Rob Font

Cody Garbrandt focused on becoming a two-division UFC champion

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This weekend at UFC Vegas 27, former bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt (12-3) returns in the main event. Garbrandt is taking on the surging contender Rob Font (18-4) in a pivotal matchup for the bantamweight division.

The last year has been really difficult for the former UFC champion. Garbrandt last fought at UFC 250 last June where he knocked out Raphael Assuncao in the second round with a savage right hand.

It was a massive win for Garbrandt who snapped a three-fight losing streak with that win. After the win, Garbrandt came out and said that he was going to drop to flyweight and challenge for the UFC‘s flyweight title.

The promotion booked him against the champion Deiveson Figueiredo (20-1-1) at UFC 255. However, after a battle with COVID, Garbrandt had to pull out of the fight. Figueiredo ended up defeating Alex Perez that night and fought to a draw a few weeks later against Brandon Moreno (18-5-2).

At UFC 263, Figueiredo and Moreno will rematch after their first fight was scored a draw. That delayed Garbrandt’s chances at the flyweight title and as a result, he decided to stay at bantamweight to fight Rob Font.

The former UFC champion now finds himself in a unique spot. If he wins on Saturday, he could be one of the first in line to fight for the bantamweight title. However, he also could be the next in line for the flyweight title after UFC 263.

Garbrandt’s two-division UFC dream

In speaking to the media this week prior to UFC Vegas 27, Garbrandt made it clear that he sees two titles in his future. He laid out a scenario in which he can become a two-division champion in the next year.

Garbrandt pointed out the fact that if he wins Saturday and the winner of Figueiredo/Moreno comes out clean, he could fight the winner in a few months. That would be his chance to capture the UFC flyweight title.

If that were to happen, Garbrandt could then move back up to challenge the bantamweight champion. Champion Aljamain Sterling (20-3) and Petr Yan (15-2) are expected to rematch in the fall after Sterling won the title by DQ at UFC 259.

TJ Dillashaw and Cory Sandhagen are fighting in July and the winner of that matchup might be next. However, Garbrandt could be the second in line after Sandhagen/Dillashaw.

If “No Love” wins at UFC Vegas 27 then drops down to become the flyweight champion, he very well could fight for the bantamweight title next year. It’s a steep ask, but Garbrandt seems up to the challenge. You can see his full pre-fight media scrum below.

BREAKING: UFC booking main event between Cody Garbrandt and Rob Font

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Some late breaking news in the world of the UFC tonight. ESPN’s Brett Okamoto was the first to break the news tonight that the promotion has finalized a main event for their Fight Night on May 22nd.

In the main event, we will see a matchup of top five bantamweights. Former UFC champion, Cody Garbrandt (12-3), will be taking on the surging contender, Rob Font (18-4). This matchup is huge for the bantamweight division.

Rob Font has risen all the way to the third spot in the rankings at bantamweight. Font did this on the heels of his tremendous knockout win over former UFC title challenger, Marlon Moraes. That fight took place back in December.

For Rob Font, the biggest issue has been his activity level. Font has three very impressive wins in his last three fights against Sergio Pettis, Ricky Simon, and Moraes. The problem is that those have been his only fights since December of 2018.

For Font to challenge for a UFC title, he has to stay healthy and active. This is a big step in the right direction and a huge opportunity for him. He’s getting to fight one of the biggest names in the division and a former UFC champion in a main event.

Change of plans for the former UFC champion

Cody Garbrandt returned at UFC 250 after taking more than a year off to get healthy. Garbrandt looked better than ever and scored one of the knockouts of the year against Raphael Assuncao.

However, after the fight, Garbrandt expressed interest in dropping to flyweight. In fact, the UFC booked him for a title fight in November at 125 pounds. However, Garbrandt sustained an injury and dealt with issues from COVID which forced him to pull out.

After sitting back and watching the end of the year unfold, Garbrandt decided to stay at bantamweight for now. He recently said that he still has visions of being the UFC flyweight champion, but with all the action at 135, he’s happy to stay at bantamweight. This is going to be a fantastic matchup and I think fans are going to be pumped.

State of the bantamweight division after UFC 259

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UFC 259 was supposed to provide some clarity in the bantamweight division. While Petr Yan (15-2) was the champion, many questioned how legit he was as the champion seeing as the two wins he had leading to the title came against Urijah Faber and Jose Aldo (29-7).

