UFC on ESPN: Overeem vs. Rozenstruik · Dec 07, 2019 · Bantamweight · Completed
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Age 38
Height 5' 8"
Reach 71.0"
Weight 135 lbs.
Stance Orthodox
Age 33
Height 5' 6"
Reach 69"
Weight 135 lbs.
Stance Orthodox
Career Averages - Rob Font
5.11 SLpM
45.0% Str. Acc.
3.53 SApM
57.0% Str. Def.
0.7 TD Avg
29.0% TD Acc.
37.0% TD Def.
0.3 Sub. Avg
Career Averages - Ricky Simón
3.03 SLpM
42.0% Str. Acc.
3.9 SApM
61.0% Str. Def.
4.49 TD Avg
41.0% TD Acc.
76.0% TD Def.
0.3 Sub. Avg
Rob Font - Fight History
LOSS vs Raul Rosas Jr.
Decision R3 5:00 · UFC 326 · Mar 07, 2026
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Rob Font 0 10 of 31 32% 29 of 50 0 of 1 0% 0 1 0:13
Raul Rosas Jr. 0 8 of 33 24% 47 of 75 16 of 18 88% 0 1 10:05
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Rob Font 0 7 of 20 35% 8 of 21 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Raul Rosas Jr. 0 5 of 22 22% 12 of 29 5 of 6 83% 0 0 2:11
2 Rob Font 0 0 of 2 0% 8 of 10 0 of 0 --- 0 1 0:13
Raul Rosas Jr. 0 1 of 5 20% 17 of 23 3 of 3 100% 0 1 4:07
3 Rob Font 0 3 of 9 33% 13 of 19 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Raul Rosas Jr. 0 2 of 6 33% 18 of 23 8 of 9 88% 0 0 3:47
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Rob Font 10 of 31 32% 6 of 25 2 of 4 2 of 2 10 of 31 0 of 0 0 of 0
Raul Rosas Jr. 8 of 33 24% 5 of 29 0 of 0 3 of 4 8 of 32 0 of 0 0 of 1
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Rob Font 7 of 20 35% 4 of 15 1 of 3 2 of 2 7 of 20 0 of 0 0 of 0
Raul Rosas Jr. 5 of 22 22% 2 of 18 0 of 0 3 of 4 5 of 22 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Rob Font 0 of 2 0% 0 of 2 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 2 0 of 0 0 of 0
Raul Rosas Jr. 1 of 5 20% 1 of 5 0 of 0 0 of 0 1 of 4 0 of 0 0 of 1
3 Rob Font 3 of 9 33% 2 of 8 1 of 1 0 of 0 3 of 9 0 of 0 0 of 0
Raul Rosas Jr. 2 of 6 33% 2 of 6 0 of 0 0 of 0 2 of 6 0 of 0 0 of 0
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Feb 8, 2026 (27 days before fight)
Raul Rosas Jr.

Angelo highlights that Rob Font is a technical striker with no takedown defense, while Raul Rosas is a relentless grappler with fantastic control. He expects Rosas to wrestle and get as many takedowns as he wants, as long as he doesn't try to box with Font. He calls it a Raul showcase.

"This should be a Raul showcase."
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Mar 1, 2026 (6 days before fight)
Raul Rosas Jr.

Big Brady picks Raul Rosas Jr. over Rob Font. He highlights Font's poor takedown defense (43%) and tendency to be controlled on the ground, as seen in the Cory Sandhagen fight. Rosas Jr. has improved cardio and should be able to take Font down and hold him there. Brady expects a decision win for Rosas Jr., as Font has good defensive grappling but won't take risks to get up.

Rosas Jr. by decision
"It's Ral Roses Jr. by decision. I think it's a good match up for him."
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Lean picked Mar 4, 2026 (3 days before fight)
Raul Rosas Jr.

Cody leans toward Rosas Jr., citing Font's poor takedown defense and Rosas's youth and improvement. He notes Font's age and slowing down, and expects Rosas to rack up control time and win a decision. He mentions the Chiawei effect as a factor.

"I'm kind of leaning towards Rosas, but a lot of it is like you're just trying to believe."
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Hesitant picked Mar 6, 2026 (1 day before fight)
Raul Rosas Jr.

Connor picks Rosas, citing Font's poor takedown defense (43% career) and Rosas's relentless wrestling. He notes that Font got taken down seven times by John Matsumoto and still won, but Sandhagen's disciplined wrestling led to a loss. Connor believes Rosas's commitment to wrestling will be enough, despite Rosas's underdeveloped striking and youth. He acknowledges Font's toughness but sees a clear path for Rosas.

Odds: Font opened at +375, now +210; Rosas opened at -500, now -245.
"I am going to take Rosas. I think any fight for Rob font with an opponent who is completely committed to wrestling him, he's going to have a really hard time stopping the takedowns."
DA
Daniel Vreeland Expert Confident picked Mar 3, 2026 (4 days before fight)
Raul Rosas Jr.

Daniel Vreeland confidently picks Raul Rosas Jr., citing Rob Font's poor takedown defense and getup game, especially as he fatigues. He believes Rosas has matured since his loss to Cristian Rodriguez and will submit Font. Vreeland acknowledges Font's experience but thinks Rosas's grappling will be the difference.

"I'm going to go Rahul Rosas to get the biggest win of his career and pass this gatekeeper test against Rob Font in Vegas."
DI
Diary of a Pro Gambler Expert Confident picked Mar 5, 2026 (2 days before fight)
Raul Rosas Jr.

The host argues that Raul Rosas Jr. is a good bet despite being a favorite because of the extreme age gap (18 years younger), Font's poor takedown defense (42% takedown offense, gave up takedowns to Matsumoto, Figueiredo, Sandhagen), and Font's reliance on volume striking rather than power. He believes Rosas Jr. will stick to Font like glue, outgrapple him, and win two out of three rounds. He notes that Font's windows to strike will be slim due to constant takedown threats.

Implied probability 69%, but host notes he is selective with bets in this odds range; he has a 72% win rate and 5% ROI on 308 bets in this range over 13 years.
"I think it's just going to be very difficult for Rob Font to win this fight because I don't see him being able to keep the fight standing for long enough to make his edge on the feet count."
LU
Lucrative James Expert Lean picked Mar 1, 2026 (6 days before fight)
Rob Font

James picks Rob Font as an underdog, believing Font is the much better striker who will win the minutes on the feet. He acknowledges Rosas Jr.'s grappling threat but questions whether Rosas can hold Font down for extended periods, citing Font's ability to get back up in recent fights. James also notes that Rosas has never fought at this level and has been reversed in previous fights, making Font the value side. However, he admits Font's chin is a concern and that Rosas could hurt him.

"I'm going to pick Rob Font as the underdog here. I feel like the line should be closer."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Mar 3, 2026 (4 days before fight)
Raul Rosas Jr.

Rosas Jr. is persistent with his grappling and will eventually take Font down and control him. Font has been susceptible to wrestlers. Rosas should win a decision, but the line is too high; only play if it drops to -150.

Rosas Jr. by decision
"I expect Rosas Jr. to get that control in the first, second, maybe even third rounds and that should be enough for him to win a decision here."
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Hesitant picked Mar 4, 2026 (3 days before fight)
Raul Rosas Jr.

Paul picks Rosas Jr. but with hesitation, noting his takedown ability but concerns about gassing. He thinks Rosas will get early takedowns and control, but Font's get-up game is good. He suggests betting live after seeing if Font can get back up.

"I think Ral Rosa is going to win if I was like forced to play it right now."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Mar 5, 2026 (2 days before fight)
Raul Rosas Jr.

The MMA Guru picks Raul Rosas Jr., citing his relentless grappling and Font's struggles against grapplers (e.g., Sandhagen). He believes Rosas will take Font down and control him, winning by decision. He mentions the New England Cartel curse.

decision win
"I'm gonna go with Raul Rosas Jr. decision win."
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Hesitant picked Mar 6, 2026 (1 day before fight)
Rob Font

Zane picks Font, noting that Font has been taken down many times but still wins fights. He points out that Rosas's game is limited and that Font's experience and ability to do damage on the feet will be key. Zane acknowledges the risk from Rosas's speed and confidence, but believes Font's toughness and veteran savvy will carry him. He compares it to Font's win over Matsumoto.

Odds: Font +210, Rosas -245.
"I think for me, I have to pick font here. This is, he's 38. Rosas is, and he is a good, fast athlete and he's hyper confident, which counts."
LOSS vs David Martínez
Decision R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Lopes vs. Silva · Sep 13, 2025
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Rob Font 0 49 of 158 31% 49 of 158 0 of 5 0% 0 0 0:59
David Martínez 0 62 of 155 40% 115 of 210 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:33
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Rob Font 0 11 of 51 21% 11 of 51 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:20
David Martínez 0 22 of 45 48% 35 of 58 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
2 Rob Font 0 15 of 49 30% 15 of 49 0 of 3 0% 0 0 0:39
David Martínez 0 10 of 27 37% 30 of 47 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:30
3 Rob Font 0 23 of 58 39% 23 of 58 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
David Martínez 0 30 of 83 36% 50 of 105 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:03
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Rob Font 49 of 158 31% 40 of 138 7 of 17 2 of 3 49 of 158 0 of 0 0 of 0
David Martínez 62 of 155 40% 33 of 115 10 of 16 19 of 24 62 of 155 0 of 0 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Rob Font 11 of 51 21% 11 of 48 0 of 2 0 of 1 11 of 51 0 of 0 0 of 0
David Martínez 22 of 45 48% 7 of 25 5 of 8 10 of 12 22 of 45 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Rob Font 15 of 49 30% 9 of 37 5 of 11 1 of 1 15 of 49 0 of 0 0 of 0
David Martínez 10 of 27 37% 6 of 20 3 of 5 1 of 2 10 of 27 0 of 0 0 of 0
3 Rob Font 23 of 58 39% 20 of 53 2 of 4 1 of 1 23 of 58 0 of 0 0 of 0
David Martínez 30 of 83 36% 20 of 70 2 of 3 8 of 10 30 of 83 0 of 0 0 of 0
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Sep 7, 2025 (6 days before fight)
Rob Font

Angelo picks Rob Font, despite his age (38) and lack of takedown defense. He says Font is a technical striker with clean hands, good chin, and veteran composure. He thinks David Martinez, stepping up on short notice, probably won't look to wrestle unless losing the striking exchanges, and by then it's too late. He says the over 2.5 is probably rock solid. He also mentions a David Martinez inside the distance decision no action prop.

The over two and a half is probably rock solid here. I might like a David Martinez inside the distance decision, no action might be the play.
"Font is the pick. The over two and a half is probably rock solid here."
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Sep 11, 2025 (2 days before fight)
Rob Font

Big Brady picks Font because Martinez is a big step down in competition. He notes Font has fought and lost to elite fighters, but has beaten lower-level opponents. He likes Font's volume, cardio, and experience. He predicts a decision win, though he acknowledges Martinez has power and Font can be hurt.

Decision win
"I'm going to take Font to win this fight by decision."
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident picked Sep 11, 2025 (2 days before fight)
Rob Font

Connor picks Rob Font, emphasizing Font's reach advantage and high-output one-two, which will trouble Martínez's in-and-out striking style. He notes that Martínez struggled with the jab against Xavier Franklin and Font is a better version of that. Connor acknowledges Font's age (38) but says his chin hasn't gone yet, and Martínez lacks the power or wrestling to exploit it.

Font opened at -170, dropped to -200, currently -130; Martínez opened at +145, currently +110. Connor says 'it really feels like Font could be a bigger favorite' and attributes the line movement to age bias.
"Martínez is just going to be stuck having Rob Font's fight as far as I can tell."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Sep 10, 2025 (3 days before fight)
David Martínez

Martinez has received a lot of love, moving from +180 to +115, and the host agrees. He believes Martinez is closer to his prime, dangerous in striking, treads distance well, and will counter Font's output. He expects Martinez to stuff takedowns and win on the scorecards.

odds movement from +180 to +115
"I think he is way closer to his prime. He's very dangerous in the striking realm. Treads distance very well. Utilizes a good mobile striking game and I think he'll be able to counter the output heavy game of Font."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Sep 10, 2025 (3 days before fight)
Rob Font

The MMA Guru picks Rob Font, dismissing David Martinez as unproven with wins over low-level opponents. He believes Font's jab and reach will be key, and that Martinez's single-shot explosivity won't trouble Font. He predicts a decision win, possibly 30-27 or 30-26, as Martinez loses composure when peppered with jabs.

Decision win 30-27 or 30-26
"Rob Font is gonna beat David Martinez, I reckon. ... I'm going to go Rob Font decision win 2928 based on the second and third or maybe 30-27."
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Confident picked Sep 11, 2025 (2 days before fight)
Rob Font

Zane picks Rob Font, highlighting Font's consistent output, power, and experience against top competition. He notes that Font's losses have come only against elite fighters with superior wrestling or power, and Martínez lacks both. Zane believes Martínez's step up in competition is too large, and Font's one-two and takedown to seal rounds will be decisive.

