UFC Fight Night: Font vs. Garbrandt Full Fight Results

For all the UFC fans that didn’t know who Rob Font was, they do now! In a masterclass performance, Rob Font outboxed Cody Garbrandt in a five-round bantamweight main event in what ended up being a thrilling 12-fight card at UFC Vegas 27 on Saturday, May 22, at the Apex.

Carla Esparza set up a title shot with Rose Namajunas in the women’s strawweight division with a dominant win over Xiaonan Yan in the co-main event. The card featured eight decision, two knockouts and two submissions.

Matt and Craig both got back on the right track with picks as Matt went 9-3 and Craig 8-4, extending Matt’s lead on the year to nine. In two weeks, the UFC returns to the Apex for heavyweights Jairzinho Rozenstruik and Augusto Sakai on Saturday, June 5.

Results

Lightweight

Damir Ismagulov (-571) def. Rafael Alves by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Props: by decision (-120); over 2.5 (-198)

Matt’s pick: Ismagulov; Craig’s pick: Ismagulov

In a relatively straightforward bout, as the odds indicated, Damir Ismagulov worked behind a jab to control the fight and earn the win over debutant Rafael Alves. It was the first time in Ismagulov’s 4-0 UFC career in which he has lost a round.

Flyweight

David Dvorak (-583) def. Juancamilo Ronderos by submission (R1, 2:18)

Props: by submission (+608); under 1.5 (+155)

Matt’s pick: Dvorak; Craig’s pick: Dvorak

Thanks for stepping in, Juancamilo Ronderos. That was what David Dvorak’s early submission of the 24-hour short-notice replacement said. After connecting hard once on the feet, Dvorak locked in an impressive one-arm rear-naked choke to pick up his 16th victory in a row and third in the UFC. Ronderos, despite missing weight, has to be in the good graces of the UFC after saving this fight at the last minute after Raulian Paiva had to withdraw due to a bad weight cut.

Featherweight

Joshua Culibao (-250) def. Shayilan Nuerdanbieke by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Props: by decision (+131); over 2.5 (-173)

Matt’s pick: Culibao; Craig’s pick: Culibao

After thwarting several takedown attempts up against the cage in the first round, Joshua Culibao went to work on the feet against the UFC debutant Shayilan Nuerdeanbieke. Culibao connected hard on multiple occasions and worked the calf kick well on his way to a clear decision. It was Culibao’s first win in the UFC after drawing with Charles Jourdain in his last bout.

Flyweight

Bruno Silva (-400) def. Victor Rodriguez by knockout (R1, 1:00)

Props: by knockout (+113); under 1.5 (+114)

Matt’s pick: Silva; Craig’s pick: Silva

Boom! We might just have a flyweight contender on our hands in Bruno Silva, who connected on a massive right hand to knockout Victor Rodriguez just 60 seconds into the fight. He connected on a knee just moments before that perhaps weakened Rodriguez for the flush right hand that put him down. Silva is now 2-2 in the UFC with one no contest. Rodriguez losses his second fight in the promotion by first round knockout.

Welterweight

Court McGee (-102) def. Claudio Silva by unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 29-27)

Props: by decision (+173); over 2.5 (-182)

Matt’s pick: McGee; Craig’s pick: McGee

In a dominating performance, “The Crusher” Court McGee outgrappled Claudio Silva for three rounds to snap a three-fight skid and pick up his ninth win in the UFC. Claudio Silva connected on just one of his 10 takedown attempts in this exhausting grappling-heavy bout. The 38-year-old Silva is now a loser of two straight, dropping to 5-2 in the promotion.

Heavyweight

Ben Rothwell (-355) def. Chris Barnett by submission (R2, 2:07)

Props: by submission (+549); under 2.5 (-192)

Matt’s pick: Rothwell; Craig’s pick: Rothwell

An experienced veteran in Ben Rothwell showcased what it takes to win in the heavyweight division at the upper echelons of the sport, and debutant Chris Barnett didn’t have it Saturday. Rothwell pieced up a wildly swinging Barnett on the feet and eventually got an exhausted Barnett to tap to the guillotine. Rothwell moves to 9-7 in the promotion.