While both are great former champions, neither are considered to be the cream of the crop at 135 pounds. Aljamain Sterling (20-3) on the other hands was considered by everyone to be the number one contender.

Sterling had been on an incredible run and was expected to be the biggest challenge for Yan. Had Yan defeated Sterling, you couldn’t question the legitimacy of his title reign. Well, for almost four rounds at UFC 259, it looked like we were heading that direction.

Aljamain Sterling was putting up a good fight, but Petr Yan was in control on Saturday night. Sterling was fading badly and it looked like we were getting close to a potential Petr Yan stoppage win. However, that’s when chaos erupted.

With about 30 seconds left in the fourth round, Aljamain Sterling was grounded with one knee on the floor. Yan looked to his corner for instructions and someone said he was good to throw a knee. Yan launched a knee that hit Sterling flush in the temple.

That knee ultimately prevented Sterling from being able to continue. As a result, Yan was disqualified and Sterling won the title. While Sterling was on his way to losing, he gets a DQ win and walked out of UFC 259 the bantamweight champion.

State of the UFC’s bantamweight division

With all of this controversy, Dana White said that the UFC will immediately book the rematch between Sterling and Yan. While Sterling has the title, there’s virtually no one that views him as the champion with him winning in that fashion.

To me, it’s almost like the title is vacant. I don’t think either man should have the title at the moment, but my opinion doesn’t matter. Sterling will go into the rematch with Yan as the bantamweight champion.

With that rematch in the works, the UFC will now look to book Cory Sandhagen (14-2) against former champion, TJ Dillashaw (16-4). Dillashaw is eligible to fight now that he’s off suspension and Dana White said he would be in a title eliminator in his first fight back.

Considering the spots in the division, it appears that Dillashaw and Sandhagen are on a collision course. The next spot in the rankings belongs to Rob Font (18-4). In my opinion, I would love to see Font fight former UFC champion, Cody Garbrandt (12-3) next.

However, Garbrandt has been chasing a fight with Jose Aldo next. If that happens, Font will need a new fight. Based on the rankings, the only fight that would make sense for Font is Pedro Munhoz (19-5, 1 NC).

Munhoz is in the top ten and he’s coming off of a very impressive win against Jimmie Rivera. Prior to that he lost a debatable decision to Frankie Edgar. Had that decision gone towards Munhoz, he’d be in the top five right now. The promotion will get these guys paired up and it should be an exciting 2021 at 135.

UFC: Rob Font wants a March headliner against TJ Dillashaw

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One of the UFC bantamweight contenders with the most hype right now is Rob Font (18-4). Font starched Marlon Moraes (23-8-1) with a devastating performance in his last fight. It was a fight where Font had to show a number of his skills.

Going into the December matchup at UFC Vegas 17, we knew that Rob Font had really good boxing. However, there were questions around how he would handle someone with strong kicks and how his grappling would hold up.

Well, he was taken down early, but he got back up. He did take some kicks from Moraes, but the damage he did with his own punches was far more severe. Just under four minutes into the first round, Font put Moraes out.

It was the third straight victory in the UFC for Font. After the win, Font rose to fifth in the bantamweight rankings. A spot well deserved after the performance that he put on last month.

Font has made it very clear in what he wants next. He wants a shot at the former UFC bantamweight champion, TJ Dillashaw (16-4). Dillashaw’s two-year suspension ends this week, and he needs an opponent.

Will the UFC make it?

Font told MMA Junkie that he would love to headline a card with March against Dillashaw. He also said that he believes the former champion is mentally broken now that he has to compete after being a proven cheater.

Dillashaw is currently weighing his options for his next matchup in the UFC. He’s made it clear that he wants a title shot right out of the gate, however, it isn’t clear on if the promotion is a fan of that option.

Jose Aldo (29-7) also said that he would like to be the one to welcome Dillashaw back to the octagon. At this point, there is no telling on what direction the promotion is leaning. However, the Font fight does make sense.

Rob Font has a ton of momentum after his last fight. It was a great performance and he could be looking at a title shot if he has one more big win. Well, it wouldn’t get much bigger than a win over the former UFC champion.

Cody Garbrandt (12-3) and his management have been asking the UFC for a fight with Aldo. Garbrandt is currently waiting for a flyweight title shot, however, with the title tied up until mid-2021, he’s looking for a big fight.

