Rob Font – Page 9 – Syndication Server

UFC on ESPN 31 predictions: Can ex-champ Jose Aldo upset Rob Font?

Check out our staff members’ picks for the UFC on ESPN 31 main card, featuring Rob Font vs. Jose Aldo.

	Font vs. Aldo	Fiziev vs. Riddell	Crute vs. Hill	Guida vs. Santos	Allen vs. Curtis	Gall vs. Morono
MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 2021: 200-109	Aldo (51%)	Riddell (52%)	Crute (69%)	Santos (67%)	Allen (76%)	Morono (75%)
John Morgan @MMAjunkieJohn 2021: 203-106	Font	Fiziev	Crute	Santos	Allen	Morono
Simon Samano @SJSamano 2021: 197-112	Aldo	Fiziev	Crute	Guida	Allen	Morono
Mike Bohn @MikeBohnMMA 2021: 193-116 2014 Champion	Font	Riddell	Hill	Santos	Allen	Morono
Matt Erickson @MMAjunkieMatt 2021: 192-117	Aldo	Riddell	Hill	Santos	Curtis	Gall
Nolan King @mma_kings 2021: 191-118	Font	Fiziev	Crute	Santos	Allen	Morono
Dan Tom @DanTomMMA 2021: 190-119 2020 Champion	Aldo	Riddell	Crute	Santos	Allen	Morono
Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 2021: 186-123	Aldo	Fiziev	Crute	Santos	Allen	Morono
Ken Hathaway @kenshathaway 2021: 184-125 2018 Champion	Aldo	Fiziev	Crute	Santos	Allen	Gall
Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 2021: 180-129	Font	Fiziev	Hill	Santos	Allen	Gall
Brian Garcia @thegoze 2021: 179-130 2017 Champion	Font	Fiziev	Hill	Santos	Allen	Morono
George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 2021: 179-130	Font	Riddell	Hill	Guida	Curtis	Gall
Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 2021: 178-131	Aldo	Fiziev	Crute	Santos	Allen	Morono
Matthew Wells @MrMWells 2021: 120-73	Aldo	Riddell	Hill	Santos	Allen	Morono

The UFC starts to wind down 2021 this week in Las Vegas with a former champion at the top of the bill.

UFC on ESPN 31 takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The card airs on ESPN and streams on ESPN+.

(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)

In the main event, [autotag]Rob Font[/autotag] (19-4 MMA, 9-3 UFC) takes on former featherweight champ [autotag]Jose Aldo[/autotag] (30-7 MMA, 12-6 UFC) at bantamweight. Font is a -150 favorite at Tipico; the comeback on Aldo is +120. But our 13 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers are siding with the slight underdog, Aldo, by the narrowest possible margin at 7-6.

In the co-feature, [autotag]Rafael Fiziev[/autotag] (10-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) takes on [autotag]Brad Riddell[/autotag] (10-1 MMA, 4-0 UFC) at lightweight. Fiziev is a slight -130 favorite, and he’s got an 8-5 edge from our pickers.

Also on the main card, [autotag]Jimmy Crute[/autotag] (12-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC) meets [autotag]Jamahal Hill[/autotag] (8-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) at light heavyweight. Crute is a -180 favorite, but he has just a 7-6 lead in the picks.

Longtime fighter [autotag]Clay Guida[/autotag] (36-21 MMA, 16-15 UFC) takes on [autotag]Leonardo Santos[/autotag] (18-4-1 MMA, 7-1-1 UFC) at lightweight. Santos is a -180 favorite and has a big 11-2 picks lead.

[autotag]Brendan Allen[/autotag] (17-4 MMA, 5-1 UFC) fights [autotag]Chris Curtis[/autotag] (27-8 MMA, 1-0 UFC) at middleweight in what is a quick turnaround for Curtis. Allen is the biggest favorite on the entire card at -350, and he’s got an 11-2 lead in the picks.

And to open the main card, [autotag]Mickey Gall[/autotag] (7-3 MMA, 6-3 UFC) takes on [autotag]Alex Morono[/autotag] (20-7 MMA, 9-4 UFC) at welterweight. Morono is a -180 favorite, and he’s got a big 9-4 lead from our staff pickers.

In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Aldo (51 percent), Riddell (52 percent), Crute (69 percent), Santos (67 percent), Allen (76 percent) and Morono (75 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.

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Video: Rob Font, Jose Aldo make weight for UFC on ESPN 31

The main event for Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 31 card is official after headliners Rob Font and Jose Aldo made weight.

LAS VEGAS – The main event for Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 31 card is official.

Headliners [autotag]Rob Font[/autotag] (19-4 MMA, 9-3 UFC) and [autotag]Jose Aldo[/autotag] (30-7 MMA, 12-6 UFC) each made weight without issue Friday at the official weigh-ins at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The same venue hosts Saturday’s 15-fight card on ESPN/ESPN+.

