Cory Sandhagen vs. Rob Font will be the main event for UFC Fight Night betting on Saturday, August 5.
This should be a banger between a pair of Top-10 bantamweights who love to stand and strike. Sandhagen was originally supposed to face Umar Nurmagomedov but after he withdrew, Font stepped in on two weeks notice and will fight at a catchweight of 140 pounds.
UFC odds opened with Sandhagen as a -334 favorite with Font coming back at +250. Check out my free betting picks for Sandhagen vs. Font below.
Sandhagen vs Font fight odds
Sandhagen vs Font method of victory odds
| Method of Victory | Cory Sandhagen | Rob Font |
|---|---|---|
| To win by KO/TKO | +175 | +750 |
| To win by points | +170 | +500 |
| To win by submission | +750 | +2,400 |
| Draw | +5,000 | +5,000 |
Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook on August 5, 2023.
Sandhagen vs Font picks
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Sandhagen vs Font betting preview
Cory Sandhagen is the No. 4-ranked bantamweight contender and most recently defeated Marlon Vera by split decision in March. Despite one judge giving the decision to Vera, the other two gave Sandhagen lopsided scores of 50-45 and 49-46 reflecting his massive 128-58 edge in significant strikes and more than seven minutes of control time.
Sandhagen was submitted by current champ Aljamain Sterling in a bantamweight title eliminator in 2020 but bounced back with knockout victories against Marlon Moraes and Frankie Edgar.
After losing a controversial split decision to T.J. Dillashaw, he was given an interim title shot against Petr Yan but came up short in a 25-minute battle which earned Fight of the Night honors. Since then, he's defeated Song Yadong and Vera to get back in the championship picture.
The 31-year-old is a long and athletic fighter that combines terrific footwork with dynamic striking from every angle. Although he isn't known for his offensive wrestling, he is more than capable on the mat with dangerous ground-and-pound ability.
Font is at No. 7 in the rankings and is fresh off a first-round knockout victory against Adrian Yanez in April that earned him a Performance of the Night bonus. That snapped a two-fight skid for Font, who previously lost by unanimous decision in five-round main events against Marlon Vera and Jose Aldo.
The 36-year-old has compiled a 10-5 record inside the octagon with seven of those wins coming by stoppage. He's a high-volume striker that relies on his crisp boxing, pressure, and cardio to defeat opponents.
Sandhagen vs Font tale of the tape
| Cory Sandhagen | Rob Font | |
|---|---|---|
| 31 | Age | 36 |
| 5-feet-11 | Height | 5-feet-8 |
| 135 lbs | Weight | 135 lbs |
| 70 inches | Reach | 71 inches |
| 16-4 (7 KOs) | Record | 20-6 (9 KOs) |
Sandhagen vs Font UFC prediction and best bet
Fight prediction: Cory Sandhagen ML
Font is a good striker but he's heavily reliant on his boxing while Sandhagen has more weapons in his arsenal, including dangerous kicks, knees, and elbows. Font is also at his best against fighters that move in a straight line so Sandhagen's lateral movement and creative angles will make it tough for him to get into rhythm.
Another reason I like Sandhagen to get the win is his underrated grappling game. Sandhagen has been trying to implement his wrestling more in recent fights which includes three takedowns on Vera and taking down Petr Yan once on six attempts.
Font doesn't have the best defensive wrestling and Sandhagen's ability to control him on the mat and unleash ground-and-pound is another path to victory. Take the younger fighter with more tools.
Prediction: Cory Sandhagen moneyline (-325 at PointsBet)
Fight best bet: Cory Sandhagen by KO/TKO
Font has never been knocked out in his MMA career. With three of Sandhagen's last four fights going the full 25 minutes, it makes sense that the lowest odds for his "method to win" prop is for him to win by decision at about +160.
That said, I actually think Sandman has a good chance of stopping Font by strikes. Keep in mind that while Font wasn't even knocked down once in his first 12 UFC fights, he was knocked down a total of five times in those two bouts against Vera and Aldo.
During those defeats, Font was getting dropped by shots that didn't look that powerful and was saved by the bell on a couple of occasions.
It's fair to wonder just how much more damage his chin can take when you consider the wars he's been in, and Sandhagen is the most dangerous striker he's ever faced. Not only can Sandhagen match him in terms of sheer volume, but he's an extremely hard hitter with three of his last four wins coming by KO/TKO.
Back Sandman to put Font to sleep at better than a 2:1 payout.
Pick: Cory Sandhagen by KO/TKO (+210 at FanDuel)