The promotion could book Garbrandt and Aldo which would open the door for Dillashaw to face Font. It’s a fight that makes a ton of sense for the division and whoever wins would earn themselves a title shot with that performance.

State of the UFC’s bantamweight division entering 2021

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One of the divisions that has really flipped in 2020 is the UFC‘s bantamweight division. I’m not sure anyone saw the division going the way that it did when the year started. Granted, I don’t think anything about 2020 went as planned.

When the year started, Henry Cejudo (16-2) was the reigning UFC bantamweight king. He was angling for a fight with former featherweight champion, Jose Aldo (29-7), after Aldo lost by split decision to Marlon Moraes.

Cejudo and the UFC brass felt that Aldo won the fight. The two men were scheduled to fight in May. However, after the pandemic hit, Aldo was not able to travel for UFC 249 to take on Cejudo.

That’s when former UFC bantamweight champion, Dominick Cruz (22-3), stepped to the plate. Cruz had been out since 2016, but in that fight he lost his world title. The two men met at UFC 249.

That night, Cejudo finished Cruz in the second round then retired after the fight. The promotion decided to give Aldo a title shot after he was promised one and paired him against top contender, Petr Yan (16-1) for the vacant title.

At UFC 251 on Fight Island, Yan and Aldo met for the bantamweight championship. Aldo had some good moments early, however, Yan took over late. Ultimately, Yan finished Aldo in the fifth round to become bantamweight champion.

UFC’s Bantamweight Division in 2021

We already know the first title fight, we just don’t know when. Yan was supposed to defend his title against Aljamain Sterling (19-3) at UFC 256. However, Yan had to pull out for undisclosed reasons. That fight is supposed to be setup early in 2021.

An interesting wrinkle in the division is the return of former champion, TJ Dillashaw (16-4). Dillashaw never lost his UFC title in the ring, but his suspension forced him to be stripped of the 135 pound title.

Dillashaw’s two-year suspension is up in January and he’s looking to get right back in the mix. Jose Aldo is one of the men that wants a shot at Dillashaw. Aldo is coming off of a big win against Chito Vera at UFC Vegas 17. 

The two former UFC champions could make for a very compelling matchup. Another key matchup early in the year is the matchup between Cory Sandhagen (13-2) and former lightweight champion, Frankie Edgar (24-8-1).

That matchup on February 6th might be a title eliminator. Rob Font (18-4) might be the one contender to watch in 2021. Font just knocked out Marlon Moraes at UFC Vegas 17. His hands looked incredibly crisp and he’s busted into the top five at bantamweight.

The UFC‘s bantamweight division is absolutely stacked. I didn’t even mention the matchup between Pedro Munhoz and Jimmie Rivera that’s booked on January 20th. So many incredible matchups in that division.

Petr Yan looks like a world-beater. However, his division is full of guys who are waiting to take away that crown. So many interesting storylines and potential matchups surround the UFC’s bantamweight division entering 2021.

UFC: What happened to Marlon Moraes?

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At UFC 238, Marlon Moraes (23-8-1) entered the cage as the betting favorite to capture the vacant bantamweight championship. Standing in his way was the promotion’s flyweight champion of the world, Henry Cejudo.

Entering UFC 238, Moraes had gone 17-1 in his previous eighteen fights. The lone loss was a split decision to Raphael Assuncao which Moraes emphatically avenged when he stopped Assuncao in the first round of their rematch.

Moraes had finished his previous three UFC fights in the first round and many believed he would be too much for Cejudo. In the first round, Moraes was really dominating the fight on the feet. He brutalized Cejudo with low kicks and kicks to the body.

Cejudo looked like he was going to be overwhelmed by Moraes. However, he wasn’t going to go away easily. The first half of the second round looked the same with Moraes dominating the striking. However, momentum started to switch.

You could almost see Moraes starting to break at UFC 238 after Cejudo refused to fall to his attacks. In the third round, Moraes looked like a broken fighter and Cejudo went on to finish him in the third.

Since that loss, Moraes has not looked like the same fighter in the UFC. He defeated Jose Aldo last December by split decision, but the vast majority of people believe that Moraes lost the fight.

Rough 2020 for the UFC’s Magic Man

Entering 2020, Moraes had a lot to prove inside the octagon. Cejudo completely broke him at UFC 238 and many thought Aldo won their fight. Aldo was actually awarded the title shot over Moraes despite Moraes technically winning their fight.

