Sandhagen vs Font LIVE UFC Coverage: Round by Round Results

UFC on ESPN 50 has reached its main event, it's time for Sandhagen vs Font! This is a battle of the bantamweights that you won't want to miss. With a combined 23 finishes between the two, coupled with the fact that neither Cory Sandhagen nor Rob Font have been knocked out, we've got a stellar matchup for our main event.

It's worth noting that this was originally supposed to be Sandhagen vs Umar Nurmagomedov. However, the injury bug reared its ugly head. Thankfully, we've got guys as game as Rob Font in the UFC. While it's truly a bummer that Umar isn't getting his chance to shine, we can't be too upset that we're getting Sandhagen vs Font as the marquee fight to substitute. With that being said, let's get into the action.

Sandhagen vs Font – What's on the Line?

Apr 8, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Rob Font (red gloves) fights Adrian Yanez (blue gloves) during UFC 287 at Miami-Dade Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rich Storry-USA TODAY Sports/Sipa USA – Photo by Icon sport

What's at stake for the titular UFC on ESPN 50 bout? Well, a win bonus sounds pretty nice, but there's much more than just that. Cory Sandhagen is sitting pretty at the number four spot in the UFC's bantamweight rankings. Rob Font is just outside of the top five, chilling at number seven.

This feels like a fight where the winner will stay/enter the top five, while the fighter that comes up short will be just in the peripherals of it. In a division with so many fighters that have a case for a title shot, a very impressive win could jump the line, but that's unlikely. Merab Dvalishvili is the clear number one contender, but he refuses to fight the current champion, Aljamain Sterling due to their friendship.

Sterling is fighting Sean O'Malley later this month; it seems that his plans afterward, win or lose, is to jump up to featherweight. That'll open up Dvalishvili fighting for the title, be it vacant or in the hands of O'Malley. So, where does the winner of Sandhagen vs Font sgo after this weekend?

The division's landscape is a very dynamic one; it's not farfetched to think that after this weekend, the winner will be in a number one contender's fight. There's a lot to win this weekend.

UFC on ESPN 50 Main Event – Sandhagen vs Font Live Results

Image Credit: SUSA/IconSport

Time for the action! In this five rounder, we'll see either Rob Font or Cory Sandhagen come out on top and make a case for them to be the next contender.

Round 1: Cory is switching stances a lot and he barely avoids an overhand right. Not even thirty seconds in, Sandhagen shoots for a takedown and gets it. The two bantamweights are scrambling and Rob is attacking submission after submission. Font uses the kimura trap to return to his feet and we're back to where we thought the fight would've been all along.

Font is making it work with his hands, so Cory scores another takedown. Rob is very active off of his back; he's either attacking submissions or sweeps. Cory has no time to relax, let along find openings. Not to look too into things that may not be there, but Font seems like the more confident striker. He catches a kick, takes Cory down and ends the round on top.

10-9 Sandhagen

Round 2: Once again, Sandhagen pulls Font into a takedown early into the round — three for three on the takedowns. He's working from the top and Rob is taking his time before moving now.  A lot of the round is Cory in top half guard with Rob on bottom with a single butterfly hook stopping Cory from achieving mount.

The crowd is becoming restless, perhaps a bit spoiled from some very exciting fights earlier on. This is a chess match, though. Per Jon Anik, Sandhagen has gained around eight minutes of control time by the end of round two.

10-9 Sandhagen

Round 3: We're getting a bit more in the standup department in the early goings of this round. Cory lands a jumping switch knee but then shoots and scores another takedown. Font's corner gave him some advice to get up from the bottom, let's see if he listens and shrimps out to get his second butterfly hook into play.

Sandhagen is perfectly fine sitting out these rounds from top half guard, and that's what he's doing halfway though the fight. Rob attempts another butterfly sweep, but his counterpart is privy to it at this point. With less than a minute left, Rob pushes his way up and the two end the round on the feet.

10-9 Sandhagen

Round 4: You guessed it, Cory secures yet another takedown within the opening twenty seconds. The fans aren't backing it, but the ‘Sandman' is winning in a dominant fashion. This round is pretty much a xerox of the others. The fans are now chanting “stand them up”. Rob is working off of the fence, which is a bit better for him and the fans.

Rob is up for a second, maybe two, before he's tripped back down. Rob Font is now down four rounds.

10-9 Sandhagen

Round 5: We're flipping the script and it's Font that shoots for a takedown now. Probably just to mix things up and not be on the receiving end of the early takedown. However, Cory reverses the position and adds one more takedown to his side of the stats board. The first submission attempt in awhile comes from Cory, who goes for a D'Arce choke. It looked close, but no dice.

More of the same for the waning seconds of the fight. 100% takedown accuracy, a knew wrinkle in Sandhagen's game. This one didn't gain Cory many fans in Nashville, Tennesse, but he's climbing the ranks and that's all that matters.

10-9 Sandhagen

Official result: Cory Sandhagen via unanimous decision