Font weighed in under the limit at 134 pounds. Aldo, a former longtime featherweight champion, came in at 136.

Check out their trips to the scale in the video above.

UFC on ESPN 31 breakdown: Counters will be key in Rob Font vs. Jose Aldo

MMA Junkie fight analyst Dan Tom takes a closer look at the UFC on ESPN 31 headliner between Rob Font and Jose Aldo.

MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom breaks down the UFC’s top bouts. Today, we look at the main event for UFC on ESPN 31.

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Rob Font: ‘Beating Aldo is cool, but finishing Aldo is way better’ at UFC on ESPN 31

Rob Font knows his upcoming clash Jose Aldo is a big one, but he also believes it’s a spectacular opportunity to prove his own worth.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Rob Font[/autotag] knows his upcoming clash with former UFC featherweight champ [autotag]Jose Aldo[/autotag] is an important one, but he also believes it’s a spectacular opportunity to prove his own worth in the stacked bantamweight division.

And while a win over an MMA legend is valuable, Font knows if he can end the fight before it goes a full five rounds, that would truly elevate his stock.

“You know, beating Aldo is cool, but finishing Aldo is way better,” Font told MMA Junkie at Wednesday’s media day at the UFC Apex.

Font (19-4 MMA, 9-3 UFC) and Aldo (30-7 MMA, 12-6 UFC) meet in the headlining bout of Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 31 event, which airs on ESPN and streams live on ESPN+ from the UFC Apex. It’s a big fight at 135 pounds, with Font currently ranked No. 5 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie bantamweight rankings and Aldo just behind at No. 8.

But in his 13-year tenure in the UFC and WEC, Aldo has built a name that provides much more stature than any number beside it ever could, and Font is acutely aware of that fact.

“Main event, obviously former champion, but it’s a little different with the experience he has, how durable he is,” Font said. “The guy’s been around forever. You know, people are crazy to say he’s old. He’s only 35 years old. He has a lot more wear and tear on him than I do, but he’s right there. He’s put together two back-to-back wins. He’s beat, obviously, Pedro Munhoz, a guy I’ve lost to, so he’s he’s looking sharp.

“This is a dangerous fight. It’s a tough fight, but this is a fight, you know, we need, we want, and we’re excited for.”

Font may not currently have the type of name recognition that his opponent boasts, but he’s certainly deserving of his position. The 34-year-old contender has rattled off consecutive wins over Cody Garbrandt, Marlon Moraes, Ricky Simon and Sergio Pettis, and he credits a mental adjustment for his current form.

“I think for me, it was more of, like, just kind of not trying to make everything perfect and not worrying about making everything perfect and not being afraid to look dumb out there, you know?” Font said. “Just go out there, just try things, and figure it out. Once I kind of got that in me and, like, just really was a, ‘Nah, we’re just going out there and we’re just playing. We’re not trying to force plays. We’re just going to go out there and play,’ I kind of really bought into that, and just really did it. It was over. Like, I just started having fun, started smiling, and we put four together.”

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In addition to an important fight, the contest looks as though it could be quite entertaining, as well. Both fighters have shown the ability to strike at the highest level of the game, with Font’s boxing among the best in the business and Aldo’s muay Thai truly legendary.

Font couldn’t help but smile when he considered the possibilities.

“I think it’s in the DNA,” Font said. “He doesn’t know how not to put on an exciting fight, you know? So yeah, I’m excited. This is exactly what we wanted. It’s exactly, like I say, we need, and I’m just blessed and grateful for this opportunity.”

If Font’s happy with his current position, he’s likely to be downright ecstatic with what will come his way with a victory – and should it be a finish, like he hopes, things could skyrocket even farther from there.

Font’s watching the whole division, including reigning champion Aljamain Sterling and interim titleholder Petr Yan as they prepare for an expected rematch to unify the titles.

“There’s some options,” Font said. “The champ’s still out, and I guess there’s rumors of that fight happening again. I think best case scenario – and I’m not wishing anything on him – if Aljamain can’t or he’s not healthy enough to fight, I think, you know, like we strip him of the belt. Me and Yan end up getting in a fight for the belt. Obviously, if they fight, hopefully a big finish or a win does enough for me to get the title shot after they fight, but, you know, there’a still T.J. Dillashaw out there.

“It’s kind of like, all right, worst case, you know, I get T.J. to get to the shot – and then there’s still Cory Sandhagem, There’s so many options. I’m not even thinking title right now. I’ve got this killer in front of me, and I’ve got two more killers in front of me. … I just want to get in there, get finished with this fight, and then we’ll talk from there.

To see the full interview with Font, check out the video above.