After being out the first part of the year, Moraes got his first UFC contest of 2020 in October against Cory Sandhagen. Sandhagen was coming off of an embarrassing loss and many believed that this was a good fight for Moraes to get back on track with.

However, that didn’t happen at all. Sandhagen went on to finish Moraes in the second round of their fight. Frustrated with another loss, Moraes wanted a quick turnaround. The UFC game him Rob Font at UFC Vegas 17.

Font has really good boxing, but the grappling and kicking advantage would go to Moraes. For those reasons, I believed Moraes would win the fight. However, what transpired was another loss for Moraes.

Moraes started out strong, however, it was clear that he didn’t want to stand with Font. After taking him down early in the first round, Moraes was forced to stand after Font worked his way back up. It didn’t take long for Font to knock him out once on the feet.

In the eyes of many, Moraes has lost four fights in a row starting with the Cejudo loss. I personally think that Moraes needs to take some time to really evaluate where he’s at in his career and how can proceed forward.

He’s gone from being the UFC‘s magic man to truly everyone knowing his tricks. I still believe he has a lot of talent, but if he suffers another loss, he could be on the chopping block.

What’s next for Rob Font after UFC Vegas 17?

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This past Saturday at UFC Vegas 17, Rob Font (18-4) made the walk for the first time in 2020. Font carried a two-fight winning streak into the octagon as he took on former title challenger, Marlon Moraes (23-8-1).

For Font, it’s been a struggle to get back into the octagon. The UFC bantamweight has only fought twice since December of 2018. He’s dealt with a number of injuries and he also dealt with COVID this year.

However, he was finally healthy and ready to go at UFC Vegas 17. Font is really known for his outstanding boxing, but I figured he would have a little trouble with the kicking game of Marlon Moraes.

When the fight started, Moraes actually shot for a takedown on Font. It really gave you an idea of how much Moraes respected the hands of Rob Font. Font was able to work his way up to his feet, and from there Moraes was in trouble.

After the two got back to their feet, Font rocked Moraes within seconds. His hands looked extremely crisp and he wobbled Moraes a few times. A big uppercut put Moraes down for good and gave Font the biggest win of his UFC career.

What’s next after UFC Vegas 17?

Font entered UFC Vegas 17 ranked as the 11th bantamweight while Moraes was ranked third. With the performance that he put on Saturday night, I’m expecting Font to jump into the top five when the rankings come out today.

I was incredibly impressed with his performance. After the fight was over, Font called out former UFC bantamweight champion, TJ Dillashaw. Dillashaw’s two-year suspension is up in January and he needs a new opponent.

In reality, it’s a fight that makes a lot of sense especially if Font is ranked in the top five. There are a couple of additional options for Font including Jose Aldo who defeated Chito Vera on Saturday night. 

Both Font and Aldo called out Dillashaw, but the UFC could pair the two winners against each other. One additional option would be the winning of the Pedro Munhoz – Jimmie Rivera fight which takes place in January.

TJ Dillashaw issues a response to UFC callouts

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Last night at UFC Vegas 17, there were a couple of key matchups in the bantamweight division. Rob Font defeated Marlon Moraes and Jose Aldo defeated Chito Vera. Both are big wins for those two in the UFC’s bantamweight division.

After the fight was over, both men had something in common during their post-fight interviews. Both Rob Font and Jose Aldo called out former UFC bantamweight champion, TJ Dillashaw, after they won their fights.

In all honesty, both of those matchups would make perfect sense for Dillashaw’s UFC return. Dillashaw’s suspension ends next month and he said he’s looking to fight in March. However, he wanted a title shot upon his return to the division.

Given the current timelines, it’s highly unlikely Dillashaw will get that title shot. That being said, the UFC will likely try to give Dillashaw a high profile fight like Jose Aldo when he returns to the division. Dillashaw issues a response to the callouts last night on Twitter. 

After Aldo called for the fight, Dillashaw said, “I heard everyone is calling me out, cause they all know that’s my belt.” It’s worth noting that Dillashaw never lost the UFC bantamweight title. He relinquished the belt after he tested positive for EPO.

Dillashaw’s UFC Return

The last time we saw Dillashaw in the UFC was when he was finished by Henry Cejudo at flyweight in the first minute of their fight. After the fight, Dillashaw popped for EPO and was suspended for two years.

He never lost his UFC title at 135 pounds which is why he was campaigning for an immediate title shot. However, I think the UFC is going to go with the Dominick Cruz route with Dillashaw.

