Rob Font, a skilled boxer and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Brown Belt, is looking to make a name for himself and steal the spotlight at UFC 287, a card that also includes the colossal championship bout, Alex Pereira vs Israel Adesanya 2.
Ahead of his fight against Adrian Yanez, Rob Font spoke exclusively with News18.com, opening up on his incredible journey to the UFC’s top 10, his humble beginnings, his favourite MMA fighters, and even his predictions for UFC 287.
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The Bantamweight striker also shares his connection with India and his desire to fight for the UFC in India soon!
Here are excerpts from the interaction:
What’s your confidence level looking like heading into this fight against Adrian Yanez?
I’m super confident, man. I feel like I’m fully rested, I’m fully prepared and I’m like, I can’t wait to go out there on Saturday, put on the show.
How has training camp been so far? Considering your last fight was almost a year ago
Yeah, no, Camp went great. We brought in a lot of good boxers from the local area. We brought a lot of really good MMA guys, actually MMA/wrestlers. So like, the camp went great. I’m just ready, man. I just want to get in again. As you said, it’s been a year, so it’s about time.
In the buildup to this fight, you said you wanted everyone to talk about this fight and your performance in this card, what kind of strategy are you looking for to make that happen?
Yeah, you know, I want to go in there and basically pitch a shutout, you know, I want to go in there and touch him as many times as possible and not get hit and wait for that finish, whether it be a submission or a knockout. But I want us definitely still to show it’s going to be a hard card, you know? It’s going to be hard to show on this card, but I can do that, man. It’s going to be a big night for me.
You’re currently ranked #6, surely a few more wins would put you in contention for the title, what are your thoughts on that? When can your fans see you with a belt around your waist?
Man, it’s gonna be a while because like I said, I’m ranked number six, I’m fighting the number 12 guy, unfortunately, so I’m definitely fighting backwards. You know, and the way the division is booked right now, everything, everybody’s basically booked up. So, you know, I need to get another W and then maybe one more then I’m right back into that conversation. So I’m thinking like in another year for sure.
What originally inspired you to become an MMA fighter?
It happened by accident. You know I was living in Tampa at the time and I was delivering pizzas and I delivered a pizza to a house they were doing jiu-jitsu outside and I got the bugs from there. And then once I started training and started seeing how well I was doing with professionals. I figured “You know what, I’m actually gonna make a run at this” and then you know I told my fiance, “Listen I think I could do this” and she was like “Well, let’s just do whatever we got to do to figure it out you know”, she let me quit my job. She basically covered everything for like almost two years and it was just training nonstop. So, you know, I would say, if I didn’t deliver that pizza, I would have never been in the UFC.
Could you tell us a bit about your transition from lightweight, to featherweight and now bantamweight?
It’s been a slow process. We weren’t really trying to cut too much weight on the local scene. You know, I didn’t make my bantamweight debut until I actually got in the UFC, I was always fighting at 55 a couple of times, mostly at 45 throughout the New England area. And I could just feel the size. Some of these guys, they were just getting too big, man. They were like, you know, they’re getting taller, getting bigger. So it was like, you know, it was always our intention to go down to 35. We just wanted to do it really smart.
Having been in the UFC for 9 years, with a massive record, what were some of the most memorable moments of your career?
Oh man, there are so many. Obviously, my UFC Debut was pretty cool. It was a big weekend. It was the 4th of July weekend, International Fight Week in Vegas. So it was a huge card, another pay-per-view card. That was a great night. UFC 220 when me and Calvin (Kattar) fought in Boston together at the same time, and both walked away with finishes, was another big night for us. Then I think my first main event versus Cody Garbrandt in Vegas, was another big night for me as well. So. There’s been a lot, but I’ll say those were the top 3 for sure.
And if you hadn’t shown up on that doorstep and seen those guys doing jiu-jitsu in the yard, what do you think you’d be doing now?
At that time. I wasn’t really focused on anything, really. I was kind of just hanging out, just partying too much, just kind of, you know, pretending like I was gonna go back to school, but I wasn’t really focused on much. Yeah, I don’t know, man, but I’m glad I’m not delivering pizzas anymore. And now, I’m trying to enjoy every fight and get some pizza afterwards, you know?
Who are your top 5 MMA fighters of all time?
I was thinking, I definitely have to say, Urijah Faber, Anderson Silva, he has to be up there for sure. Georges Saint Pierre, he’s up there for sure. Josh Thompson, I was a big fan of Josh Thompson when I first started watching Fights. He’s another one, you know. Then I have to say, you know, my boy Calvin Kattar, I gotta throw him in there as well. So, yeah, those are my top five, for sure.
What are your predictions for UFC 287, especially Pereira vs Adesanya 2?
Man, this is gonna be a tough fight. I’m going with Pereira. I think he has his number. I think he has it figured out. I think, you know, obviously, if Izzy (Israel Adesanya) can mix it up a little bit more, I see him taking it out but I don’t see him mixing it up. I see him kind of standing with the champ and I think that the champ keeps the belt.
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Any message for your fans, especially in India?
Oh man, guys, please tune in on the 8th of April. I will be putting on a show for you guys. It’s gonna be fireworks. I will be putting on a show and showing everybody else on that card. I would love to go out to India, I love the food, definitely love the food, I haven’t been there but hopefully, the UFC can set up a show out in India one day!
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