Font opened at -170, dropped to -200, currently -130; Martínez opened at +145, currently +110. Zane says 'it really feels like Font could be a bigger favorite' and attributes the line movement to age bias.
"This is just a monstrous step up. And as we have seen many times now, Rob Font is not a guy you step up against."
Decision R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Cejudo vs. Song · Feb 22, 2025
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Rob Font 0 95 of 171 55% 113 of 191 0 of 0 --- 1 0 1:18
Jean Matsumoto 0 77 of 181 42% 113 of 225 7 of 10 70% 0 0 6:15
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Rob Font 0 21 of 34 61% 27 of 41 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:26
Jean Matsumoto 0 7 of 19 36% 32 of 49 2 of 3 66% 0 0 3:40
2 Rob Font 0 34 of 56 60% 36 of 58 0 of 0 --- 1 0 0:00
Jean Matsumoto 0 29 of 61 47% 35 of 69 5 of 5 100% 0 0 2:05
3 Rob Font 0 40 of 81 49% 50 of 92 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:52
Jean Matsumoto 0 41 of 101 40% 46 of 107 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:30
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Rob Font 95 of 171 55% 82 of 157 13 of 14 0 of 0 85 of 157 10 of 14 0 of 0
Jean Matsumoto 77 of 181 42% 43 of 135 9 of 13 25 of 33 69 of 169 8 of 12 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Rob Font 21 of 34 61% 20 of 33 1 of 1 0 of 0 19 of 32 2 of 2 0 of 0
Jean Matsumoto 7 of 19 36% 1 of 12 3 of 3 3 of 4 3 of 15 4 of 4 0 of 0
2 Rob Font 34 of 56 60% 28 of 50 6 of 6 0 of 0 34 of 56 0 of 0 0 of 0
Jean Matsumoto 29 of 61 47% 16 of 43 3 of 4 10 of 14 29 of 61 0 of 0 0 of 0
3 Rob Font 40 of 81 49% 34 of 74 6 of 7 0 of 0 32 of 69 8 of 12 0 of 0
Jean Matsumoto 41 of 101 40% 26 of 80 3 of 6 12 of 15 37 of 93 4 of 8 0 of 0
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Feb 16, 2025 (6 days before fight)
Jean Matsumoto

Angelo picks Jean Matsumoto, citing his youth, aggression, power, and multiple ways to win. He notes Rob Font is 37 and aging, and while Font's boxing is clean, he can't defend takedowns. He draws a parallel to Calvin Kattar being out-struck by a younger fighter. He is surprised the line moved toward Font.

"Jean Matsumoto is going to be too much, too aggressive, too good of a chin, too much power, too many ways to win."
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Feb 17, 2025 (5 days before fight)
Jean Matsumoto

Big Brady picks Jean Matsumoto, noting that Rob Font's takedown defense and ground game have looked awful recently, citing the Cory Sandhagen and Kyler Phillips fights. He believes Matsumoto, though not the best wrestler, is a good grappler who can take Font down and keep him there. He expects Matsumoto to win by decision, as Font has good submission defense but is content to stay on his back and lose minutes.

by decision
"I got to go Matsumoto here on the feet you know Rob fond is is is absolutely game on the feet this should be a very fun and competitive to fight I'd like the durability a little bit more at …"
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident picked Feb 20, 2025 (2 days before fight)
Rob Font

Connor picks Font, agreeing that Matsumoto is uncreative and predictable, while Font is a skilled boxer with good durability. He notes that Matsumoto fights in bursts and leaves gaps, which Font can exploit. Connor also points out that Font has a reach advantage and is a good puncher himself, as seen in the Yadong fight.

"Font should win this as long as he crosses his eyes and dots his teas"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Feb 20, 2025 (2 days before fight)
Jean Matsumoto

The host notes Matsumoto is a short-notice replacement but expects his damaging style and effective striking in the pocket to be too much for Font. He thinks Matsumoto's damage-based approach will win on the scorecards as long as Font doesn't get too far ahead in volume.

"look for matsumoto's damaging style Landing more effective strikes inside the pocket and clearly showcasing that he's being more damaging that should be enough for him to go out there and win this final on the scor cards"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Feb 21, 2025 (1 day before fight)
Rob Font

The Guru strongly picks Font as an underdog, calling it a no-brainer. He criticizes Matsumoto's undefeated record, noting close fights with Brad Katona and Dan Arreta where he was outgrappled. He highlights Font's experience against top competition, durability (never finished by strikes), and striking menace. He believes Matsumoto lacks KO power and won't submit or outgrapple Font.

great value on Rob font as an underdog
"I think this is a no-brainer Underdog and people are just looking at 16 and0 and thinking he's a monster"
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Confident picked Feb 20, 2025 (2 days before fight)
Rob Font

Zane picks Font because Matsumoto is a limited fighter who fights in bursts and is predictable, while Font has a clear winning formula of jabbing and boxing. He notes that Font is durable, mentally tough, and has a reach advantage. Zane believes Matsumoto would need to hurt Font badly every round to win, which is unlikely given Font's durability.

"Rob font should be able to do to matsamoto what kevin holland did to walking buckly"
Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Hernandez vs. Pereira · Oct 19, 2024
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Rob Font 0 61 of 137 44% 65 of 144 0 of 1 0% 0 0 1:19
Kyler Phillips 0 38 of 125 30% 50 of 143 4 of 5 80% 0 0 4:42
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Rob Font 0 7 of 19 36% 7 of 20 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:29
Kyler Phillips 0 10 of 26 38% 21 of 42 1 of 1 100% 0 0 3:34
2 Rob Font 0 31 of 58 53% 34 of 63 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:29
Kyler Phillips 0 14 of 48 29% 15 of 49 2 of 2 100% 0 0 0:24
3 Rob Font 0 23 of 60 38% 24 of 61 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:21
Kyler Phillips 0 14 of 51 27% 14 of 52 1 of 2 50% 0 0 0:44
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Rob Font 61 of 137 44% 50 of 122 11 of 15 0 of 0 56 of 131 5 of 6 0 of 0
Kyler Phillips 38 of 125 30% 19 of 98 9 of 14 10 of 13 32 of 112 1 of 6 5 of 7
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Rob Font 7 of 19 36% 6 of 17 1 of 2 0 of 0 6 of 18 1 of 1 0 of 0
Kyler Phillips 10 of 26 38% 8 of 23 2 of 2 0 of 1 5 of 19 0 of 0 5 of 7
2 Rob Font 31 of 58 53% 23 of 48 8 of 10 0 of 0 28 of 55 3 of 3 0 of 0
Kyler Phillips 14 of 48 29% 6 of 38 5 of 6 3 of 4 13 of 44 1 of 4 0 of 0
3 Rob Font 23 of 60 38% 21 of 57 2 of 3 0 of 0 22 of 58 1 of 2 0 of 0
Kyler Phillips 14 of 51 27% 5 of 37 2 of 6 7 of 8 14 of 49 0 of 2 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Rob Font vs. Kyler Phillips
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Phillips (-425), Font (+330)

Round 1
Sitting in the co-main event slot is a bantamweight contest that will reestablish or coin a new contender in the talent-rich division. Having lost four of his last five, Font’s (20-8, 10-7 UFC) back is about as against the wall as it gets. As much as Font has largely struggled, Phillips (12-2, 6-1 UFC) has flourished, winner of his last three—albeit with one win in 2022, one in 2023 and the latest in March. This potential passing of the torch encounter will be officiated by referee Keith Peterson, and the 135ers touch ‘em up without a shred of nonsense between them. Font jabs his way directly into action, landing a few punches and setting up more. As Font presses forward, Phillips shoots in and easily hits a takedown, landing in side control and laughing off a guillotine choke defense from the New Englander. Phillips steps over from one side to the other, shifting to half guard as he sets up an arm-triangle choke. When Phillips abandons the choke, he secures side control almost effortlessly. Font turns to the other direction, but he stops doing so when realizing this will give his back up. Phillips controls from on top without unleashing much offense, posturing to the other side to drop down a single elbow. Any time Font tries to scramble, Phillips easily sees it coming and lays into Font with powerful elbows. Font turns over after fighting off a submission setup to explode back to his feet, and Phillips greets him with a spinning wheel kick. Font keeps his guard up and plods forward, scoring an uppercut and swinging a second before shooting in for a double. Font takes Phillips’ back standing, and Phillips breaks out of the position without much concern. Phillips scores a one-two, Font throws back, and the round ends.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Phillips
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Phillips
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Phillips

Round 2
Font stalks out of his corner to engage in the second round, no-selling a leg kick so he can chamber and loose a few hard right hands. Font busts Phillips in the chops with a particularly strong right, and “The Matrix” responds with a shot that plants Font on his back. Font fights much more aggressively to get to his feet, walking up the wall and pressuring Phillips as much as he can. Font trails after Phillips, keeping his guard high and using tight boxing combinations to keep Phillips honest. Font winds up with a right hand that misses the mark, and he lets Phillips throw first so he can counter and tie him up. Font decides to disengage, taking a body kick to the side and chasing after Phillips to make Phillips turn tail and run. Phillips resets and kicks Font in the ribs, and he leans back after a leg kick to get popped with an overhand right. Font digs a body shot, and Phillips escapes and is eating powerful blows while his hands are low and his chin is high in the air. Font stabs his foe in the sternum with his foot, and he ignores a lazy high kick aimed his direction so he can blast Phillips in the face with a right hand. Fond chomps down on his mouthpiece and nails Phillips again, and swelling quickly develops around the Arizonan’s left eye. Phillips keeps on his bike, and Font is a Terminator walking through anything aimed at him so he can tag Phillips with power. A Phillips spin strike fails, as Font keeps his hands high and works the body to open up the head. Phillips tries to tie him up, and he pushes off to fire off a one-two and a spinning back fist. Phillips clinches, and Font wrenches himself away so he can keep the suffocating pace. Phillips gets backed off courtesy of several jabs, and Font utilizes the clinch to wear further on Phillips. Right before the bell, Phillips hits a foot sweep and puts Font on his seat.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Font
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Font
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Font

Round 3
Phillips starts off the round backing away from his opponent, and he lands a leg kick and shoots for a successful takedown. Font hits the ground and starts hand-fighting, eventually settling for muscling back to his feet. Phillips hacks at him with a tomahawking elbow when upright, and Font laughs it off and slugs him in the face with a right hand. Font loads up two more times on heavy rights, and both whoosh past “The Matrix.” Font surges into action behind his punches, landing and turning Phillips around. Phillips steels himself and swing back for vengeance, cracking Font with a right hand and rushing to the side to get a modicum of space. Font will not let him breathe for long, bearing down on him and crushing him against the cage wall. Phillips escapes and ducks an overhand right, kicking the side as he further escapes. Font sticks out a jab, and he sets up an uppercut when Phillips splits the distance to take him down. Font keeps pursuing Phillips fearlessly, getting his calf kicked hard but keeping his balance to stride ever forward. Font’s punches are telegraphed, as are Phillips’ takedowns. The latter is what comes next, but Font stops it in its tracks. Phillips breaks away before eating a strike, and he backpedals and has his left hand up to block Font’s wide right hooks. Phillips clips Font with his own short flurry, and Font tags him with one overhand right to slow him again. Font’s momentum leads to another clinch, and Phillips frames off with his knee. Font loads up time and again on his booming right, and Phillips gives him a little extra something to think about with a wheel kick. Font catches Phillips with a right hand on the way out, and Phillips’ legs are loose but he is still with it. Font keeps after him, watching for a spin kick that comes and advancing to sling final leather. Font stuffs one final takedown, and time expires.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Font (29-28 Font)
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Font (29-28 Font)
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Font (29-28 Font)

The Official Result
Rob Font def. Kyler Phillips via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Oct 13, 2024 (6 days before fight)
Kyler Phillips

Angelo picks Kyler Phillips, citing the decline of the New England Cartel's takedown defense. He notes Rob Font's vulnerability to wrestling and believes Phillips' diverse striking and wrestling will make Font look old and slow. He expects Phillips to mix in takedowns and win comfortably. He criticizes the New England Cartel's inability to evolve.

"kylo phil pH is going to be fast on the feet he'll mix in some wrestling and he's the pick"
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Oct 17, 2024 (2 days before fight)
Kyler Phillips

Big Brady picks Kyler Phillips by any method. He notes Font's durability is diminishing, he gets wobbled often, and has poor takedown defense. Phillips can win on the feet or by takedown. He expects Phillips to get it done, possibly by knockout, submission, or decision, given Font's toughness.

"this should be Phillips all day um you I think rob font's you know trending towards being on his way out and I think Phillips can just win this fight wherever it goes"
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Hesitant picked Oct 17, 2024 (2 days before fight)
Kyler Phillips

Connor also picks Phillips but with hesitation, noting that Phillips' early speed and variety are key, but he fades late. He thinks Font could come on strong in the third round if Phillips hasn't put him away. Connor is not fully convinced about Phillips yet, but sees the takedowns and speed as enough to win over three rounds.

"I will take Phillips as well, but I don't know about him yet"
LU
Lucrative James Expert picked Feb 21, 2026 (fight day)

This fight was not discussed in the transcript.

MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Oct 17, 2024 (2 days before fight)
Kyler Phillips

Font has been on a bad slump. His volume style can be effective, but Phillips will land more significant strikes and mix in takedowns. Phillips will grind out a win on the scorecards.

"I think that will see Carla land the more significant or more significant strikes not just volume wise but at least in ter ter of making it look better for the judges and mix that in with a few takedowns …"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Oct 15, 2024 (4 days before fight)
Kyler Phillips

The Guru picks Phillips over Font, citing Font's susceptibility to being grappled and his age (37). He notes Phillips has explosive takedowns and offensive grappling, as shown against Pedro Munhoz, and trains with Sean O'Malley. He expects Phillips to mix things up and win a decision, though he acknowledges Font is a good boxer.

decision
"I'm going to go with Kyler Phillips over Rob font little bit more Dynamic on the f"
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Confident picked Oct 17, 2024 (2 days before fight)
Kyler Phillips

Zane picks Phillips, citing his speed and variety early in the fight to stump Font for two rounds. He acknowledges that Phillips tends to fade in the third round, but believes Font's linear style and lack of adaptability will allow Phillips to build an insurmountable lead. He notes that Phillips may also use takedowns, though that could gas him.

Font opened +232, now +333; Phillips opened -275, now -417; Zane says the odds are too wide on Font
"I think I'm gonna take Kyler Phillips"
Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27) R3 5:00 · UFC on ESPN: Dariush vs. Tsarukyan · Dec 02, 2023
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Deiveson Figueiredo 0 46 of 94 48% 48 of 96 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:22
Rob Font 0 45 of 74 60% 53 of 84 4 of 7 57% 0 0 4:02
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Deiveson Figueiredo 0 22 of 37 59% 22 of 37 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:13
Rob Font 0 10 of 20 50% 10 of 20 2 of 3 66% 0 0 0:34
2 Deiveson Figueiredo 0 15 of 33 45% 17 of 35 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Rob Font 0 15 of 22 68% 15 of 22 1 of 2 50% 0 0 1:09
3 Deiveson Figueiredo 0 9 of 24 37% 9 of 24 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:09
Rob Font 0 20 of 32 62% 28 of 42 1 of 2 50% 0 0 2:19
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Deiveson Figueiredo 46 of 94 48% 39 of 85 5 of 6 2 of 3 44 of 92 2 of 2 0 of 0
Rob Font 45 of 74 60% 35 of 64 7 of 7 3 of 3 33 of 60 6 of 7 6 of 7
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Deiveson Figueiredo 22 of 37 59% 20 of 34 2 of 3 0 of 0 22 of 37 0 of 0 0 of 0
Rob Font 10 of 20 50% 7 of 17 1 of 1 2 of 2 10 of 20 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Deiveson Figueiredo 15 of 33 45% 12 of 29 1 of 1 2 of 3 13 of 31 2 of 2 0 of 0
Rob Font 15 of 22 68% 12 of 19 2 of 2 1 of 1 12 of 18 3 of 4 0 of 0
3 Deiveson Figueiredo 9 of 24 37% 7 of 22 2 of 2 0 of 0 9 of 24 0 of 0 0 of 0
Rob Font 20 of 32 62% 16 of 28 4 of 4 0 of 0 11 of 22 3 of 3 6 of 7
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Rob Font
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Font (-135), Figueiredo (+114)

Round 1
Business picks up with a bantamweight showcase pitting Font (20-7, 10-6 UFC) against Figueiredo (21-3-1, 10-3-1 UFC)—a two-time flyweight champion making the jump to 135 pounds. Figueiredo has not fought anyone other than archrival Brandon Moreno since November 2020.
For more on the Brazilian’s move to the bantamweight division, read “New Digs for Deiveson Figueiredo” from the aforementioned Stein
. Rexroad serves as the referee. Font moves to the center of the cage and stalks the Brazilian from range. He backs up Figueiredo with a clean one-two, shrugs off an attempted clinch and flicks out a few jabs. Figueiredo completes a takedown but cannot keep the New England Cartel rep down. Back on the feet, Font gets to work with his jab. Figueiredo lands an overhand right, ducks into takedown and again allows his opponent to get back to his feet. Font fires a long one-two and moves behind Figueiredo. He lifts the Brazilian off his feet but cannot finish the takedown. Round is still up in the air with a minute to go. Font counters with a right uppercut, and they trade jabs. Figueiredo staggers him with an overhand right but elects not to accelerate. He lures Font into a tie-up along the fence, stalls and then breaks into open space. Figueiredo looking more and more comfortable on the feet. They trad jabs at the close of the round.

Sherdog Scores
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Figueiredo
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Figueiredo
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Figueiredo

Round 2
Font gets busy with his jab but allows the Brazilian to close the distance and clinch along the fence. The action stalls briefly. Figueiredo lands a knee south of the equator, resulting in a brief pause. Font readjusts the jewels, and they resume their battle. Figueiredo connects with an uppercut and stays light on his feet. Font shuts off a takedown attempt, then walks into a clean right hand from the Brazilian. He pops Figueiredo with a leg kick and presses forward behind punches. Figueiredo ducks a punch and secures a takedown with two minutes left in the round. Font scrambles free, and they get back to business in the center of the cage. Figueiredo’s output has dwindled here. Font pounds home a jab, then follows with a leg kick. He circled out of a clinch from the Brazilian, marches forward and pumps out his jab. Figueiredo lands a clean two-punch volley and follows with a front kick up the middle.

Sherdog Scores
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Figueiredo
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Figueiredo
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Figueiredo

Round 3
Figueiredo moves forward behind a front kick, initiates a tie-up and works for a takedown. Font’s defense holds up. Figueiredo steps into a right hand, then another and engages the Massachusetts native in the clinch. Nothing materializes. Font connects with a right hook to the body. Both men landing in single shots. Figueiredo dazes his counterpart with a wicked left hook, pushes him backward, fires a knee to the body and delivers another left hook upstairs. Font answers with a multi-punch volley, mixes in a jab and whiffs on an elbow over the top. They trade jabs midway through Round 3. Figueiredo ducks into a single-leg and completes a key takedown. He climbs to full mount, drops elbows and hammerfists, maintains his position and gets warned for grabbing the fence. Font reclaims half guard but struggles to control the Brazilian’s posture. With 30 seconds to go, this is slipping away from Font. Figueiredo slides to side control, applies heavy pressure and bleeds the remaining time off the clock.

Sherdog Scores
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Figueiredo (30-27 Figueiredo)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Figueiredo (30-27 Figueiredo)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Figueiredo (30-27 Figueiredo)

The Official Result
Deiveson Figueiredo def. Rob Font—Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
BI
Big Brady Expert Lean picked Nov 28, 2023 (4 days before fight)
Deiveson Figueiredo

Big Brady picks Figueiredo as a dog, citing paths to victory via wrestling or landing big shots. He notes Font's poor takedown defense and get-up game, and thinks Figueiredo can mix in takedowns. He also thinks Figueiredo's power could be a factor, as Font gets rocked often. He predicts a decision win for Figueiredo.

"I'm gonna take figgy here as a dog it's hard to have a ton of confidence in it but I feel like he has some paths here"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Nov 29, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Deiveson Figueiredo

Cody takes Figueiredo as an underdog. He cites Figueiredo's power, multiple paths to victory (knockdowns, takedowns), and Font's poor takedown defense as shown against Cory Sandhagen. He thinks Figueiredo can land bigger shots and mix in wrestling. He also notes Figueiredo moving up to 135 may help his cardio and power translation.

"I'll take the underdog actually in figuro got to take some dogs some places I get didn't have the coonies in the co-main event but I'll take the flyer here"
LU
Lucrative James Expert Lean picked Nov 30, 2023 (2 days before fight)
Rob Font

Lucrative James leans towards Rob Font, citing his size, reach, and experience against top bantamweights. He acknowledges Figueiredo's power and guillotine threat, and Font's questionable chin. However, he believes Font should be favored and may look to attack a prop rather than the moneyline due to volatility.

considering attacking a prop
"I think font should be favored he's the much better fighter overall he's more well-rounded"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Nov 30, 2023 (2 days before fight)
Deiveson Figueiredo

Figueiredo moves up to bantamweight and should carry power and strength. Font has been outgrappled and outdamaged in recent fights, with poor takedown defense and a tendency to lose rounds due to damage. Figueiredo's power and ability to land big shots could lead to a knockout, similar to Font's losses to Aldo and Vera. Font may win minutes, but Figueiredo will win moments and likely finish.

knockout victory predicted
"give me Figaro here fig land the big shots I think I have him down as a finish as well yeah I'm going to save Figaro by knock out"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Lean picked Nov 29, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Rob Font

Paul sides slightly with Font based on volume. He thinks Font should box Figueiredo up and put up crazy volume over three rounds. He notes Figueiredo's power and Font's chinny history, but believes Font's volume will be enough. He says the line is accurate and he's not too confident.

"I'm going to side ever so slightly with font with that volume say that Davidson you know moving up away class maybe the power isn't going to be as damaging up here but um yeah I'm not too too confident"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Nov 28, 2023 (4 days before fight)
Rob Font

The MMA Guru picks Rob Font by first-round KO, believing Figueiredo's power won't translate up a division and that Font's reach and jab will be decisive. He notes Figueiredo's defensive flaws and recent injuries. He predicts Font will catch Figueiredo early and put him away.

first round KO, first two minutes
"I'm going Rob Font first round KO in the first two minutes... I think Font's going to jab him up and Figueiredo got stung a lot on the chin."
LOSS vs Cory Sandhagen
Decision (unanimous) (50–45, 50–45, 50–45) R5 5:00 · UFC on ESPN: Sandhagen vs. Font · Aug 05, 2023
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Cory Sandhagen 0 34 of 84 40% 132 of 211 7 of 7 100% 1 0 19:38
Rob Font 0 9 of 49 18% 25 of 69 1 of 2 50% 0 0 1:08
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Cory Sandhagen 0 8 of 26 30% 27 of 51 2 of 2 100% 0 0 2:43
Rob Font 0 5 of 22 22% 6 of 24 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:23
2 Cory Sandhagen 0 7 of 15 46% 38 of 54 1 of 1 100% 0 0 4:41
Rob Font 0 0 of 7 0% 4 of 12 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
3 Cory Sandhagen 0 10 of 24 41% 27 of 48 1 of 1 100% 0 0 3:43
Rob Font 0 4 of 10 40% 4 of 11 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
4 Cory Sandhagen 0 6 of 11 54% 29 of 39 2 of 2 100% 0 0 4:41
Rob Font 0 0 of 4 0% 2 of 7 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
5 Cory Sandhagen 0 3 of 8 37% 11 of 19 1 of 1 100% 1 0 3:50
Rob Font 0 0 of 6 0% 9 of 15 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:45
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Cory Sandhagen 34 of 84 40% 30 of 79 2 of 3 2 of 2 10 of 47 0 of 1 24 of 36
Rob Font 9 of 49 18% 5 of 43 2 of 3 2 of 3 8 of 44 0 of 3 1 of 2
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Cory Sandhagen 8 of 26 30% 6 of 23 1 of 2 1 of 1 5 of 19 0 of 1 3 of 6
Rob Font 5 of 22 22% 2 of 18 1 of 1 2 of 3 4 of 17 0 of 3 1 of 2
2 Cory Sandhagen 7 of 15 46% 6 of 14 0 of 0 1 of 1 1 of 7 0 of 0 6 of 8
Rob Font 0 of 7 0% 0 of 7 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 7 0 of 0 0 of 0
3 Cory Sandhagen 10 of 24 41% 9 of 23 1 of 1 0 of 0 2 of 14 0 of 0 8 of 10
Rob Font 4 of 10 40% 3 of 9 1 of 1 0 of 0 4 of 10 0 of 0 0 of 0
4 Cory Sandhagen 6 of 11 54% 6 of 11 0 of 0 0 of 0 1 of 3 0 of 0 5 of 8
Rob Font 0 of 4 0% 0 of 4 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 4 0 of 0 0 of 0
5 Cory Sandhagen 3 of 8 37% 3 of 8 0 of 0 0 of 0 1 of 4 0 of 0 2 of 4
Rob Font 0 of 6 0% 0 of 5 0 of 1 0 of 0 0 of 6 0 of 0 0 of 0
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Jul 30, 2023 (6 days before fight)
Cory Sandhagen

Angelo picks Cory Sandhagen, citing his active striking, fluid combinations, and solid BJJ. He notes that Rob Font is a gritty boxer with a solid chin but lacks power and is on the back nine of his career. Angelo believes Sandhagen will make it a true MMA fight by mixing in wrestling, and that the catchweight benefits Sandhagen as the larger fighter. He also points out that Font is stepping up on short notice and that Sandhagen dominated Chito Vera, who is more dangerous than Font.

"Corey's the pick and he's a very very confident pick for me"
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Aug 1, 2023 (4 days before fight)
Cory Sandhagen

Big Brady is very confident in Sandhagen, citing Rob Font's age (36), short notice, and accumulated damage from recent fights like the Marlon Vera beating where Font was dropped multiple times. He believes Sandhagen's diverse striking and submission threat will overwhelm Font, and that Font's durability has declined. He predicts Sandhagen will either dominate to a 50-43 decision or become the first to knock Font out, possibly with a head kick or knee.