Middleweight

Jack Hermansson (-142) def. Edmen Shahbazyan by unanimous decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-27)

Props: by decision (+380); over 2.5 (+135)

Matt’s pick: Hermansson; Craig’s pick: Hermansson

After a very unsteady first round in which Edmen Shahbazyan looked great on the feet, Jack Hermansson finally got his takedown in the second round and settled into the fight. In the third round, he got an early takedown and absolutely obliterated Shahbazyan’s face from half guard. The 10-8 round sealed Hermansson’s eighth UFC victory. Shahbazyan moves to 4-2 in the promotion with losses in his last two.

Featherweight

Ricardo Ramos (+114) def. Bill Algeo by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

Props: by decision (+249); over 2.5 (-190)

Matt’s pick: Algeo; Craig’s pick: Algeo

As close a fight as you’ll ever get, each round could have been given to either fighter. Ricardo Ramos had eight takedowns in the fight, including one at the end of each round. He also attempted a few submissions that weren’t all that close to completion, but looked good to the judges. Bill Algeo had some success on the feet but was inconsistent in his his second loss in the UFC. Ramos improves to 6-2 in the promotion. For what it’s worth, six of the 13 panelists at mmadecisions.com scored it 29-28 Algeo. Another six scored it 29-28 Ramos.

Women’s Featherweight

Norma Dumont (+164) def. Felicia Spencer by split decision (30-27, 28-29, 29-28)

Props: by decision (+257); over 2.5 (-180)

Matt’s pick: Spencer; Craig’s pick: Spencer

In a very thin featherweight division, all it takes is one win to potentially get a matchup with the champ and Norma Dumont got that victory in a very tight decision over Felicia Spencer. Dumont was clearly the superior striker and won the first two rounds in two of the judges’ eyes with her work at range. But Felicia Spencer made it interesting by getting the fight to the canvas in the third. It’s Dumont’s second straight win as she moves to 2-1 in the UFC. Spencer drops to 2-3 in the promotion with losses in three of her last four.

Heavyweight

Jared Vanderaa (+158) def. Justin Tafa by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

Props: by decision (+501); over 2.5 (+168)

Matt’s pick: Vanderaa; Craig’s pick: Vanderaa

As far as unranked heavyweight fights go, this one was a banger. The two had several wild exchanges, even as blood poured across Jared Vanderaa (from a small cut on his head). Jared Vanderaa was the clear aggressor and landed more frequently, including stunning and nearly finishing Justin Tafa in the second round. Justin Tafa had his moments and can pack a punch, but he has now lost three of his four fights in the promotion. Vanderaa improves to 1-1 in the UFC.

Women’s Strawweight

Carla Esparza (+110) def. Xiaonan Yan by TKO (R2,

Props: by knockout (+1243); under 1.5 (+467)

Matt’s pick: Yan; Craig’s pick: Yan

Well this was a stunner! In an absolutely dominating performance, Carla Esparza worked her way to crucifix in the second round and unleashed elbows to an already bloody Xiaonan Yan to force Keith Peterson to stop the fight. It was Esparza’s third knockout victory as she won her fifth straight to improve to 9-4 in the UFC. It was Yan’s first defeat in the promotion, as she dropped to 6-1 in the promotion.

Bantamweight

Rob Font (-128) def. Cody Garbrandt by unanimous decision (48-47, 50-45, 50-45)

Props: by decision (+529); over 4.5 (+198)

Matt’s pick: Font; Craig’s pick: Garbrandt

We don’t use masterclass too often in these recaps, but Rob Font did exactly that. Landing nearly 200 strikes, the 33-year-old outstruck Cody Garbrandt from start to finish to earn his ninth UFC win and first in a main event. The fantastic performance put Font in the bantamweight title picture. Garbrandt has now lost four of his last five fights and falls to 7-4 in the UFC.

Scorecard

Total Fights: 12

Ended by decision: 8

Ended by submission: 2

Ended by knockout: 2

Matt’s picks: 9-3 (2021: 125-77-4); Craig’s picks: 8-4 (2021: 116-86-4)

Underdogs: 5-7

Biggest underdog winner: Norma Dumont (+164)

Biggest prop hit: Carla Esparza by knockout (+1243)

Performance bonuses ($50,000 each): Justin Tafa, Jared Vanderaa, Bruno Silva, Carla Esparza