With a Fight of the Night win at UFC DC, 10th ranked bantamweight Rob Font wants to step in against Cory Sandhagen in Raleigh next month.
Washington, D.C. — After what no doubt felt like an eternity away for a fighter who likes to stay busy, Rob Font finally got back in the octagon Saturday at UFC DC. Earning a unanimous decision against Ricky Simon in a scrap that won Fight of the Night honors, Font (17-4) certainly showed he was in fine form, despite nearly a full year away.
“I felt great, you know,” Font told media outlets including Cageside Press following the bout, before admitting that “I did a little bit too much the first round. I calmed down. Calvin Kattar said ‘do a little less, but stay dangerous’ and then it clicked in. I knew I was trying to force it too much.”
Font feels that’s likely a byproduct of not having fought in a year. And with that in mind, it’s hard to blame him for coming out more than a bit excited.
“We pulled it together,” he continued. “That kid is tough, but we pulled it together, we got the W.”
Immediately after Font’s fight with Simon, rival Cody Stamann fought to a draw with Song Yadong. Font is slowly moving on from the idea of a fight with Stamann, however.
“Not really. Obviously if they offer me it, I’m going to take it,” he said in regards to re-booking the fight, that was supposed to go down over the summer. “But like you saw, it’s going to be either a split decision with that kid, or a draw. They’re not really out there trying to finish it. It is what it is. If they offer me that fight I wouldn’t mind putting him away.”
What he is interested in, however, is stepping up at UFC Raleigh early next year. That Fight Night card, in January, was supposed to feature Cory Sandhagen taking on Frankie Edgar. However, Edgar has stepped in to replace Brian Ortega at UFC Busan later this month, against The Korean Zombie. “It sucks for Sandhagen with the whole Frankie Edgar thing. But I wouldn’t mind jumping in there. I know that’s a big ask, but I’m ready. Pretty much whatever Sean [Shelby, matchmaker] needs, I’m good.”
The quick turnaround, with another weight cut, wouldn’t be too much of an issue, Font said. “I don’t get too big,” he exclaimed, before adding “let me rephrase that. You give me the time, I’m not going to get too big. But yeah I can’t definitely make that happen.”
Watch the full UFC DC post-fight press scrum with Rob Font above!
