champion of the bantamweight division, even with that official title remaining at the feet of Sterling. Font, the #4-ranked contender, shares the same sentiment.
In a recent interview with MMA Fighting’s Mike Heck, the 34-year-old said Sterling was having very little success against Yan at UFC 259. Judging by their performances in that fight, and the Russian’s interim crowning since, Font considers Yan to be the champion at 135 pounds.
“It sucks man. You’ve gotta look at Yan and his performance and consider him, obviously, the champion. ‘Cos it wasn’t like, it wasn’t like Sterling was putting together clean combinations and hitting him with anything clean. He was busier but it wasn’t much, it wasn’t gonna do much. It was never gonna stop Yan from coming forward. And then the shots were kind of like, they weren’t set up.
“He was never really in that fight. So it’s tough. And then obviously, he gets hit with the knee, so it sucks man. I guess to answer your question, I guess, technically, I would consider Yan the champion right now.”
Font Looks To Jump Closer To Gold With Win Over Aldo
Rob Font will be looking to move a step closer to challenging either Yan or Sterling when he returns to action this weekend at UFC Vegas 44.
Font will aim to prove “The Eagle” right in Saturday’s headliner as he puts his four-fight winning streak on the line. After securing victories over Sergio Pettis, Ricky Simon, and Marlon Moraes, Font cemented his top-five position with a decision triumph over former champ Cody Garbrandt at UFC Vegas 27 in May.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CUdjK7DpasY/
Despite admitting he’ll likely have to defeat Aldo and one other top name in order to secure a title shot, Font will no doubt be keeping a close eye on Yan vs. Sterling 2, which is expected to take place in February or March 2022.
Do you agree with Rob Font? Do you see interim titleholder Petr Yan as the true bantamweight champion?
