Cory Sandhagen Suffocates Frustrated Rob Font in Lopsided UFC on ESPN 50 Headliner

Cory Sandhagen operated on a level to which Rob Font simply could not rise.

Well-timed takedowns, suffocating control and mild ground-and-pound spurred “The Sandman” to a unanimous decision over Font in the UFC on ESPN 50 headliner, as he took another step forward in the Ultimate Fighting Championship bantamweight division on Saturday at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. All three judges scored it 50-45 for Sandhagen (17-4, 10-3 UFC).

A late-notice replacement for Umar Nurmagomedov, Font (20-7, 10-6 UFC) made almost no headway. Sandhagen executed two takedowns in the first round, incorporated some ground-and-pound elbows and put a serious dent in his opponent’s resolve. The scene repeated itself again and again over the next 20 minutes. The flummoxed Font managed to get back to his feet late in rounds but appeared too tired and frustrated to offer a meaningful retort. Sandhagen completed his final takedown some 90 seconds into Round 5 and eventually framed a brabo choke, but when those efforts failed to produce a finish, he was content to settle for the decision.

Now on a run of three consecutive victories, Sandhagen may have positioned himself as the No. 1 contender in waiting at 135 pounds.

Suarez Guillotine Dismisses Andrade

“The Ultimate Fighter” Season 23 winner Tatiana Suarez kept her perfect professional record intact, as the burgeoning Millennia MMA star subdued Jessica Andrade with a guillotine choke in the second round of their women’s strawweight co-main event. A short-notice replacement for Virna Jandiroba, Andrade (24-11, 15-10 UFC) conceded defeat 1:31 into Round 2.

Suarez (10-0, 7-0 UFC) played it safe for much of the first round, though she managed to complete a takedown and scored with body kicks, jabs and knees to the head at various points. She was far more decisive in the middle stanza. There, she took down Andrade inside the first 50 seconds and caught the guillotine on an ensuing scramble.

Andrade will carry a three-fight losing streak into her next assignment.

Jacoby Snipes Favored Nzechukwu

Factory X rep Dustin Jacoby cut down fellow Dana White’s Contender Series graduate Kennedy Nzechukwu with punches in the first round of their light heavyweight feature. Nzechukwu (12-4, 6-4 UFC) succumbed to blows 82 seconds into Round 1, putting a stop to his three-fight winning streak.

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Jacoby (19-7-1, 7-4-1 UFC) circled away from the physically imposing 6-foot-5 Fortis MMA product and picked his shots with jabs and leg kicks. The two men exchanged punches at close range, and Nzechukwu hit the deck on the end of a picture-perfect counter right cross. Jacoby then followed up with rapid-fire hammerfists, prompting referee Gary Copeland to act.

The victory was Jacoby’s first since July 16, 2022.

Lopes Taps Returning Tucker

Lobo Gym export Diego Lopes dispatched ex-Extreme Cage Combat titleholder Gavin Tucker with a triangle armbar in the first round of their featherweight showcase. Competing for the first time in more than two years, Tucker (13-3, 4-3 UFC) bowed out 1:38 into Round 1.

Lopes (22-6, 1-1 UFC) found an opening and capitalized. Tucker swooped in on an attempted single-leg, only to be met by a flying triangle from the Mexico-based Brazilian. Lopes initially appeared to be closing in on the choke but recalibrated his efforts and instead turned his focus to the triangle armbar. He rolled into the maneuver, bent Tucker’s elbow beyond its bounds and forced the Canadian to raise the white flag.

Tucker, 37, had never before been submitted.

High-Output Boser Tames Camur

Former Unified MMA champion Tanner Boser excelled in the clinch and at range, as he was awarded a unanimous verdict over Strong Style Fight Team’s Aleksa Camur in a three-round light heavyweight attraction. All three members of the judiciary struck 30-27 scorecards for Boser (21-10-1, 5-5 UFC), who put an end to a two-fight losing streak.

In his first outing since June 19, 2021, Camur (6-3, 1-3 UFC) could not match the Canadian’s overwhelming volume in standup exchanges. Boser rang his bell more than once with hook-heavy combinations and opened multiple facial cuts with his work throughout the fight. He changed his pace with timely clinches, at which point he uncorked short-range elbows and punishing knee strikes. Camur held his own for much of the third round, only to watch it slip away when “The Bulldozer” cut loose with eight to 10 unasnwered hooks in the center of the cage.

Camur has suffered three straight defeats.

Klein Slows Bahamondes’ Ascent

Spartakus Fight Gym standout Ludovit Klein rebounded from a March 18 majority draw with Jai Herbert and took a unanimous decision from Ignacio Bahamondes in a three-round lightweight appetizer. Klein (20-4-1, 4-2-1 UFC) swept the scorecards with 30-27, 29-28 and 29-28 marks from the cageside judges.

Bahamondes (14-5, 3-2 UFC) paid the price for failing to use his height and reach advantages. Klein called upon crackling combinations on the feet, mixed in takedowns at opportune times and drew blood with some elbow-laced ground-and-pound. Bahamondes had his moments—he connected with a beautiful knee strike up the middle in the second round and threatened with a kneebar late in the third—but did not make the necessary adjustments to turn the tide in his favor. Klein cashed in on his shortcomings.

The loss closed the book on Bahamondes’ three-fight winning streak.