EXCLUSIVE | Rob Font Willing To Act As Backup For Sandhagen, Dillashaw Fight
Fresh off the back of his eye-catching unanimous decision win over former UFC bantamweight champion, Cody Garbrandt, the #3 ranked, Rob Font hopes to remain active in a bid to solidify his title-contender status and is even willing to serve as a backup to the July 24. main event showdown between Cory Sandhagen and former two-time bantamweight best, T.J. Dillashaw.
Headlining UFC Vegas 27 last weekend at the UFC Apex facility, Massachusetts native, Font scored a one-sided unanimous decision win over former bantamweight champion, Garbrandt, significantly out-landing the Ohio native over the course of the five round headliner, sticking behind a masterful jab on route to a unanimous decision shutout.
The victory failed to propel Font beyond his #3 spot in the official 135lbs pile, however, with his fourth consecutive win, over a name like Garbrandt no less, it appears he’s now primed to possibly challenge for a bantamweight title of some form in his next Octagon outing, or at the very least, insert himself into a title-eliminator.
Speaking with LowKick MMA reporter, James Lynch following his unanimous judging success against Garbrandt, Font threw his proverbial hat into the ring to serve as a backup for the July 24. UFC Fight Night main event between the #2 ranked, Sandhagen, and the returning former champion, Dillashaw.
“”Petr Yan‘s out there, and obviously I don’t wish for anything to happen, but I wanna get back in the gym in case anything would happen with the T.J. (Dillashaw) – Cory (Sandhagen) fight,” Font said. “I wouldn’t mind jumping in on that, but I just know I gotta get back to the gym and get back to work.“
Whilst yet to officially inform the UFC that he’s willing to serve as a potential backup to Sandhagen vs. Dillashaw, Font maintains that he’s definitely willing to step up to the plate if needs be.
“No, I haven’t talked to them (the UFC),” Font explained when asked if he had offered the UFC his services as a backup for Sandhagen vs. Dillashaw. “But I’m definitely willing to be that guy if needed.“
Originally booked to headline UFC Vegas 26 at the beginning of the month, Sandhagen and Dillashaw saw their main event matchup halted a week prior to fight night after Dillashaw suffered a sizeable laceration just above his right eye after he suffered a clash of heads whilst drilling in training. The bout was shelved and has since been reworked for a July 24. headliner.
In a certain purple patch of form, New England Cartel staple, Font added Garbrandt to a prior winning streak which includes an eye-catching first round knockout win over Brazilian contender, Marlon Moraes at UFC Vegas 16 back in December. Before that, Font had taken home unanimous judging wins over both Ricky Simon as well as a judging triumph against recently minted Bellator MMA bantamweight champion, Sergio Pettis.
