Rob Font embraces spotlight in win over former UFC champ
Bantamweight contender Rob Font drew the biggest name of his career for his first main event in the UFC.
The 33-year-old rose to the occasion, scoring a unanimous-decision victory over former champion Cody Garbrandt in the headliner of the UFC Fight Night 188 card at the Apex on Saturday night.
Font won his fourth straight fight by relying on his best weapon to help neutralize the power of Garbrandt.
“I must have thrown a million jabs to get ready for this fight,” Font said. “I figured I can’t go hook for hook or big overhand rights with him. I was preaching jab the whole time. I stayed disciplined and really believed in it.
“I have the best jab in the UFC for sure.”
Font won all five rounds on two of the three scorecards and got the nod 48-47 on the third. He landed 176 significant strikes to just 63 in the fight, including a 96-27 edge in the final two rounds, according to FightMetric.
Former women’s strawweight champion Carla Esparza handed Yan Xiaonan the first loss in seven UFC fights and snapped her 12-fight winning streak with a second-round stoppage in the co-main event.
Esparza secured a crucifix and opened a nasty cut on Xiaonan’s forehead, repeatedly landing right hands until the fight was stopped at 2:58. Esparza had also taken Xiaonan down just seconds in the first round and controlled the action on the mat throughout the first five minutes.
“I am so stoked,” said Esparza, who has now won five straight fights. “I’ve been working so hard on my wrestling this camp. I’ve been working to secure those finishes.”
Jack Hermannson rallied to defeat Edmen Shahbazyan in a matchup of top-10 middleweights who were coming off a loss.
Shahbazyan got off to a good start, establishing his jab and keeping Hermansson on his back foot for the majority of the opening five minutes.
Hermansson took control early in the second with a takedown, though Shahbazyan did find some success late to make it close. There was no such reversal of fortune in the third round as Hermansson dominated the position on the ground for the entire five minutes and inflicted damage with short punches and elbows.
“It was hard to find the timing and the distance in the first round,” Hermansson said. “I understood I needed to pressure a little bit more, get him to the clinch and take him down from there. At least I know that I’ll always have that.”
Also on the card, Norma Dumont edged former women’s featherweight title challenger Felicia Spencer by split decision.
Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on Twitter.
UFC FIGHT NIGHT 188
Results of Saturday night's card at the Apex
Rob Font def. Cody Garbrandt, unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 48-47), bantamweights
Carla Esparza def. Yan Xiaonan, KO, second round (2:58), women's strawweights
Jared Vanderaa def. Justin Tafa, unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28), heavyweights
Norma Dumont def. Felicia Spencer, split decision (30-27, 28-29, 29-28), women's featherweights
Ricardo Ramos def. Bill Algeo, unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28), featherweights
Jack Hermansson def. Edmen Shahbazyan, unanimous decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-27), middleweights
Ben Rothwell def. Chris Barnett, submission, second round (2:07), heavyweights
Court McGee def. Claudio Silva, unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 29-27), welterweights
Bruno Gustavo da Silva def. Victor Rodriguez, KO, first round (1:00), flyweights
Joshua Culibao def. Shayilan Nuerdanbieke, unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28), featherweights
David Dvorak def. Juancamilo Ronderos, submission, first round (2:18), catchweight (128.5 pounds)
Damir Ismagulov def. Rafael Alves, unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28), lightweights