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Spinning Back Clique: Thoughts on Triad Combat, Conor McGregor’s bold talk, more

Check out this week’s “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts.

This week, we look back at Triller’s Triad Combat event, ahead to Bellator 272 and UFC on ESPN 31, and react to Conor McGregor’s latest big talk.

Our “Spinning Back Clique” panel of Matthew Wells, “Gorgeous” George Garcia, and Brian “Goze” Garcia discuss these topics with host John Morgan.

After a light schedule of MMA on the holiday weekend, the biggest names in action were at Triller’s new Triad Combat event, which featured the likes of Frank Mir, Matt Mitrione, Mike Perry, Derek Campos, and Albert Tumenov. MMA legend Quinton “Rampage” Jackson says he believes Triad Combat can be a force in the industry, but what was your take? Does Triller have a hit on its hands?
Since Triad Combat isn’t really MMA or boxing, the result doesn’t go anywhere on anyone’s record, but let’s ask this: Whether positive or negative, who’s combat sports career was impacted the most by their performance and result on Saturday night?
We get back to more traditional action this week, including Bellator 272 on Friday night. The main event is absolutely fantastic, with new champ [autotag]Sergio Pettis[/autotag] looking for the first defense of his bantamweight title when he faces the former champ who never lost the title, [autotag]Kyoji Horiguchi[/autotag]. There’s been some discussion about who is the true champion of the division, with Pettis even saying he wants this win to legitimize his status. So with the stakes so high, who has the most on the line?
Meanwhile, at UFC on ESPN 31, we’ve got an incredible main event at 135 pounds, as well, with [autotag]Jose Aldo[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Rob Font[/autotag]. It feels like a bit of a crossroads fight for Aldo, though somehow he’s only nine months older than Font. We know Aljamain Sterling and Petr Yan are expected to unify the belts early next year, and T.J. Dillashaw is on the mend, so what’s on the line here in this fight? Is this a No. 1 contender fight? Or does it maybe depend on who wins?
[autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] is a master of keeping his name in the headlines, and his latest statement is that he’s going to return from a broken leg next year and step right into a lightweight title shot despite currently standing at 1-3 in his past four fights. Is he right? Is there a scenario in which this would make sense?

“Spinning Back Clique” is released each Tuesday on MMA Junkie’s YouTube channel. You can watch the full episode in the video above.

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UFC on ESPN 31 pre-event facts: Rob Font, Jose Aldo battle for more accolades

The best facts and figures about UFC on ESPN 31, which features a Rob Font vs. Jose Aldo main event.

The UFC kicks off its final stretch of 2021 events Saturday with UFC on ESPN 31, which takes place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas and airs on ESPN.

A very important fight in the bantamweight division serves as the main event of the card. [autotag]Rob Font[/autotag] (19-4 MMA, 9-3 UFC) will attempt to keep his winning streak alive in pursuit of a title shot when he takes on former longtime featherweight king [autotag]Jose Aldo[/autotag] (30-7 MMA, 12-6 UFC), who continues chase a second belt at 135 pounds.

For more on the numbers behind the headliner, as well as the rest of the card, check below for 45 pre-event facts about UFC on ESPN 31.

NAC approves UFC 269, two other UFC events for December in Las Vegas

The event headlined by Charles Oliveira vs. Dustin Poirier is one of three the UFC will hold in Las Vegas in December.

Three UFC event applications have been approved by the Nevada Athletic Commission for the month of December.

The NAC’s monthly meeting was held Wednesday via conference call with four of five commissioners present. The governing body swiftly granted approval for the UFC to hold two events at the UFC Apex and one at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

The event license approvals don’t mean the UFC will certainly hold events at the UFC Apex, though it’s expected for the promotion to do so.

Scroll below to see which cards have been officially approved.

Rob Font says he was offered UFC interim title fight vs. Petr Yan, but turned it down because of COVID-19

The call to replace Aljamain Sterling against Petr Yan initially came for Rob Font, but he had to turn it down.

The call to replace Aljamain Sterling against [autotag]Petr Yan[/autotag] initially came for [autotag]Rob Font[/autotag], but he had to turn it down.

Bantamweight champion Sterling (20-3 MMA, 12-3 UFC) wasn’t medically cleared for his co-main event rematch against Yan (15-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC) at UFC 267 on Oct. 30 and as a result, the promotion opted to create an interim title fight.

Cory Sandhagen (14-3 MMA, 7-2 UFC) wound up replacing Sterling, but the UFC granted rising contender Font (19-4 MMA, 9-3 UFC) the opportunity first. However, Font said he recently tested positive for COVID-19 and has barely gotten the chance to resume to training.

“We got the call, but I just got off the whole COVID situation,” Font said in an interview with Middle Easy. “We weren’t training, so I couldn’t jump into that fight. I was pissed, but things happen for a reason.