Sandhagen by KO/TKO or decision; first to knock out Rob Font
"I like San Hagen to finish Rob Fawn and be the first one to knock him out"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Aug 2, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Cory Sandhagen

Cody picks Sandhagen due to his blend of striking and takedowns, plus a full camp preparing for Umar Nurmagomedov. He notes Font's short notice and history of being dropped (five times in two fights) as vulnerabilities. Cody believes Sandhagen can mix in takedowns and strike effectively, though he acknowledges Font's elite striking and volume. He also mentions betting Sandhagen by knockout at +225.

Sandhagen by KO +225; under 120.5 significant strikes on PrizePicks
"I took sandhagen by knockout plus 225... it's the only bet I've made so far"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Confident picked Aug 2, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Cory Sandhagen

Daniel Levi is confident in Cory Sandhagen, citing his evolution into a well-rounded fighter with improved wrestling and durability. He notes Sandhagen's killer resume and recent performances against Song Yadong and Chito Vera as evidence of his growth. Levi believes Sandhagen's fight IQ and length will be key, and that he will avoid trading in the pocket with Font's dangerous jab. He sees Sandhagen as a future title contender and expects him to shine in the main event.

Mentions the line opened at -200 and is now -340, but does not recommend betting at that price. No prop bets or finishing predictions explicitly stated.
"I think Corey sandag is going to shine in the main event."
LU
Lucrative James Expert Confident picked Aug 4, 2023 (1 day before fight)
Cory Sandhagen

James is very confident Sandhagen dominates. He thinks Sandhagen can do whatever he wants—strike, takedown, submit, or knock out Font. He believes Font's chin is done and predicts a knockout in the second or third round. He notes Sandhagen's dynamism and one-shot power.

Sandhagen by knockout
"Corey Sandhagen via knockout is my prediction."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Aug 4, 2023 (1 day before fight)
Cory Sandhagen

Sandhagen has an unorthodox style that blends wrestling and striking, and he's made for five rounds. Font has a great comeback win over Yanez, but Sandhagen's style will be too unorthodox for Font to get going. Sandhagen eats damage well and counters effectively. The fight likely goes the distance, so over 4.5 rounds is my favorite prop, but Sandhagen gets his hand raised. The line is too wide to bet heavily, and there is value on Font at these odds.

over 4.5 rounds, value on Font at current line
"over four and a half will probably be my favorite uh prediction for this fight but I still think that sandhagen gets his hand raise line is just too wide for me to get you know ahead of myself"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Aug 2, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Cory Sandhagen

Paul agrees with Cody, citing Sandhagen's full camp and wrestling advantage. He notes Font's short notice and chin issues, but expects a competitive fight if it goes the distance. Paul leans towards Sandhagen by knockout, though he respects both fighters.

"I mean if this goes 25 minutes I can definitely see it being pretty competitive... but I see San Hagen knocking him out"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Aug 1, 2023 (4 days before fight)
Cory Sandhagen

The host picks Cory Sandhagen confidently, calling him a cerebral, diverse striker in his prime. He believes Sandhagen will pick Font apart with superior technique and defense. He notes Font is 36 and while dangerous, Sandhagen is a better mixed martial artist. He predicts a unanimous decision but does not rule out a head kick knockout. He recommends Sandhagen as a parlay piece and expects the line to rise.

unanimous decision; possible head kick knockout; line opened -256, now -312; parlay piece
"give me Corey sandhagen to take over this fight as it goes on I'll I'll say unanimous decision for Corey sandhagen"
WIN vs Adrian Yañez
TKO (punches) R1 2:57 · UFC 287: Pereira vs. Adesanya 2 · Apr 08, 2023
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Rob Font 1 33 of 75 44% 33 of 75 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:04
Adrian Yañez 0 25 of 54 46% 25 of 54 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Rob Font 1 33 of 75 44% 33 of 75 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:04
Adrian Yañez 0 25 of 54 46% 25 of 54 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Rob Font 33 of 75 44% 30 of 69 2 of 5 1 of 1 27 of 66 1 of 2 5 of 7
Adrian Yañez 25 of 54 46% 21 of 49 1 of 2 3 of 3 25 of 51 0 of 3 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Rob Font 33 of 75 44% 30 of 69 2 of 5 1 of 1 27 of 66 1 of 2 5 of 7
Adrian Yañez 25 of 54 46% 21 of 49 1 of 2 3 of 3 25 of 51 0 of 3 0 of 0
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Lean picked Apr 5, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Adrian Yañez

Angelo picks Adrian Yañez but is not highly confident, noting that Rob Font is a clean technical striker who is very live. He thinks Yañez is a younger version of Font, faster and with more power, but Font has a good chin and could win. He warns that this could be a changing of the guard, but Font could also remind everyone he's still elite.

"Jana's the pick but Rob font super live here clean technical Striker"
BI
Big Brady Expert Hesitant picked Apr 3, 2023 (5 days before fight)
Adrian Yañez

Big Brady picks Adrian Yañez despite wanting to pick Rob Font, due to Font's recent durability issues. He notes Font has taken massive damage in his last two fights and has been dropped repeatedly. He believes Yañez has power and volume, and can win by decision or knockout. He predicts a decision win for Yañez.

"give me honest here I'm gonna say Yana's by ... decision"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Apr 5, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Rob Font

Cody agrees with Paul on Font. He points out that Yañez struggled early against Randy Costa, getting dominated in round one before Costa gassed. Cody believes Font's constant jab and long-range strikes will disrupt Yañez's timing and prevent him from landing his power shots. He sees Font's volume as overwhelming and thinks Yañez may struggle to find his rhythm. Cody also notes Font by decision at +200 is worth a look.

Font by decision at +200
"I'm with you I'm with you the knockdowns are a bit of a concern Yanez does hit very very hard but the volume is just overbearing"
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident picked Apr 6, 2023 (2 days before fight)
Adrian Yañez

Connor picks Yañez because Font's defensive flaws are well-documented: he has poor footwork after committing to his right hand and relies on a static high guard. Yañez is a fantastic counter puncher who will find openings as Font falls into predictable rhythms. However, Connor notes that Yañez can be a slow starter and may lose the first round if Font's jab takes over. He also mentions that Yañez's high-output style can lead to fatigue, as seen against Davey Grant. Despite these concerns, Connor believes Yañez's sharp countering will eventually catch Font.

Font opened at +126, now +155; Yañez opened at -140, now -175. Connor thinks the odds are getting too wide given Yañez's unproven resume at this level.
"I'll take Yanez as well, but this is a great fight for that. It's a genuine divisional sorting matchup."
JA
Jacob Lines Expert Confident picked Apr 5, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Adrian Yañez

Jacob is extremely high on Adrian Yañez, calling him his guy and predicting he will be champion by 2025. He praises Yañez's beautiful boxing, combinations, and power. He believes Yañez will find the timing and land the more impactful shots, possibly finishing inside the distance. He acknowledges that Yañez can be a slow starter but trusts his dog mentality.

inside the distance
"Adrian Yanez wins this fight I think he sends out inside the distance"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Hesitant picked Apr 3, 2023 (5 days before fight)
Rob Font

Font has high output, a great jab, and good footwork, but his durability is questionable after losses to Aldo and Vera. Yañez is a crisp boxer with power, but this is his toughest test. Font's volume and jab could frustrate Yañez, and Font's cardio should hold up. However, if Font's chin is shot, Yañez could land a big shot. I lean Font by decision but with hesitation.

"I'm gonna lean with the veteran here I'm gonna lean with the guy that showcases that he has the style to give a guy like Giannis fits"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Apr 5, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Rob Font

Paul likes Rob Font as a plus-money underdog. He questions Yañez's level of competition, noting his wins are over lower-tier fighters and his only step-up against Davey Grant was a close split decision. Paul highlights Font's elite striking volume, footwork, and jab, and notes that Font has gone five rounds with top bantamweights. He acknowledges Font's tendency to get knocked down but believes his volume and experience will overwhelm Yañez.

Font by decision at +200 considered
"this kind of plus money we're going to need dogs and we're in Florida it does feel like Rob Funk and outwork almost anybody in the division"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Apr 8, 2023 (fight day)
Adrian Yañez

The MMA Guru picks Adrian Yañez to win by decision. He expects Font to have success early with his jab and takedowns, but Yañez will weather the storm and start finding his range. He predicts Yañez will hurt Font badly in rounds two and three, with moments of near-finishes, but Font will survive to the final bell. He compares it to a Marlon Vera-esque performance.

"I'm gonna go with Adrian Yanez by decision"
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Confident picked Apr 6, 2023 (2 days before fight)
Adrian Yañez

Zane picks Yañez because Font's defensive issues are severe: he gets hit cleanly in every fight and has been knocked down repeatedly. Yañez is a sharp counter puncher who will exploit Font's tendency to leave himself open after throwing the right hand. Zane acknowledges that Yañez may start slow and lose the first round, but he expects Yañez to figure out Font's rhythm and land big shots. He also notes that Font's chin is a major concern, as even if Yañez fades, he only needs one clean shot to change the fight.

Font opened at +126, now +155; Yañez opened at -140, now -175. Zane thinks the odds are getting too wide.
"If you can see one fighter clearly winning a round of a fight and the other rounds being close, pick the clear round winner."
LOSS vs Marlon Vera
Decision (unanimous) (48–47, 49–46, 49–46) R5 5:00 · UFC on ESPN: Font vs. Vera · Apr 30, 2022
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Marlon Vera 0 271 of 516 52% 273 of 520 1 of 2 50% 0 0 0:18
Rob Font 3 159 of 283 56% 167 of 291 0 of 0 --- 0 0 2:05
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Marlon Vera 0 57 of 100 57% 57 of 100 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Rob Font 0 26 of 46 56% 26 of 46 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Marlon Vera 0 51 of 97 52% 51 of 97 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Rob Font 1 27 of 52 51% 30 of 55 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:23
3 Marlon Vera 0 71 of 123 57% 71 of 123 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:18
Rob Font 1 37 of 71 52% 39 of 73 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:33
4 Marlon Vera 0 42 of 89 47% 44 of 93 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Rob Font 1 36 of 56 64% 39 of 59 0 of 0 --- 0 0 1:09
5 Marlon Vera 0 50 of 107 46% 50 of 107 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Rob Font 0 33 of 58 56% 33 of 58 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Marlon Vera 271 of 516 52% 199 of 436 48 of 56 24 of 24 256 of 496 15 of 20 0 of 0
Rob Font 159 of 283 56% 95 of 205 22 of 31 42 of 47 133 of 246 4 of 4 22 of 33
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Marlon Vera 57 of 100 57% 38 of 81 14 of 14 5 of 5 52 of 92 5 of 8 0 of 0
Rob Font 26 of 46 56% 5 of 21 7 of 10 14 of 15 26 of 46 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Marlon Vera 51 of 97 52% 36 of 81 9 of 10 6 of 6 48 of 93 3 of 4 0 of 0
Rob Font 27 of 52 51% 17 of 40 4 of 5 6 of 7 22 of 43 0 of 0 5 of 9
3 Marlon Vera 71 of 123 57% 53 of 102 12 of 15 6 of 6 70 of 121 1 of 2 0 of 0
Rob Font 37 of 71 52% 29 of 59 4 of 7 4 of 5 25 of 55 2 of 2 10 of 14
4 Marlon Vera 42 of 89 47% 33 of 78 5 of 7 4 of 4 39 of 86 3 of 3 0 of 0
Rob Font 36 of 56 64% 20 of 36 3 of 5 13 of 15 27 of 44 2 of 2 7 of 10
5 Marlon Vera 50 of 107 46% 39 of 94 8 of 10 3 of 3 47 of 104 3 of 3 0 of 0
Rob Font 33 of 58 56% 24 of 49 4 of 4 5 of 5 33 of 58 0 of 0 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
SHERDOG BETTING PREVIEW ODDS : Font (-140), Vera (+110) Rob Font (138.5: Missed Weight) vs. Marlon Vera

