UFC Fight Night results, highlights: Rob Font picks apart Cody Garbrandt for decision victory

Cody Garbrandt didn’t feed into his worst instincts against Rob Font in the main event of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night, keeping those flaws that sent the former bantamweight champion spiraling on a three-fight losing skid largely at bay. Even as he kept himself under control, Garbrandt’s effort was not enough as Font put on a striking clinic to take a clear decision victory in Las Vegas’ UFC Apex.

Garbrandt, a fighter who has long leaned on his knockout power, appeared to have entered the Octagon with a gameplan to instead focus on his wrestling background, scoring takedowns with ease in the opening round. Garbrandt was not able to keep Font down, however, and Font worked behind a tremendous jab to keep Garbrandt from ever getting comfortable on the feet.

Once the jab was established, it opened up every other strike in Font’s arsenal, including a crisp straight right hand that frequently snapped the former champion’s head back.

“He hurt me a couple times but I got my head together, stayed disciplined and stopped trying to look for the finish and stayed behind my jab,” Font said after the fight. “I said I have the best jab in the UFC and that’s for sure.”

That jab was the key to Font dominating on a statistical level, landing 180 significant strikes to just 62 from Garbrandt.

Garbrandt tried to fire back in desperate fifth-round flurries, but Font was able to survive a few late scares to cruise to the final scorecards, picking up his fourth straight victories by scores of 48-47, 50-45 and 50-45.

The win puts Font in the conversation for a future title shot at 135 pounds, which he said is something on his wish list, along with a fight with the winner of the upcoming bout between Cory Sandhagen and former champion TJ Dillashaw.

“I’ll be patient, have to see how the championship fight plays out,” Font said. “Then, Cory and TJ are fighting. I want to get in between any of those guys there, the winner of the TJ fight or get straight to the belt.”

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