Ahead of UFC on ESPN 50, go inside the Nashville main event with Rob Font, who takes on Cory Sandhagen in a high-stakes bantamweight bout.
Font (20-6 MMA, 10-5 UFC) fights Sandhagen (16-4 MMA, 9-3 UFC) in a 140-pound contract weight in the main event at UFC on ESPN 50 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn. The card airs on ESPN and streams on ESPN+.
Font talked to MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn about the matchup, stepping in on short notice and the state of the bantamweight division. Check out Font in the video above and all his talking points below.
On fighting in Nashville
I’m loving it, man. We got out here a little earlier. We got to kind of just hang out at a farm – got to just do the whole outside, enjoy the land and kind of take it all in. I haven’t explored the city yet, but I’ll probably do that (Thursday). But I’m here, I’m ready, and having fun.
On getting the short-notice call
It was Thursday. I was at the boxing gym, and I usually don’t see Coach Tyson (Chartier) on Thursday. I usually see him on Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays. I didn’t really pick it up yet, but he was sitting there just watching me. Then, after the rounds happened, he broke the news down. He told me Song was out. I kind of had an idea that they were going to throw Corey at it because Umar was out. It only made sense. We sat down as a team, we made the pros and cons list, and then we came up a couple requests that the UFC said yes to. Then we made the fight.
On fighting at a 140-pound contract weight
I think at first, Dana was kind of not feeling it. But then he said yeah, and then Corey just hits me saying yeah. I’m pretty sure he didn’t care either about the five pounds.
On Sandhagen as an opponent
He’s a man. I ran into him yesterday. He seems mad cool. He’s real chill. He’s a good dude. Yeah, those are the end of the nice words there. One hundred percent, (it’s better to fight a higher ranked opponent).
This is going to be a tricky fight. He has great footwork. He throws lots of kicks. He mixes in the wrestling world. When he gets on top, he’s dangerous. So it’s more of like just getting in there and doing what I want to do – get him on the back foot. Let him feel the power. Let him feel the length. I think he’s going to be surprised once we start grappling of how strong and solid I am when it comes to grappling.
It’s hard to get Cory out of there. He’s fought all the top guys, and it’s not easy to get him out of there. Getting in there, knocking him out, getting that bonus, getting my hand raised and getting that title shot – that’s obviously the end goal.
On fighting in Nashville instead of at home at UFC 292
Fighting in Boston (was going to be good), but Nashville is just as good. There’s so much upside to this fight – different style, different matchup, different opponent. But it’s just another tough fight, another tough pulse to figure out. And I plan on doing that come Saturday.
It’s always great (to be home). It’s a little more convenient to fight at home. But there is a lot more headaches that come with fighting at home. It’s a little bit more pressure, too. But it is what it is. We get this huge opportunity, and it’s the main event and I love traveling and seeing new places. I’m trying to just chalk up all the positives of this situation.
On Sterling-O'Malley title fight
I hope (I get the Aljamain Sterling-Sean O’Malley winner). Obviously there’s no guarantees, but I’m pretty sure that’s what they offered (Sandhagen), that opportunity he got with Omar. Hopefully they can give that same opportunity to me. If Sean doesn’t get him out of there in the first two rounds, I believe Aljamain’s winning the decision. I can see, especially with Merab (Dvalishvili) in the way, and obviously he’s injured, so I can see how he can kind of throw a little wrench into the division. In a perfect world, (Sterling) moves up and just gets in the featherweight division. (Then) I’m next in line. We’ll see.
On fighting in another UFC main event
I think the UFC knows what they have with me – that I’m going to bring the fight. I’m never going to quit on myself. I’m always going to bring it in the fight the whole time.
On how to beat Sandhagen
I want to get my jab going. I want to make my shots, get my kicks going, elbow his face, get in his face and make him work – make him take that bad shot. (I want to) get to the back. If I can’t choke him, I plan on TKO’ing him.