Round 1
We have now reached the main event, which takes place in a catchweight instead of a standard weight category as Font (19-5, 9-4 UFC) missed weight by 2.5 pounds ahead of his marque pairing against “Chito” Vera (18-7-1, 12-6 UFC). These two are the only ranked competitors that set foot in the cage this evening, but a win for Font would arguably mean less as he could not reach the bantamweight limit. Apologetic for this error, Font offers a glove touch as the two stand before gold-standard referee Jason Herzog, and Vera accepts it with a smile as he is amped up for his first UFC main event. Vera is crouched over in his corner when the fight begins, and Font does a tour of the cage while waiting for him to stand up. Vera does do so, and he throws a front kick to start things off. Font starts up with his staple jabs, and Vera replies with a calf kick. Font subsequently counters it with an overhand right, and they back off to kick one another in the legs. Font strings together a pair of one-twos, and Vera responds with a thudding body kick to the guard. Font continues to work the jab, and he chains a solid boxing combination together that knock Vera back. A big uppercut from Font reddens the nose, and he knees Vera in the chin when Vera bends over. Vera gets a little space and lets loose with low kicks, and Font continues peppering him with jabs. Font steps in with an elbow, and Vera responds with a powerful leg kick. Vera closes in and pins several uppercuts on the chin before Vera pushes off and reaches out with a front kick that is just shy of the face. Font rips the body, and when Vera advances, he goes after another crisp uppercut. Font tattoos Vera’s heavily tattooed head and body with jabs, and Vera slips a couple of punches and counters with a front kick. Font nails his man with an uppercut again, and Vera staggers back and gathers himself to absorb a few punches high and low. Font put three punches together as Vera guards up and circles on the outside, and he commits to his calf kick when Font gives him a moment to breathe. Font absorbs another leg kick, and he loads up on punches when Vera tries to kick his lead calf once more. Font walks into a punch, and he blocks a loud body kick that impacts off his arms. Font winds up with an uppercut after a jab, intercepting Vera coming in. The uppercut continues to find its home as Font targets it repeatedly, and Vera is not able to read it and tries to block them, but they still get through. Vera kicks the midsection, and when he comes in, Font meets him with a knee and his own low kick, The first round ends, and the bantamweights tensely stare down one another after the horn.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Font
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Font
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Font

Round 2
The fighters meet in the middle to start off the second round, and they bounce closer together only to back off before engaging. Font jabs, follows it with a right and connects with a clean left to back Vera up. Font puts the ball of his foot on Vera’s chest, and he steps in with a hacking elbow that glances off Vera’s head. Vera fires off a front kick, and Font catches it and pushes Vera back. Vera, with his leg in the air, jumps with his other to kick Font a few times. Font delivers a big elbow that make Vera mockingly show that he is hurt, and he subsequently spins with a back kick to the body. Font reels from the kick and has to rebound off the fence, and Vera kicks the body again. Vera is able to counter a few punches, and Font begins to chain jabs into punches effectively as Vera’s face starts to turn red. “Chito” rips the body to make Font’s guard drop, and Font kicks his leg as a result. Vera loads up on a heavier one of his own, and Vera blocks an oncoming salvo of punches. Font has a few punches blocked, and Vera sticks his tongue out at him. As he does, a piston-like jab connects and knocks a surprised Vera back. Vera walks into another jab as Vera walks him down, but Vera does get off a leg kick. Font throws five punches in a row, and a huge body kick from Vera bends Font over. Font recovers and leans on his boxing to back Vera up, but “Chito” rallies and kicks him in the gut with a front kick. Vera works the leg with a kick, and Font strides through it to land a few punches and ends a combination with a solid left hand. Font steps through a series of punches with a knee up the middle, and Vera ricochets off the fence and marches his man down. Font kicks high, and the kick glances off the shoulder. Font carries on jabbing, and he works a right hand to the body in the midst of a punching chain. Vera walks him down and cracks him with a left hand, and Font is rocked badly and drops to his knees. Font instinctively goes after a single, and Vera bowls him over and unloads several brutal elbows. Font hangs on to the bell, and he springs right back up and goes to his corner.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Vera
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Vera
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Vera

Round 3
“Chito” is so fired up to start off the round, he is physically pulled back a few times by Herzog. Despite this aggressive intention, Font is the one who strikes first, jabbing his way in before shooting for a takedown. Vera scrambles and gets to his knees when dragged down, and he turns his opponent around to the fence and starts working the sides with punches and knees. Font pushes off with an elbow to break, and Vera puts everything into a head kick. Even with the kick blocked, it still has enough impact to shake Font. Font is quick to gather his thoughts and start working his uppercut, and Vera takes a front kick that goes low on the cup. Vera shrugs at Herzog when Herzog asks if he is alright, and the fight continues as they trade powerful blows. A thumping leg kick from the Ecuadorian gives Font some pause, and Font responds with a body kick. Vera steps through with a left hand, and he just misses a straight left hand across the bow. Font plants several punches on the guard, doing enough to take Vera’s focus away so he can drill a kick to the gut. Vera absorbs a leg kick, and Vera allows this so he can counter with a left hand that knocks Font back a few steps. The Bostonian marches forward, jabbing effectively and just getting up a block when a high kick aims at it. Vera unloads with a right hand, and Font greets him with several punches in a line of blows. Vera takes a clean elbow on the side of the head and barely flinches, and he kicks Font in the side. Font responds with a few punches to the body, leading Vera to tie him up. “Chito” separates and starts working kicks to the leg and side, and he slips a punch to throw one back. Font absorbs four flush punches without batting an eye, and he counters Font with a left to the midsection and a kick to the same spot. Font puts several punches together as Vera bounces off, and he splits the guard with a left. Font connects with a big left to the body, and Vera lifts up a knee that knocks Font off of his feet. Font climbs back up and wobbles back, only for Vera to chase him down and elbow him several more times. Herzog asks Font to keep fighting and moving, and Vera unleashes a fury of elbows right to the horn.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Vera
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Vera
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Vera

Round 4
Font has gathered his thoughts between rounds, and even with swelling and damage on his face from the concussive blows, he is ready to continue and starts off with jabs. Vera kicks the body, and he gets knocked back with a series of punches. Vera fights through the oncoming blows to give back his own, and he jumps in the air with a knee that is barely blocked in time. They trade one after the other, with Font preferring to touch while Vera is loading up on strikes. Font pins three uppercuts right on the chin, and he follows it with a one-two as chants for “’Chito’” rain down in the building. Font chases him down and uploads, and Vera ties him up and gets kneed. Vera elbows on the break to cut Font, but the Boston native does not even register this as he stalks Vera down. Font considers a takedown before bailing on it to let his boxing speak for himself. Vera rolls with the strikes that come at him, dancing back and sliding out of the way. Vera gets in a left, and Font is a bloody mess but no less active. Font opens up with jabs and one-twos, and Vera is circling away as his volume has diminished. Vera winds up with a side kick that connects as flush as it could, knocking Font back and down to the mat. Vera goes after him to try to finish him, and he gets kicked off as Font lays on his back aiming upkicks. Vera kicks the leg from above, while Font is still getting his wits about him. Vera is letting his foe of the hook, and eventually Herzog intervenes to stand Font up. Font walks through a spinning heel kick that soars at him to throw hands, and Vera spams another that similarly is inaccurate. Font bounces around, and he absorbs a pushing kick to his knee. Vera winds up on a body kick, and the fourth round ends. Vera walks back to his corner, laughing all the way.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Vera
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Vera
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Vera

Round 5
Battered and bruised, swollen and sore, Font is hanging in there and cleared to continue. Vera is excited to reach the fifth round in this contest, and he walks straight into a left to the body when they begin to fight. Font has his jab reach out, and he misses an overhand right as Vera slides out of harm’s way. Font comes after him and elbows him on top of the head, and Vera looks at him quizzically and slaps Font in the face with his open hand like a Diaz brother. Font is riled up, and he lands six heavy punches that knock Vera back up to the wall. Vera scores a single leg kick, and he backs away as Font walks him down. Font keeps his hands busy, and he takes a solid jab on the face. Vera tries to back him off with a side kick, and Font is not slowing as he again backs Vera to the wire with his punches. They trade low kicks, and start to put power into their punches. Vera loads up as Font stalks after him, and he has a body kick that stuns Font for a second. Like a Terminator, Font keeps going, and a front kick blasts him in the face. Font strings several punches together despite the serious level of damage on his face, and he makes Vera take a step back when he lands a front kick. Vera counters Font coming in with a left, and he smacks Font with a left as Font leads into a combination. “Chito” snaps out a jab that makes Font shake his hands out, and he kicks the lead leg a pair of times. Font gets hurt from a punch, causing him to turn around for a second, and Vera begins to showboat and point. Font steels himself and powers ahead, chasing Vera around and absorbing punches while attacking. Font nails Vera with an uppercut, leading Vera into a dance as Vera signals that he is fine. Font does not fall for anything, and instead splits the guard with a right hand. Font bites down on his mouthpiece and throws hands to the head and body, and Vera aims another standing hook kick slash side kick that cracks into Font’s dome. Font is rattled once more from the powerful strike, and he wobbles back to the wall to try to recover for the waning seconds. Instead of going for a finish, Vera walks away to celebrate, pointing in the air and even turning his back on Font at one point. Font cannot reach him as time elapses, and this thriller comes to an end. Both bantamweights raise their stock after 25 minutes of bloody, chaotic battle. An emotional Vera thanks his team and invites his family into the cage after the fight, and declares that he will be a world champion and will bring the belt back to his home country of Ecuador. With that, the uneven ESPN card wraps up, with the night ending in style after that five-rounder in the books. Next week, the UFC will travel to Arizona, with a fantastic pay-per-view offering bringing a pair of highly anticipated title fights and some other great scraps like Michael Chandler vs. Tony Ferguson. We will be there for it, and we hope you are too.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Font (48-47 Vera)
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Font (48-47 Vera)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Vera (49-46 Vera)

The Official Result
Marlon Vera def. Rob Font via Unanimous Decision (48-47, 49-46, 49-46)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Apr 24, 2022 (6 days before fight)
Rob Font

Angelo picks Rob Font, citing his cleaner boxing and composed style. He believes Font's accuracy and volume will mirror his success against Jose Aldo, but this time Font will get the win. He notes Vera's ability to make fights ugly and his iron chin, but thinks Font is too well-rounded to get caught in a brawl. He loves the -150 odds and plans a moneyline bet on Font.

moneyline bet at -150 odds
"I like rob font to mirror some of the success he had against jose aldo with his accuracy and his volume but this time i think he's going to get the win"
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Apr 25, 2022 (5 days before fight)
Marlon Vera

Big Brady picks Marlon Vera as a dog, citing Vera's cardio advantage in a five-round fight and his ability to grow into the fight. He notes that Vera lands bigger shots and has a ground game advantage, while Font may win the first round but will fade. Brady predicts a late finish, possibly by submission, as the damage accumulates.

late finish, submission
"i like vera here i really do like vera as a dog... i'm gonna take marlon vera to win i'm gonna take him to win by a submission"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Lean picked Apr 27, 2022 (3 days before fight)
Marlon Vera

Cody picks Marlon Vera as a live underdog, citing Vera's slow-starting but strong-finishing style. He believes Vera can lose the first couple rounds but come on strong late, similar to his fight against Frankie Edgar. Cody notes Vera's grappling advantage and ability to take Font down, as Font gave up takedowns to Cody Garbrandt. He suggests live betting Vera after the first round for better odds.

Live betting after first round recommended
"i think i'm going to lean underdog in the main event so give me with marlon vero"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Confident picked Apr 28, 2022 (2 days before fight)
Marlon Vera

Daniel Levi picks Marlon Vera, citing his durability and ability to take over in later rounds. He notes that Vera's fights often start in round three, where he looks world-class, and that his cardio from running 13 miles a day will be a factor in a five-round fight. Levi acknowledges Rob Font's superior boxing but believes Vera can create chaos and make it a dirty fight, similar to the Pedro Munoz blueprint. He is concerned about Vera eating shots early but trusts his recovery. He took two units at +130.

Bet 2 units at +130 moneyline
"as a betting man as someone who took the plus 130 on chito here i can just start this fight at round three"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Apr 28, 2022 (2 days before fight)
Rob Font

The host picks Rob Font, citing his superior output and jab. He believes Font's volume and technical striking will outwork Vera over five rounds, especially since Vera is a slow starter. He notes Font's reach advantage and ability to stay on the outside, and doubts Vera has one-punch knockout power to change the fight. He expects a decision win for Font.

Font by decision +170, fight goes to decision -150
"i lean the rob font side i do think his output numbers are going to be way higher than vera"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Lean picked Apr 27, 2022 (3 days before fight)
Rob Font

Paul leans towards Rob Font based on volume and activity, noting Font's jab and boxing should outwork Vera over five rounds. He acknowledges Vera's power in kicks and potential grappling edge but doesn't trust Vera's wrestling to secure takedowns. Paul is concerned about Font's history of getting knocked down, as seen against Jose Aldo, which could cost him rounds. He hasn't bet the fight yet but sides with the numbers.

"i'm gonna lean towards font but it's a dicey fight and i'm won't be shocked if it goes either way"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Apr 25, 2022 (5 days before fight)
Marlon Vera

The Guru picks Marlon Vera as an underdog, citing Vera's size and physicality as key advantages. He believes Rob Font struggles against pressure and big opponents who can muscle him around. The Guru predicts Font will win the first two rounds, but Vera will take over in the later rounds, eventually securing a submission via d'arce choke in round four or five. He notes Vera's youth (29) and ability to absorb damage, while questioning Font's power after making Cody Garbrandt's chin look okay.

