A clash between two top bantamweights is in the works to headline a UFC Fight Night event on April 30.
Rob Font will face Marlon Vera in a five-round main event bout at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. MMA Junkie confirmed the news with sources following an initial report from ESPN.
Font (19-5 MMA, 9-4 UFC), 34, will enter his third-straight main event in his first fight in 2022, looking to rebound from a unanimous decision loss to Jose Aldo in December. Prior to the defeat, Font was riding hot on a four-fight streak with consecutive wins over Sergio Pettis, Ricky Simon, Marlon Moraes, and Cody Garbrandt. Font currently holds the No. 7 spot in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie bantamweight rankings.
Vera (20-7-1 MMA, 12-6 UFC), 29, gets his first main event opportunity on the heels of two straight wins over Davey Grant and Frankie Edgar. “Chito” stopped former lightweight champion Edgar in the third round with a front kick at UFC 268 in the statement performance of his career at Madison Square Garden.
With the addition, the lineup for Apr. 30 includes:
- Rob Font vs. Marlon Vera
- Gina Mazany vs. Shanna Young
- Daniel Silva vs. Francisco Figueiredo
- Cortney Casey vs. Antonina Shevchenko
- Jake Collier vs. Justin Tafa
- Mike Breeden vs. Natan Levy
- Gabe Green vs. Yohan Lainesse
- Rafael Alves vs. Jared Gordon
- Carlos Candelario vs. Tatsuro Taira
- Tristan Connelly vs. Darren Elkins
- Krzysztof Jotko vs. Gerald Meerschaert