After Cruz was out for a few years with an injury, the promotion gave him top contender, Takeya Mizugaki. This fight was a way for Cruz to get his feet wet in the octagon. He looked incredible in that return bout.

Dillashaw is not going to get an immediate title shot. However, I think the UFC should really attempt to book him against Jose Aldo. Aldo proved last night he’s still one of the best in the world and he’s got a big name.

A matchup between the two former UFC champions makes all the sense in the world. If Dillashaw comes out and dominates Jose Aldo, he will be right back into a title shot trying to get the belt back that he never lost in the cage.

Rob Font knocks Marlon Moraes out at UFC Vegas 17

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One of the more anticipated matchups on the UFC Vegas 17 main card was the bantamweight matchup between “Magic” Marlon Moraes (23-7-1) and Rob Font (17-4). Font was making his first walk of 2020.

He was entering this fight on a two-fight win streak. A win over Moraes would really put Font on the map in the UFC‘s bantamweight division. However, getting passed Moraes is not an easy task.

Just a couple of years ago, Moraes was looked at as potentially the best bantamweight in the world. Now, he’s coming into UFC Vegas 17 having lost two out of his last three. He was looking to use this fight against Rob Font to get back on track.

UFC Vegas 17 Recap

Round 1

The UFC Vegas 17 bantamweight contest got underway with a body kick from Moraes. After landing a second body kick, Moraes shot in for a takedown and took down Rob Font. Moraes tried to transition into a guillotine, but he lost the top position as a result.

Font was able to get back to his feet, but Moraes was able to take him right back down. Moraes did a really good job of controlling Font once the fight got back to the ground. Font was finally able to get back up with two minutes left in the round.

Once back on the feet, Moraes was rocked by Rob Font with a couple of shots. Moraes landed a headkick to counter, but Font started putting it on him. Font dropped him with a couple of uppercuts and finished the fight with massive follow up shots.

Huge statement from Rob Font. The UFC’s bantamweight division has a new contender.

Rob Font def. Marlon Moraes by TKO – Round 1

UFC Vegas 17 Preview: Marlon Moraes – Rob Font

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Tomorrow night at UFC Vegas 17, there’s a battle of top eleven bantamweights on the main card. Former title challenger, “Magic” Marlon Moraes (23-7-1), will be taking on Rob Font (17-4).

Font will be making his first walk of 2020 tomorrow night. He will enter UFC Vegas 17 on a two-fight winning streak. Those two fights came against Ricky Simon and Sergio Pettis. However, Font hasn’t been very active over the last two years.

This is the third straight December that Font has had a fight. However, in 2019 and 2020, Font didn’t have another fight besides the December matchup. So this is only the third time Font has fought since mid-2018.

UFC Vegas 17 is a massive opportunity for Font. Getting to fight someone inside the top five is big for his career. If he can come out tomorrow and defeat Moraes, he could really set himself up well for a great 2021.

Marlon Moraes is in a very weird spot right now. Before UFC 238, Moraes was looked at as the best bantamweight in the world. He was setup to face Henry Cejudo for the vacant bantamweight title that night. He dominated Cejudo early on.

However, as the fight went on Cejudo didn’t go away. Cejudo ended up breaking Moraes and finishing him in the third round. After that fight, Moraes fought Jose Aldo to split decision. He won, but the general consensus was that he lost.

After that, he was finished the in second round by Cory Sandhagen back in October. In the eyes of most in the MMA world, Moraes has gone from being the best to essentially losing three straight.

UFC Vegas 17 Preview

UFC Vegas 17 is such an important event for both men. Moraes is looking to bounce back while Font is really looking to break through. We should see the fight take place on the feet tomorrow night.

Many are calling this a fight of the night favorite, and I like the call. Rob Font has some of the best MMA boxing in the business. His hands are very crisp and he’s very slick with his combinations.

Moraes on the other hand has very good striking, but comes at things more while using his kicks. That is going to be really key for him tomorrow night. If he’s going to beat Rob Font, he has to be active with his kicking game.

I think this matchup at UFC Vegas 17 is going to go the distance tomorrow. I believe we will see a striking chess match, but in the end, I like Moraes in this one. I expect him to be very active with kicks to the leg and to the body. In the end, that’ll be enough to secure the decision.

Prediction: Marlon Moraes by Unanimous Decision