“My understanding it was kind of just me and Sandhagen. (The UFC) pretty much said, ‘Hey, we want to see if you’re going to do it, but we’re also offering it to Sandhagen ,as well.’ So, it was unfortunate we had to turn it down, but it was pretty cool that we got the offer.”

Font is coming off a five-round battering of former champion Cody Garbrandt in his first UFC headliner in May. After passing up on the opportunity to face Yan due to the short-notice nature, Font will now face another former champion in Jose Aldo (30-7 MMA, 20-6 UFC) in the main event of UFC Fight Night on Dec. 4.

“I would have been doing it just to do it,” Font said on accepting the Yan fight. “It wouldn’t have been my best performance, but we get another tough fight, another legend, and I’m excited to get in there and put this guy away.

“I love (Aldo’s) style. I grew up watching him, I think I match up well with him. I think my length, my accuracy, my movement and my feints are going to be a lot for him to deal with. I feel like I’m going to overwhelm him, just the looks I give him, and then hopefully everything goes smooth, I capitalize and get him out of there as soon as possible.”

Although Yan lost his title to Sterling via disqualification in a fight he was firmly in control of, Font thinks Sandhagen has the style to beat him.

“I’m going with Sandhagen,” Font said. “I think he’s very smooth and very calculated on just picking his shots and not rushing it. I think he’s going to just kind of win a decision and just kind of be a smart, well-played out, long striking type of matchup.”

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UFC targets Rob Font vs. Jose Aldo for December headliner

A bigtime bantamweight fight is in the works for December.

A pivotal bantamweight contender fight is in the works as the UFC fills out the remainder of its 2021 schedule.

Former UFC bantamweight champion [autotag]Jose Aldo[/autotag] and rising New England Cartel staple [autotag]Rob Font[/autotag] have agreed to fight Dec. 4 in a five-round headlining bout. Contracts have not yet been signed.

A person with knowledge of the matchup confirmed the targeted booking to MMA Junkie but asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement. Aldo also posted about the fight on his social media. MMA reporter Ariel Helwani first mentioned the fight on Spotify Greenroom. Brazilian outlet Combate first reported the date.

Aldo (30-7 MMA, 20-6 UFC) most recently competed in August when he defeated Pedro Munhoz via unanimous decision. The win was his second in a row after a bantamweight title fight loss to Petr Yan.

As for Font (19-4 MMA, 9-3 UFC), the 34-year-old fighter rides a four-fight winning streak. After back-to-back unanimous decision victories over Sergio Pettis and Ricky Simon, Font finished Marlon Moraes with strikes in Round 1 of their December bout. In his most recent outing, Font defeated former UFC bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt via unanimous decision.

The latest lineup for UFC Fight Night on Dec. 4 includes:

Rob Font vs. Jose Aldo
Claudio Puelles vs. Chris Gruetzemacher
Rafael Fiziev vs. Brad Riddell
Montserrat Conejo vs. Mallory Martin
Brendan Allen vs. Brad Tavares

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Rob Font cleared of wrongdoing in Nevada; commission seeks to raise 4-CPA metabolite testing thresholds

After previously being cleared of any wrongdoing by USADA, Rob Font has received a similar acknowledgement from the NSAC.

LAS VEGAS – After previously being cleared of any wrongdoing by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, UFC bantamweight contender [autotag]Rob Font[/autotag] has received a similar acknowledgement from the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

Additionally, as a result of Font’s case, the commission said it will look to raise its threshold for the metabolite that caused his adverse finding in order to prevent similar issues in the future.

As MMA Junkie previously reported, Font’s in-competition urine sample collected in association with his May 22 win over Cody Garbrandt at UFC Fight Night 188 was positive for 4-chloropenoxyacetic acid (4-CPA), a known metabolite of meclofenoxate, a USADA-prohibited stimulant.

Upon further investigation and study of similar positive tests among athletes in recent months, USADA identified that chlorphenesin, a non-prohibited cosmetic preservative that is commonly found in shampoos and lotions, can also metabolize into 4-CPA.

In July, USADA’s investigation determined cosmetic products Font used during fight week were to blame for the positive test, and the agency closed the matter as a “no violation.”

Thursday, the Nevada commission conducted its own hearing, bringing in a panel of experts headed by UFC senior vice president of athlete health and performance Jeff Novitzky, as well as Font, himself. Ultimately, the commission agreed with USADA’s finding that Font had not intended to seek any performance-enhancing benefits, and the result of the May contest was upheld.

Additionally, based on testimony provided during the hearing, the commission said it will look to raise the threshold for an adverse finding of 4-CPA from 1,000 ng/ml to 3,000 ng/ml.

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