Vera by submission (d'arce choke) in round 4 or 5; Vera is an underdog
"i'm gonna have to go with marlon vera here over rob font i think rob fonte's gonna have some success early on... i think i'm gonna have to go with marlon vera getting like a darsh choke submission in round …"
Ricky Simón - Fight History
Draw vs Adrian Yañez
Draw R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Adesanya vs. Pyfer · Mar 28, 2026
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Ricky Simón 0 44 of 139 31% 52 of 149 2 of 5 40% 0 0 2:06
Adrian Yañez 1 71 of 169 42% 73 of 171 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:06
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Ricky Simón 0 12 of 55 21% 12 of 55 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Adrian Yañez 0 16 of 46 34% 16 of 46 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Ricky Simón 0 15 of 35 42% 23 of 45 2 of 3 66% 0 0 2:06
Adrian Yañez 0 15 of 29 51% 16 of 30 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
3 Ricky Simón 0 17 of 49 34% 17 of 49 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Adrian Yañez 1 40 of 94 42% 41 of 95 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:06
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Ricky Simón 44 of 139 31% 33 of 121 7 of 13 4 of 5 38 of 132 2 of 2 4 of 5
Adrian Yañez 71 of 169 42% 63 of 159 6 of 8 2 of 2 67 of 156 0 of 0 4 of 13
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Ricky Simón 12 of 55 21% 9 of 48 1 of 4 2 of 3 12 of 55 0 of 0 0 of 0
Adrian Yañez 16 of 46 34% 15 of 45 1 of 1 0 of 0 16 of 46 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Ricky Simón 15 of 35 42% 13 of 31 1 of 3 1 of 1 9 of 28 2 of 2 4 of 5
Adrian Yañez 15 of 29 51% 13 of 26 2 of 3 0 of 0 15 of 29 0 of 0 0 of 0
3 Ricky Simón 17 of 49 34% 11 of 42 5 of 6 1 of 1 17 of 49 0 of 0 0 of 0
Adrian Yañez 40 of 94 42% 35 of 88 3 of 4 2 of 2 36 of 81 0 of 0 4 of 13
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Mar 22, 2026 (6 days before fight)
Ricky Simón

Angelo picks Ricky Simon because he believes Simon's relentless pressure and wrestling will negate Yanez's technical striking. He notes that Simon's takedown defense was exposed against Honey Balcelos, but Balcelos is a high-level wrestler, while Yanez has no offensive takedowns. Angelo also mentions the hometown advantage and the possibility of a close decision, but expects Simon's wrestling to be effective enough to secure the win.

"I think Ricky's pressure is going to negate the technical striking. I think he's going to open up the takedowns."
BI
Big Brady Expert Hesitant picked Mar 23, 2026 (5 days before fight)
Ricky Simón

Big Brady picks Ricky Simón to win by decision, but he is hesitant. He notes that Simón has been on a three-fight losing streak and his cardio and wrestling have declined. However, he believes Simón's wrestling upside is key, as Adrian Yañez has not faced a wrestler in the UFC. Simón is the hometown fighter, and Brady thinks he can mix in takedowns, cage push, and win minutes in the clinch to secure a decision.

Simón by decision
"I think Ricky Simón can cage push here, win minutes in the clinch. I think he can mix in the takedowns, and I think he wins this fight by decision."
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Lean picked Mar 25, 2026 (3 days before fight)
Adrian Yañez

Cody picks Yanez, believing his striking and takedown defense will be enough to win rounds. He's concerned about Simon's hometown advantage but thinks Yanez lands the more significant shots.

"My official pick is actually Adrian Yanez."
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Hesitant picked Mar 27, 2026 (1 day before fight)
Adrian Yañez

Connor picks Yañez, thinking that Simón doesn't want to win just by holding someone down and will engage in the pocket, where Yañez can catch him. He notes that Simón is square and takes his eyes off the target, and Yañez has power.

"I'm going to take Yanya's."
DA
Daniel Vreeland Expert Confident picked Mar 24, 2026 (4 days before fight)
Adrian Yañez

Daniel believes Yanez's boxing and takedown defense will be too much for Simon, who he thinks is past his best. He cites sources saying Yanez is sharp again and likes the underdog value.

"I'm picking Adrian Yanez as an underdog pick here at UFC Seattle."
DI
Diary of a Pro Gambler Expert Confident picked Mar 28, 2026 (fight day)
Ricky Simón

The host picks Simón despite his poor fight IQ and tendency to strike instead of wrestle. He argues that Simón's wrestling is his path to victory, and Yanez's takedown defense is inflated because he has only faced strikers. Footage from Yanez's fight against Daniel Marcos shows he can be taken down and held down easily. However, the host warns that Simón may not commit to grappling, making this a risky bet.

Pass on fight spread and over/under; odds not favorable.
"If you came to me and you said, 'Hey Chris, I've got a crystal ball... I can promise you Ricky Simon will grapple his dick off for 15 minutes nonstop.' I'd be like, 'Great. Let's bet 100 units on Simon.'"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Mar 24, 2026 (4 days before fight)
Adrian Yañez

The host sees Yañez as the better striker with good takedown defense and getups, allowing him to keep the fight standing. He believes Yañez's striking edge and reach advantage will allow him to piece up Simón, and he even suggests Yañez might score a knockout. He notes Simón's reliance on power and wrestling, but thinks Yañez can avoid the big shots and find a finish.

knockout
"I still think that Yanz will showcase his striking in edge here, which is why I like him as a plus uh 125 dog. I think so much so that he might even be able to uncor a big knockout …"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Lean picked Mar 25, 2026 (3 days before fight)
Ricky Simón

Paul leans Simon, citing his wrestling and hometown crowd. He thinks Simon's control time could sway judges, especially with the Seattle crowd.

"I think Simon wins this fight."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Mar 27, 2026 (1 day before fight)
Ricky Simón

The MMA Guru picks Ricky Simón, noting his improved demeanor and grappling ability. He believes Simón is well-rounded enough to grapple his way to a decision victory. He criticizes Adrian Yañez's recent performances, pointing out losses to Rob Font and Daniel Marcos, and suggests Yañez struggles against capable opponents. He expects Simón to mix in grappling and land good shots on the feet.

"I'm going to go with Ricky Simone. He looks mean for this one."
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Hesitant picked Mar 27, 2026 (1 day before fight)
Ricky Simón

Zane picks Simón for the wrestling, noting that Simón has shown more interest in keeping people down recently. He is hesitant because Yañez has good defensive wrestling and is a higher output fighter, but he thinks Simón's wrestling will be the difference in a close fight.

"I think I'm going to take Ricky Simone here for the wrestling."
LOSS vs Raoni Barcelos
Decision R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Bonfim vs. Brown · Nov 08, 2025
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Ricky Simón 0 67 of 181 37% 77 of 191 0 of 6 0% 0 1 1:25
Raoni Barcelos 0 82 of 187 43% 86 of 194 1 of 8 12% 0 0 0:09
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Ricky Simón 0 24 of 52 46% 34 of 62 0 of 2 0% 0 1 0:45
Raoni Barcelos 0 16 of 33 48% 19 of 39 1 of 3 33% 0 0 0:09
2 Ricky Simón 0 16 of 47 34% 16 of 47 0 of 3 0% 0 0 0:40
Raoni Barcelos 0 32 of 71 45% 33 of 72 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:00
3 Ricky Simón 0 27 of 82 32% 27 of 82 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Raoni Barcelos 0 34 of 83 40% 34 of 83 0 of 3 0% 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Ricky Simón 67 of 181 37% 57 of 165 9 of 15 1 of 1 58 of 170 3 of 4 6 of 7
Raoni Barcelos 82 of 187 43% 53 of 150 19 of 24 10 of 13 80 of 184 2 of 3 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Ricky Simón 24 of 52 46% 20 of 46 4 of 6 0 of 0 16 of 42 2 of 3 6 of 7
Raoni Barcelos 16 of 33 48% 9 of 26 3 of 3 4 of 4 15 of 31 1 of 2 0 of 0
2 Ricky Simón 16 of 47 34% 13 of 44 2 of 2 1 of 1 15 of 46 1 of 1 0 of 0
Raoni Barcelos 32 of 71 45% 21 of 57 8 of 9 3 of 5 32 of 71 0 of 0 0 of 0
3 Ricky Simón 27 of 82 32% 24 of 75 3 of 7 0 of 0 27 of 82 0 of 0 0 of 0
Raoni Barcelos 34 of 83 40% 23 of 67 8 of 12 3 of 4 33 of 82 1 of 1 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Raoni Barcelos vs. Ricky Simon
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Simon (-160); Barcelos (+130)

Round 1
Sticking to the bantamweight division but flipping over to men, a pair of relative elder statesmen in the promotion come to blows with hopes of pushing their unlikely win streaks one step forward. Some six and a half years after getting wasted by Urijah Faber and totally written off, Simon (22-6, 10-5 UFC) has gone on a pair of respectable runs since then. The same can be said for 38-year-old Barcelos (20-5, 9-4 UFC), who once had a rough patch where he dropped four of five. Someone’s fortuitous stretch is about to crash into the proverbial wall, and referee Keith Peterson will follow the athletes every step of the nonsense-free way. Fists are bumped before they are traded.
Simon sprints to the center of the cage and looses a head kick that goes wide. He pushes out a front kick, and Barcelos whizzes past him with a fireball of a right hand. Barcelos jabs the body and allows Simon to leap at him, staying out of range so there is no strike to come from it. Simon sticks the Brazilian and moves, and Barcelos strides forward and is belted with an uppercut. Barcelos takes it well, and the two consider grappling but bail on it to brawl it out. Both men are putting everything into their swings, and Barcelos clips Simon and then shoots in for a double. Simon scrambles wildly and flips Barcelos over, where he starts smacking Barcelos around with high-arcing hammerfists.
Simon lashes out with elbows while Barcelos keeps him contained with butterfly hooks, and both men trade while in a horizontal position until Barcelos kicks off to stand up. Simon reaches him at the end of a right hand, and Barcelos wings on the overhand right counter. Simon dings the Brazilian with a one-two, and his jab is money. Barcelos smashes Simon in the face with a ruthless right hand, and somehow Simon not only sticks with it but returns fire with an uppercut that nearly lifts his man off the ground. Both men are no worse for wear from the mighty exchange, and Simon tries to sneak in a head kick that is blocked in time. Barcelos opens up upstairs with a pair of punches, and Simon backs him off with jabs. Barcelos tries to take the fight down, and he abandons it to slash out with an elbow up top. A final Simon takedown is blocked to end what was a close, tense round.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Barcelos
Devin Tejada scores the round: 10-9 Simon
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Barcelos

Round 2
Barcelos starts off the round with a double jab and a right hand up top. Simon swings back with a huge overhand right, and Barcelos ducks it and plants a right on the jaw. Barcelos times a thumping calf kick and overswings on a right hand while chasing the man, and Simon knees him in the jaw. Barcelos digs a left to the body, and Simon’s quick kick and right hand greet him in rapid succession. Barcelos scrapes the side of his uppercut off the head, and he drops down for a low single and hurls Simon to a knee. Simon scrambles out of reach and gets back to his feet, only for Barcelos to ring his bell with a crisp uppercut and a power right hand. Barcelos crashes into his foe with a leaping uppercut, and Simon tries to time a double when he lands. Simon pushes Barcelos up against the wire, but the sprawl of Barcelos prevents the Washington native from going anywhere. Barcelos escapes with little more than a knee to the belly, and he allows Simon to circle all the way around him so he can find his angle in. Simon lands first with a right, but Barcelos connects last and the heavier of the two.
Barcelos goes to the body and then head, and he scoops Simon up and deposits him gingerly on the canvas. Simon jumps right back up, and Barcelos does not mind as he can trade hands with his foe. Simon scores an uppercut, and Barcelos reaches him with three punches over the guard. A naked leg kick from Simon is met with a two-punch salvo, and Barcelos rips a right to the body to punctuate the combo. Simon counters a low kick with a right hand, and Barcelos stands firm and jacks him in the jaw with a right hand and an uppercut. Simon dances and keeps Barcelos guessing with awkward movement, entries and exits that rely on speed and potshots with evasive movement. They both shoot at the same time and clash heads like bulls, and proceed to trade punches and kicks to end what is another tight round.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Barcelos
Devin Tejada scores the round: 10-9 Barcelos
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Barcelos

Round 3
The final round opens with the Brazilian pushing the pace. He watches Simon attack and sways to dodge everything but an uppercut, and he storms back to nail Simon with a one-two that forces a takedown shot. Barcelos sits down on a right hand, Simon replies, and Barcelos comes over the top. Barcelos leaps in and lands a right after Simon’s strike connects on him, and Simon’s jab has bloodied the bridge of the Brazilian’s beak. Barcelos rubs his nose and busts Simon in the chops with a stiff right hand. Simon’s one-two also scores, but Barcelos still has the power edge and is putting more strikes together.
Both men go back and forth with their offensive offerings, with Simon just missing an uppercut when Barcelos ducked down. Barcelos jams a knee to the body, and he plants his shin on the side of Simon’s lead leg. Barcelos drops down for a snatch single, and he releases it and busts open Simon’s nose with power punches. Barcelos follows a punch with a high kick, and then goes back to a one-two. Simon’s stabbing jab is effective, as is his overhand right and uppercut to follow, but Barcelos stuns him when landing flush. Barcelos’ rights have Simon’s attention, and Simon tries to walk him down to attack the liver but finds himself in a slugfest. Barcelos goes after a double and bails on it to come back with an elbow, and knees fly from both men effectively after. Simon steps in with a sharp elbow, and both fighters unload their gas tanks and swing for the bleachers. Simon takes a kick in the face and screams for Barcelos to keep engaging, and they bang it out to the bell.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Barcelos (30-27 Barcelos)
Devin Tejada scores the round: 10-9 Barcelos (29-28 Barcelos)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Barcelos (30-27 Barcelos)

The Official Result
Raoni Barcelos def. Ricky Simon via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Nov 2, 2025 (6 days before fight)
Ricky Simón

Angelo picks Ricky Simon because of his non-stop wrestling pace and power in his hands. He believes even if Raoni Barcelos has early takedown defense, Simon's relentless pressure will eventually get takedowns. He notes that Barcelos is aging and that wrestlers are not spectacular off their backs.

