Rob Font was able to edge out a split-decision victory over Jean Matsumoto in a competitive battle tonight at UFC Fight night 252.
Round One
Hard right hand to start from Font and follows up with another as he presses forward aggressively. Matsumoto able to clinch up though and presses Font into the cage.
Font able to reverse the clinch position. Matsumoto does the same to him and goes for a takedown attempt, but Font defends it. Matsumoto goes for it again, but doesn’t quite get him down.
Font able to get back to striking range and fires off a few straight punches. Front kick to the body for him. Now the jab lands. Punch connects for Matsumoto though and backs up Font. Font only goes so far though before suddenly firing back with straight punches.
Matsumoto gets him down and Font tries to work a possible triangle attempt, but soon gives up on that. Instead Font tries to threaten with a kimura. Matsumoto stays patient on top though and then moves to a safer position to break free of that threat.
Matsumoto now settling into half-guard. Font working to his feet, but Matsumoto threatens with a guillotine choke. That keeps Font down and then Matsumoto lets it go and works some punches from side control. Font able to stand late in the round, but Matsumoto hoists him into the air and dumps him back down the mat.
Round Two
Low kick for Matsumoto. Short punches for Matsumoto. Jab for Font. Leg kick from Matsumoto. Font with a one-two.
Right hand and then a jab for Font. Body kick from Matsumoto. Matsumoto works his jab now and then lands a takedown. Font threatens with a guillotine from his back, but Matsumoto quickly breaks free.
Font trying to stand against the cage and manages to do so. Matsumoto sucks his legs back out from under him though to sit him down again. Font looking to stand for a second time and does so.
Back to striking range they go. Nice leg kick for Matsumoto. He lands another. Font misses an uppercut. Glancing hooks from Matsumoto as Font lands to the body.
Jab for Font, then rips to the body and back to the head. Jab for Font, Matsumoto with a low kick and a couple of straight punches.
Jab working for Font. Matsumoto with a takedown against the cage. Font working back up immediately and manages to do so. Matsumoto dumps him back down though.
Font with a kimura attempt now and uses that to stand and get back to striking range.
Jab and a glancing right from Font and a leg kick from Matsumoto. Body kick for Matsumoto. Front kick to the body from Font and then a head kick gets through for Matsumoto, but not enough to hurt him too much.
Round Three
Good right hand for Font. He connects with that again. Low kicks for Matsumoto. Another right hand for Font. Uppercut from Matsumoto.
Calf kick for Matsumoto. He tries for a head kick. He lands another leg kick. Punches for Font and then a kick of his own.
Body punch for Matsumoto. He just misses with a power hook. Matsumoto with a cut high on his forehead courtesy of a Font elbow. Clinch from Matsumoto but nothing comes of it.
Right hand for Font. Calf kick for Matsumoto. two punches another another low kick for him. Matsumoto tries to clinch up and Font drives him into the cage instead.
Uppercut for Font and then back to the jab. Font clinches up but Matsumoto reverses it. They go back to striking though.
One-two for Font. Body kick for Matsumoto. Right hand for Font. They clinch up and he lands a knee. Body-head combos from Font in the clinch against the cage now.
Matsumoto tries for a takedown, but it fails. Font lands more punches and now a front kick to the body as they break away from the cage.
Now they are both trading blows in the center of the Octagon. Missed spinning backfist from Matsumoto. He tries for a head kick. They are going toe-to-toe and blow-for-blow here in the final seconds of the round and the crowd are roaring their approval.
Decision
A competitive fight then, with Font looking the more impactful on the feet, but Matsumoto troubling him with clinch-work, takedowns and some control time, before they both slugged it out toe-to-toe in the dying stages of the final round. In the end though it’s Font who emerges with the split-decision victory (29-28 x2, 28-29).
