UFC ON ESPN 50: Cory Sandhagen vs Rob Font 08/05/2023 Predictions, Picks and Fight Preview

UFC ON ESPN 50: andhagen vs Font 08/05/2023 – Bantamweight contenders Cory Sandhagen and Rob Font square off in a 140-pound catchweight fight on Saturday, August 5, at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. The showdown serves as the main event of UFC on ESPN 50 with both fighters looking to extend their winning streak. Font is coming off a win over Adrian Yanez while Sandhagen steps into the octagon on a two-game winning streak. A victory would give them an opportunity to remain in contention for the world bantamweight title as Font is number seven in the 135-pound rankings while Sandhagen is three rungs higher at No4. Experts on online MMA betting picks Sandhagen as the most likely to win the clash despite Font’s vast MMA experience.

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Main Card

Cory Sandhagen

Sandhagen (16-4, 9-3 UFC) has provided excellent performances in the UFC since debuting in the promotion in January 2018. He was able to demonstrate his potential in a one-round flying knee knockout to former champion Frankie Edgar that handed him a Performance of the Night bonus. However, he has failed to prove himself in fights that mattered the most, as three of his UFC losses were to the division’s top guns. He lost via a one-round submission verdict to current 135-pound titlist Aljamain Sterling in a UFC bantamweight title eliminator and absorbed consecutive decision defeats to former champions TJ Dillashaw and Petr Yan. Sandhagen shook the cobwebs off those losses when he stopped Song Yadong in four rounds in September 2022. He returned to the octagon in March and scored a split decision victory over Marlon Vera.

In terms of statistics, Sandhagen has 10 stoppage wins (seven knockouts and three submissions) plus six decisions to his credit. He has not lost via knockout in his career but was forced to tap out in one bout. The rest of his defeats were by decision. Striking wise, the American has landed an average of 5.98 significant strikes per minute at an accuracy rate of 44%. He was able to evade some of the attempted strikes against him as his defense rate going into this clash is 57%. Sandhagen has absorbed 3.9 strikes per minute. Grappling is not the specialty of the Aurora, Colorado native as he his success rate is just 21% at an average of 0.89 takedowns per 15 minutes. His takedown defense, however, is solid at 64% but his submission average is only 0.3 per 15 minutes.

Rob Font

Font (20-6, 10-5 UFC) has been a veteran of 15 UFC fights and has won 10 of them. The Leominster, Massachusetts-born fighter is one of the top fighters in the 135-pound division as he is known for highlight-reel knockouts. Among his knockout victims in the UFC include Marlon Moraes, Thomas Almeida, George Roop and Adrian Yanez. Font’s exploits inside the octagon earned him six post-fight bonuses (four Performance of the Night and two Fight of the Night). In his last fight against Yanez, Font was able to land a picture-perfect shovel hook that put his rival to the canvas. The win halted his two-fight losing skid and kept his bantamweight contender rankings intact at No7.

In terms of statistics, Font has 13 stoppages (nine knockouts and four submissions) and seven decisions. Just like Sandhagen, he has never lost via knockout but had a loss by submission and the others were by decision. The 36-year-old fighter has landed 46% of his significant strike attempts at a rate of 6.46 strikes per minute. He was able to defend 56% of the strikes launched against him and absorbed 4.03 significant strikes per minute. Font has averaged 1.01 takedowns per 15 minutes at an accuracy rate of 36%. He has defended 55% of the takedowns attempted by his foes and his submission rate is 0.42 per 15 minutes.