"I'm still picking Ricky here. I feel pretty good about it. Ricky's wrestling is non-stop, so even if Haney has early takedown defense, I don't think it's going to remain throughout 15 full minutes."
BI
Big Brady Expert Lean picked Nov 7, 2025 (1 day before fight)
Raoni Barcelos

Big Brady struggles with this pick, noting Simón has looked awful in recent fights and may be slowing down due to accumulated damage. He thinks Barcelos has better striking and both have questionable chins. He leans with the 38-year-old Barcelos to win by decision, but admits it's a sketchy pick.

decision
"I'm going to lean with the 38-year-old and Barcelos to win this fight by decision, but this is one that's definitely sketching me out a little bit."
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Nov 5, 2025 (3 days before fight)
Raoni Barcelos

Cody picks Barcelos, citing his takedown defense, BJJ black belt, and superior boxing volume. He thinks Simón's wrestling will be neutralized and Barcelos will outwork him over three rounds.

"Overall after 15 minutes, Ronnie Barcelos should have the bigger and greater body of work. So he should get the nod in my opinion and I'm gonna pick him."
LU
Lucrative James Expert Confident picked Nov 2, 2025 (6 days before fight)
Ricky Simón

Lucrative James is confident in Ricky Simón, going against the market. He believes Simón's wrestling and cardio advantage will be key, as Barcelos ages and has shown a deteriorating chin and gas tank. He expects Simón to mix takedowns and land big overhands, possibly finishing Barcelos. He also notes Barcelos has been hurt in recent fights.

"I'm going to pick Ricky Simone. I think Ricky Simone can hurt and actually finish Barcelos on the feet with big overhands."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Nov 6, 2025 (2 days before fight)
Ricky Simón

The host acknowledges Barcelos is the better striker on paper, but believes Simón's wrestling, athleticism, speed, and power will be decisive. He expects Simón to find a big shot and knock Barcelos out.

Knockout
"I believe Barcelos is the better striker on paper, but Simone is the better wrestler and closer to his prime. And I think that should allow him to utilize his athleticism advantage, speed advantage, and power edge."
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Lean picked Nov 5, 2025 (3 days before fight)
Raoni Barcelos

Paul sees it as a 50/50 fight but likes Barcelos at plus money. He thinks if Simón can't get takedowns, Barcelos's striking and experience will carry him.

"Rowdy at plus 140, plus 150 seems like a decent little shot."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Nov 6, 2025 (2 days before fight)
Ricky Simón

The Guru picks Ricky Simón to win by first-round TKO. He believes Simón's well-rounded game and explosiveness will overwhelm the aging Barcelos, who relies on exploiting specific weaknesses. He notes Simón has no glaring holes in his grappling or pressure defense, unlike Barcelos's previous opponents.

round 1 TKO
"I'm going to go Ricky Simone getting this one done by a TKO finish in the first round."
Decision R3 5:00 · UFC on ESPN: Usman vs. Buckley · Jun 14, 2025
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Ricky Simón 0 34 of 74 45% 50 of 94 3 of 10 30% 0 0 9:13
Cameron Smotherman 0 29 of 99 29% 33 of 104 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:02
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Ricky Simón 0 7 of 13 53% 19 of 27 1 of 2 50% 0 0 4:27
Cameron Smotherman 0 1 of 6 16% 3 of 8 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Ricky Simón 0 16 of 31 51% 20 of 37 1 of 1 100% 0 0 2:56
Cameron Smotherman 0 11 of 37 29% 12 of 38 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
3 Ricky Simón 0 11 of 30 36% 11 of 30 1 of 7 14% 0 0 1:50
Cameron Smotherman 0 17 of 56 30% 18 of 58 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:02
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Ricky Simón 34 of 74 45% 22 of 62 4 of 4 8 of 8 28 of 62 4 of 6 2 of 6
Cameron Smotherman 29 of 99 29% 23 of 89 5 of 9 1 of 1 25 of 94 4 of 5 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Ricky Simón 7 of 13 53% 5 of 11 0 of 0 2 of 2 4 of 7 3 of 3 0 of 3
Cameron Smotherman 1 of 6 16% 0 of 5 0 of 0 1 of 1 1 of 6 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Ricky Simón 16 of 31 51% 8 of 23 3 of 3 5 of 5 14 of 28 0 of 0 2 of 3
Cameron Smotherman 11 of 37 29% 9 of 35 2 of 2 0 of 0 10 of 36 1 of 1 0 of 0
3 Ricky Simón 11 of 30 36% 9 of 28 1 of 1 1 of 1 10 of 27 1 of 3 0 of 0
Cameron Smotherman 17 of 56 30% 14 of 49 3 of 7 0 of 0 14 of 52 3 of 4 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Ricky Simon vs. Cameron Smotherman
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Simon (-440), Smotherman (+340)

Round 1
On short notice, Simon (21-6, 9-5 UFC) now stands across the cage from high-flying Fury FC product Smotherman (12-5, 1-1 UFC). Simon was initially expected to battle Charles Jourdain, but it is what it is now. The bantamweights will be joined in the cage by referee Blake Grice, who claps them in as they choose to tap their gloves together. Smotherman jabs and low kicks, and Simon does the same. Simon turns his hips into one thudding kick, and he suddenly goes high with a kick that Smotherman barely blocks in time. Both swipe at the other with hooks, and Simon drops levels, stutter-steps and shoots for a single-leg takedown. Simon lifts Smotherman all the way in the air and chucks him to the mat, where Smotherman is quick to sit up against the wire. Simon hooks one leg in and starts peppering Smotherman with free left hands, and Smotherman is stuck unable to get back up. When Smotherman attempts to stand, Simon wrenches him back down again. Simon isolates Smotherman’s left arm in pursuit of a kimura, and Smotherman gives up position to defend against it. Simon takes advantage of this to step into full mount, and he allows Smotherman to turn over so he can start fishing for a rear-naked choke. Simon cannot get his hooks in, so Smotherman is able to fight back to his feet with about 30 seconds left in the round. Simon leans on him against the wire, kneeing him in the side of the head while trying to drag Smotherman back down. Simon rides out the round squeezing.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Simon
Devin Tejada scores the round: 10-9 Simon
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Simon

Round 2
Smotherman takes the center of the cage and marches forward to start off the second round, looking for a hook that he cannot find yet. Simon loops a right hand around the guard and plunks the front leg with a kick, and he dodges the counter to weave a right hand up top. Simon kicks the front leg and keeps his guard up to block the right hand aimed down the pipe, and he walks into a pair of punches but does not budge. Instead, Simon leaps in the air with a knee, and he lands and grabs hold of a double. Simon tackles Smotherman to his back, placing himself in half guard while exerting heavy shoulder pressure. Simon flattens his man out when Smotherman tries to buck and twist to get out, and he slashes down with a pair of elbows. Simon leans back a slight amount to wrap his arm around Smotherman’s neck, either for a guillotine setup or to push Smotherman down. Simon spins around to grab his foe from behind, and Smotherman stands back up in the process. Simon leans on Smotherman from the back while jamming Smotherman against the wall, and Smotherman starts chattering towards the grapple-heavy adversary. Simon ignores it and continues to embrace the grind, transitioning a single to a double and back to a single. Smotherman looks for a standing ninja choke, but Simon wriggles his neck out without concern. “The Baby-Faced Killer” drives a knee down the middle, and when it succeeds, he goes for another. Simon shrugs them off and loops a right hand up top and a left to the liver. Simon narrowly avoids a looping right hand as he scores a low kick, and Smotherman’s final strike of the round is a front kick to the chest. Grice has to get between the two when the horn sounds, ushering them back to their corners. Smotherman does not appear to be a happy man right now.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Simon
Devin Tejada scores the round: 10-9 Simon
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Simon

Round 3
Smotherman is fired up between rounds, and he starts throwing hands and grins when Simon obliges him. Simon takes a jab on the forehead and showboats while dodging the two follow-ups, looking away from the swinging Texan. Simon clips Smotherman with a right hand on the temple, and he grabs hold of Smotherman in a body lock and throws him to his knees. Smotherman powers back up to his feet, but Simon is a dog with a bone as he tries to go from a double to a single to a body lock. Simon pursues a double again when the other efforts fail, and Smotherman’s defense holds up even as he is stuck against the wire. Smotherman pushes off a knee, forcing Simon to wing two punches and shoot in for a double that finally succeeds. Smotherman is placed on his seat, and Simon holds him down and keeps his arms wrapped around a single to keep him in place. Smotherman still gets back to his feet, and he shakes Simon up with an elbow. Smotherman walks him down, firing a left to the body and a right to the head. When Simon counters, Smotherman hits him with a step-in knee. Simon eats a left hook to fire one back, and his right hand gets Smotherman’s attention and tells him it will not be as easy as walking through him with heavy fists. Simon shoots hard for a single, and Smotherman responds with a ninja choke and backs himself to the fencing. Simon is completely unfazed by the submission attempt, not budging and instead pressing on Smotherman until Smotherman bails on it. Smotherman breaks out of the takedown attempt and clinch to drive a pair of lefts to the liver and temple. Simon jabs to beat him to the punch a few times, and Smotherman is winding up with everything he has with his right hand. Simon is able to intercept him when he launches those missiles, slipping the most dangerous of the punches and hitting Smotherman back. Smotherman jabs to the body with the ball of his foot, winging a left to the same spot and a right up top. Simon shrugs at him, but he got stung with the power strikes. Smotherman unloads with pure power, tagging Simon a few times and eating some responsive blows until time expires.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Simon (30-27 Simon)
Devin Tejada scores the round: 10-9 Smotherman (29-28 Simon)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Smotherman (29-28 Simon)

The Official Result
Ricky Simon def. Cameron Smotherman via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Jun 13, 2025 (1 day before fight)
Ricky Simón

The Guru picks Ricky Simón, noting he is 'barely a favorite' and sees value. He highlights Simón's momentum from a KO win over Javid Basharat and his power in the pocket. He criticizes Smotherman's quick turnaround after a loss where he took damage, and trusts Simón's fundamentals and grappling options.

"I actually think this is really good odds for Ricky Simone. He's barely a favorite here. I know he's stepping up and you know Cameron Smotherman lost his last fight and he's stepping in and this is a bit of …"
CANCEL vs Charles Jourdain
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Jun 8, 2025 (6 days before fight)
Ricky Simón

Angelo picks Ricky Simón because of his relentless wrestling and cardio. He believes Charles does not have good enough takedown defense to stop multiple shots. He notes that Ricky's losses are to top competition and he is consistent.

"This should be Ricky all day long."
KO R1 3:58 · UFC Fight Night: Cejudo vs. Song · Feb 22, 2025
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Ricky Simón 1 11 of 21 52% 18 of 29 1 of 3 33% 0 0 1:16
Javid Basharat 0 20 of 36 55% 21 of 38 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:01
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Ricky Simón 1 11 of 21 52% 18 of 29 1 of 3 33% 0 0 1:16
Javid Basharat 0 20 of 36 55% 21 of 38 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:01
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Ricky Simón 11 of 21 52% 9 of 19 1 of 1 1 of 1 9 of 18 1 of 2 1 of 1
Javid Basharat 20 of 36 55% 12 of 27 7 of 7 1 of 2 20 of 36 0 of 0 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Ricky Simón 11 of 21 52% 9 of 19 1 of 1 1 of 1 9 of 18 1 of 2 1 of 1
Javid Basharat 20 of 36 55% 12 of 27 7 of 7 1 of 2 20 of 36 0 of 0 0 of 0
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Hesitant picked Feb 16, 2025 (6 days before fight)
Javid Basharat

Angelo picks Javid Basharat but is hesitant because of Javid's frustratingly passive performance in his last fight. He acknowledges Ricky Simón's relentless wrestling pressure and cardio could sway judges if Javid is too patient. He trusts Javid's takedown defense and superior striking, but admits it's hard to be confident given Javid's tendency to stare.

"Javid is going to be the pick... I'm going to chill though because if I had to trust one of these two to stick to something, it actually would be Ricky."
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Feb 17, 2025 (5 days before fight)
Javid Basharat

Big Brady picks Javid Basharat despite not loving the -300 price tag. He notes that Ricky Simón looks washed at only 32, with poor recent performances against Vinicius Oliveira, Mario Bautista, and Song Yadong. He believes Simón needs to wrestle for 15 minutes but doubts he can take down or hold down Basharat. He predicts Basharat wins by decision.

by decision
"I got to pick bosra and I got to pick him to win by decision"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Feb 20, 2025 (2 days before fight)
Javid Basharat

The host notes Simón is on a three-fight losing streak and faces a tough opponent in Basharat, who has stellar takedown defense and superior striking. He expects Basharat to pick Simón apart from distance and win on the scorecards.

"look for bashat to utilize has Stellar takedown defense and in a superior striking game picking in part Ricky Simone from distance and winning this fight on the scorecards"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Feb 21, 2025 (1 day before fight)
Javid Basharat

The Guru feels Ricky Simón has lost his mojo, citing recent losses where he was walked down. He believes Basharat is at a level similar to Victor Henry and will outpoint Simón in a striking fight. He doesn't see Simón overpowering Basharat in grappling or striking, predicting a decision win for Basharat.

"I'm gonna have to go with Javid basharat I can only imagine he's taking his foot off the pedal when it comes to training"
DEC R3 5:00 · UFC 303: Pereira vs. Prochazka 2 · Jun 29, 2024
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Ricky Simon vs. Vinicius Oliveira
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Simon (-218), Oliveira (+180)

Round 1
At long last, UFC 303 is upon us, but not how many would have hoped. In the weeks prior to the event, the final three bouts on the lineup transformed dramatically. Before we get to those, there will be 10 other matchups pleasing fight fans throughout the billing, with some fascinating stylistic clashes and others that promise immediate violence. We start off in the bantamweight division, where perennial contender Simon (20-5, 8-4 UFC) looks to get back in the win column after a rare skid. He faces high-flying Brazilian Oliveira (20-3, 1-0 UFC), who has seen 19 of his 23 pro outings end by knockout, win or lose. Referee Mark Smith is on call for the first fight of the night, geared up for what could be something wild. There is no fist bump to get things going, perhaps in part to the fiery weigh-ins the night before. The two feint and fake at one another in the opening 20 seconds, and Oliveira lunges for a few strikes but misses the mark. Oliveira prods out a front kick to the midsection and skirts away, his hands low as he aims a low calf kick. Simon reaches him with two punches up top, and Oliveira slips away from the rest. The Brazilian misses the mark with a jumping front kick, but his leg kick that follows does connect. Simon rushes him to get off a few punches before evading the counter. Oliveira uses his front kick as a jab, and he follows one with a rifling one-two down the middle. Oliveira switches stances regularly, keeping Simon guessing and flicking out a sharp left and a heavy right. Simon keeps his guard up to defend the worst of the blows, and he slams a low kick on the rear shin before crashing the pocket to sling “Lok Dog” to the canvas. Oliveira jumps right back up and stabs out a right hand that gets Simon’s attention, and Simon tags him with a counter that makes Oliveira drop his hands and march forward like a Terminator. Oliveira lets Simon have it with a number of unanswered leg kicks, and he whiffs on a head kick. Simon gets off a right hand, and Oliveira jabs him back. Oliveira walks through jabs, taking one on the nose and shrugging his shoulders before loosing a head kick that pounds into the guard. Oliveira gets off another head kick that nails the guard, and Simon dips down and lands a body shot that skips off the cup. Oliveira signals to Smith that he is fine, and he gets back to a stalking mode where his hands are low and he is swinging hard. Simon rushes at him to tie him up, but Oliveira wants nothing to do with it. Simon times a right hand as Oliveira ducks, and Oliveira shakes it off and tosses out two kicks. Simon snaps the head back as a gob of saliva launches from the mouth of “Lok Dog,” and they trade hands until the horn sounds.
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Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Oliveira
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Oliveira
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Oliveira

Round 2
Oliveira marches out of his corner, shouting something at Simon to get started. Oliveira’s hands low, he engages in a brief slugfest, and a left hand from Simon smashes into his ear and breaks open the cauliflower, resulting in a trickle of blood streaming down his neck. Oliveira laughs off anything Simon throws at him and lobs back hooks, and the two end up in the clinch until “Lok Dog” wants to push off and swing hands. Simon shoots through the hips with a solid double-leg takedown entry, and he lands on top comfortably. Oliveira keeps moving, and he scrambles back to his feet without issue. Simon ducks a punch and lifts Oliveira off the ground to slam him down to a knee, and when Oliveira tries to recover, Simon looks to take his back standing. Simon lets loose with a sharp elbow from a close proximity, and Oliveira pushes off and takes a deep breath. The punches from the Brazilian are labored less than two minutes into the second round, although his leg kicks do keep landing. Oliveira is frustrated about a warning to close his fingers, and he snaps out a jab that draws a frown from the Washington native. Simon looks for his own jab, all while trying to meander around the unorthodox looping punches from “Lok Dog.” Oliveira goes all power, and Simon blocks the strikes and drives him back with a few straight punches and a body shot. Simon attempts a takedown, and Oliveira stonewalls him and pursues a spinning wheel kick that Simon evades. Oliveira chains several strikes together including a few leg kicks, and he stumbles and returns to his feet to keep attacking. A few punches from Oliveira get through to shake up Simon, who escapes out the side and whips a head kick at the Brazilian’s melon. Oliveira takes it without issue and swings back with bad intentions, and he defends a takedown shot and uses rangy strikes to get to Simon. As Oliveira lazily tosses out calf kicks, Simon checks a few, and Oliveira staggers back, compromised from the defense. Simon rushes at him, letting his hands go. The two trade leather until the bell rings, and Simon barks at his opponent. Oliveira does not know what to do when hearing this, and he punches Simon in the face well after the round ended. Smith drags him to the corner while shouting at him, and cooler heads prevail to get to the third round.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Oliveira
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Oliveira
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Oliveira

Round 3
Physicians come in to assess the damage of Oliveira’s leg, and he is cleared to continue. Oliveira rushes out of his corner once more, but this time, Simon meets him in the middle to trade with him. Simon ducks the punch and lets go with a kick, and he engages in a back-and-forth session of strikes with him coming out slightly better. Simon pushes Oliveira back, and he checks a kick as Oliveira shakes his head uncomfortably. Simon leads off with punches, and Oliveira pushes off and a finger jabs into Simon’s eye. Oliveira shakes his finger as if to say it was from a punch, and Smith does not call anything. Simon fails on one takedown attempt, and his second is much deeper but he is spun around on the fence. Oliveira breaks free and jabs out with a front kick, circling to the left and switching stances regularly. Oliveira sticks out several jabs in an effort to launch a big right hand to follow, and he jabs the body and starts showboating and raising his hands to signal for Simon to fight him. Oliveira blocks a head kick and gives him one back, and he motions to Simon that his was much more effective. Oliveira walks Simon down, backing off only to block the offense his way, and he loops a left hand over the top. When Oliveira lets go with two punches, Simon shoots in for a double, and “Lok Dog” shuts it down and strings a number of punches and a kick together. Simon cannot reach his man, and Oliveira tags him back and raises his arms in the air to celebrate. Oliveira lands a few shots and looks over to his corner in a Max Holloway-esque display, and he decides to change things up and take Simon down. Oliveira backs off to stand back up, and he uses several unusual strikes including a kick behind his other leg to mess with Simon. Oliveira lands a head kick right at the bell, and the two stop fighting and hug it out to squash any beef that may have developed between them.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Oliveira (30-27 Oliveira)
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Oliveira (30-27 Oliveira)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Oliveira (30-27 Oliveira)

The Official Result
Vinicius Oliveira def. Ricky Simon via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
LOSS vs Mario Bautista
DEC R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Ankalaev vs. Walker 2 · Jan 13, 2024
LOSS vs Song Yadong
KO/TKO R5 1:10 · UFC on ESPN: Song vs. Simon · Apr 29, 2023
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Ricky Simon vs. Yadong Song
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Simon (-115), Song (-105)

Round 1
This bantamweight clash was supposed to be a co-main event one week ago before UFC Fight Night 223 lost its originally scheduled headliner. Now Song and Simon get two extra rounds with which to work. Herb Dean gets the final officiating assignment of the night. Simon tests the waters with a high kick and front kick. Song defends without issue. Simon lands a leg kick as both fighters remain patient. Song sidesteps a takedown and lands a leg kick. Song steps in with a knee and misses a right hand. Song blocks a body kick and then lands a hard one of his own. Song catches a kick and Simon spins out of it. A 1-2 connects for Simon and Song responds with a leg kick. Simon doubles up on his jab and follows with a right. They clinch against the fence and battle for position before Simon shakes his foe off. Simon lands a clubbing right. A leg kick connects for Simon and Song smiles. A left lands for Song and then Simon can’t finish a takedown. Song avoids a level change and fires off punches as Simon moves out of danger. Another three-punch combo lands for Simon and Song answers with a leg kick. Simon sticks a jab before the end of the round.

Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Simon
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Simon
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Simon

Round 2
Song opens with a front kick to the midsection. He follows up with a leg kick and Simon backs him up with a combination. Simon lands another jab. Another jab for Simon gets through. Song backs up Simon with a powerful combination and Simon briefly falls to the canvas after a clash of heads. He quickly transitions to a double leg takedown, giving him time to recover. Song is able to scramble up in a hurry. Simon sticks his jab and Song responds with a hard right to the body. Song with a push kick down the middle and Simon circles away. A clean left hook catches Simon. Another hard left lands for Song, who seems to have found his timing. Simon backs up his foe with multiple jabs. Song pressures and swings heavy leather. Simon continues to work his jab, but Song is undeterred. Song lands a leg kick. Simon evades some jabs but Song lands a left to the liver. Simon eats a right but gets a takedown in the waning moments of the round. He unloads with a flurry of hammerfists from above while Song attacks from his back in a frantic final exchange.

Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Song
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Song
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Song

Round 3
Song kicks the lead leg and avoids a hook. Simon shoots for a takedown but Song stuffs it and they’re back at distance. Song tries to land another body shot during an exchange but it lands below the belt, and time is called. Simon needs less than a minute to recover and the fight resumes. Simon just dodges a head kick but Song does connect with a leg kick. Song with two more leg kicks. Simon jabs and follows with a takedown but Song easily evades it. Song misses a pair of high kicks but he digs a left hook to the body moments later. A right lands clean for Song. A left from Song puts Simon on wobbly legs, and he circles away. A right to the body finds a home for Simon. Song pressures with punches and Simon circles away. A right uppercut lands to the body for Song. Song misses a high kick followed by a spinning back fist. The round concludes with Song being warned by Dean for leading with his head.

Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Song
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Song
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Song

Round 4
Simon fires off a combination but Song dodges it. Song lands a leg kick. Simon hits a low kick of his own. Simon attempts a flying knee but Song shoves him back. Song then puts together a nice combination, landing to the body and head. Song sticks a jab then sprawls on a takedown. Simon resets and tries again, but yet again Song denies it. Song moves in with a left hook to the head, and Simon circles away. Song backs up Simon with a combination and then digs a hook to the body. Simon fires off a right hand and then a pair of leg kicks. Another right for Song. Song again lands a combination, but Simon answers with a jab. Song has a low kick checked. Simon moves forward behind his jab and Song answers with a body kick. Simon thinks about a takedown but Song is wise to it. Song with a right hook. Simon moves in with a straight left. Another jab lands for Simon. Song doubles up on his jab and follows with a right hand. Son lands a leg kick and sits Simon down with a left hand right at the horn. Song dives into top position as the round ends.

Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Song
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Song
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Song

Round 5
Simon will likely need something big to get the win. Simon jabs forward. Song lands a left hook to the body. A nicely timed overhand right stops Simon in his tracks. Shortly thereafter,
Song drops Simon with a left hook during an exchange. Song pounces on his reeling foe, unloading with heavy punches. Simon tries to scramble out of danger, but the barrage continues and he falls back to the canvas, still absorbing damage.
Finally, Dean has seen enough and steps in to wave off the bout.

The Official Result
Yadong Song def. Ricky Simon via TKO (Punches) R5 1:10
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident picked Apr 27, 2023 (2 days before fight)
Ricky Simón

Connor is impressed with Simón's rapid improvement, especially his boxing and wrestling integration since the Rob Font loss. He notes Simón's flexibility, ability to counter off the back foot, and scrambling prowess. However, he acknowledges Song's power and chin, and the risk of a knockout. He ultimately favors Simón due to Song's stagnation and Simón's adaptability.

Odds mentioned: Simón opened +104, dropped to -130, currently -115. Song opened -115, currently +122. Small cage noted as a factor helping Simón.
"I think Ricky Simone, there are a lot of opportunities on a one-note fighter like Song Yedong despite his physicality."
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Confident picked Apr 27, 2023 (2 days before fight)
Ricky Simón

Zane agrees with Connor, citing Simón's improvement and Song's plateau. He highlights Simón's wrestling threat and pace, and Song's tendency to throw everything hard and get tracked down. He notes Song's potential to knock Simón out but leans on Simón's recent performances and adaptability.

Same odds commentary as Connor.
"We're both picking Ricky Simone."