The Ultimate Fighting Championship returned to UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada tonight for UFC Fight Night 188: “Font vs Garbrandt.” The event was headlined by a featured bantamweight matchup between talented contender Rob Font and former UFC titleholder Cody “No Love” Garbrandt.
In the strawweight co-main event, Xiaonan “Fury” Yan faced former champ Carla “Cookie Monster” Esparza as each looked to earn a 115-pound title shot. In heavyweight action, Justin “Bad Man” Tafa battled Jared “The Mountain” Vanderaa. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for the card.
Rob Font vs Cody “No Love” Garbrandt
Round 1:
Garbrandt landed a hard leg kick early in the fight and Font’s leg turned red right away. Another leg kick scored for Garbrandt and he sidestepped an overhand right from Font. A right hook wobbled Garbrandt, but he recovered quickly and landed a leg kick while circling to his right. He prevented Font from taking him down, but Font pressed forward with leg kicks and a knee. Garbrandt took him down and landed punches until Font returned to his feet. A big right hand landed for Font and he closed in with a nice combination, but Garbrandt countered with a takedown. Font battled back to his feet and ate right hands from Garbrandt on the way up. Close, back-and-forth round. 10-9 Font due to damage.
Round 2:
The second round opened with a sweeping leg kick from Garbrandt, who took Font down and struck from the top. Font scrambled from the bottom and looked for a kimura on Garbrandt’s right arm. He used it to sweep and get back to his feet. Font stuffed a takedown and landed an elbow on the break. He backed Garbrandt up with jabs and just missed with an uppercut. Wild hooks were exchanged and Font landed a forearm strike in close. In the final minute, Font landed a front kick to the body and two right hands. Garbrandt clinched and tried unsuccessfully for a takedown. 10-9 Font.
Round 3:
Font kept Garbrandt on the defensive with his jab in round three and he countered a one-two from Garbrant with a four-punch flurry. Jab after jab landed for Font, who followed with a big uppercut and Garbrandt clinched. Font reversed against the cage and tripped Garbrandt, then landed right hands as Garbrandt stood back up. Garbrandt shot in for a takedown and Font stuffed it. He landed more jabs and Garbrandt began to bleed from his nose. In the final minute, Font pressed forward with jabs and a leg kick. 10-9 Font.
Round 4:
Font remained the aggressor in the fourth round and he landed a nice combination in the opening seconds. Garbrandt was unable to combat Font’s jab and Font scored with a hard leg kick as well. As the round progressed, Font landed a one-two and followed that with another combination that kept Garbrandt on his back foot. Font jabbed his way in close and landed a head kick, but Garbrandt did not appear to be fazed. Font kept the pressure on with jab-cross combos and he easily fought off a takedown attempt. Font remained in complete controll of the striking exchanges until the bell. Dominant 10-9 for Font.
Round 5:
Garbrandt opened the final one with a one-two combo and an uppercut, but the punches did not slow Font down and he resumed throwing jab-cross combos as Garbrandt was forced to retreat. Font landed a knee to the body and Garbrandt cracked him with an overhand right. Garbrandt ducked into an uppercut, however, and he immediately stopped in his tracks. Garbrandt recovered and both men landed jabs until Garbrandt connected with another overhand right. Font hurt Garbrandt with a right hook as the fight entered its final 90 seconds and he followed with a hook to the body. Garbrandt recovered quickly once again, but Font landed another right hand and he ducked under a spinning backfist. Font fell to the mat and the fight ended with Garbrandt on top. 10-9 Font.
Winner: Rob Font by Unanimous Decision (50-45, 50-45, 48-47) after five rounds. He improves to 19-4-0.
Carla “Cookie Monster” Esparza vs Xiaonan “Fury” Yan
Round 1:
Esparza immediately took Yan down and postured up with punches, then passed to side control. She threw knees to Yan’s arm and body while holding her in place. Yan freed her arm and landed two elbows from the bottom, and she got back to half-guard. Esparza postured up once more and she passed to side control again. Esparza then moved to North-South position before returning to side control and landing hammerfists. She dropped elbows to Yan’s face and then hunted for a kimura and an armbar. Yan defended, but Esparza cut her badly with elbows to the forehead before the bell. 10-8 Esparza.
Round 2:
Yan threw a kick to the body in the second round and Esparza caught it, then took her down. She targeted Yan’s cut with punches from the top and passed to half-guard. Esparza was able to get to side control soon after and she landed short elbows. She trapped Yan in a top-side crucifix and landed numerous elbows and punches as blood poured from Yan’s forehead. Esparza continued to land punches until the fight was stopped.
Winner: Carla Esparza by TKO (Punches) at 2:58 of round two. She improves to 18-6-0.
Jared “The Mountain” Vanderaa vs Justin “Bad Man” Tafa
Round 1:
Tafa closed the distance and landed an early jab-cross combo and he followed with a left hook. Vanderaa kicked at his lead leg and Tafa punched to the body, but Vanderaa landed a knee to his jaw on the break. Tafa became more aggressive and he moved forward with a quick flurry. He landed an overhand left and Vanderaa jabbed in return. Tafa backed Vanderaa up with a counter one-two and Vanderaa replied with a kick to the body after regaining his footing. Vanderaa jabbed and he landed a knee as Tafa ducked forward. Late in the round, Vanderaa secured a front headlock and landed knees to Tafa’s face. Close round. 10-9 Vanderra due to the late offence.
Round 2:
Vanderaa was very effective with kicks to Tafa’s lead leg and body in the second round, and he went high with a head kick that narrowly missed. Tafa landed a counter left hook and blocked a head kick. The fighters exchanged right hands and Vanderaa hurt Tafa. He swarmed on him with punches, but Tafa covered up and cut Vanderaa on the side of his forehead with a looping left hook. Blood poured out of the cut all over Vanderaa’s body and the fighters traded power punches. As they separated, blood continued to cover the canvas as Vanderaa’s chest and stomach turned completely red. Both men landed combinations and Vanderaa attacked Tafa’s right leg with kicks. Tafa landed a short elbow to Vanderaa’s cut and a left hook before the end of the round. Another close round. 10-9 Vanderaa.
Round 3:
Tafa landed an overhand left to begin the final round and Vanderaa answered back with two body kicks. Each time Tafa threw a left hand, Vanderaa countered with a kick to his ribs. Tafa ducked his head and scored with a hard left hand, but Vanderaa was unfazed. Another hard body kick scored for Vanderaa, who followed with a right hook. Tafa landed a liver kick and Vanderaa barely flinched. He pawed out with right hands and Tafa responded by clinching. Vanderaa backed him up to the cage and both men landed hooks. Tafa appeared to wobble Vanderaa with an elbow and he landed a big left hook seconds later. The cut on Vanderaa’s forehead was reopened and time was called when Tafa was kneed in the groin. Action continued after a break and Vanderaa landed right hands and two body kicks. He followed with knees and two more body kicks before the bell. 10-9 Vanderaa.
Winner: Jared Vanderaa by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 12-5-0.
Norma “The Immortal” Dumont Viana vs Felicia “FeeNom” Spencer
Round 1:
Spencer looked to punch her way into a clinch in the opening minute and Dumont pushed her away on two occasions. Cautious leg kicks were exchanged and Spencer countered a hard leg kick with a lunging combination. Dumont landed a short left uppercut and followed with an overhand right, then flurried with punches as Spencer closed the distance. Spencer secured a clinch, but Dumont landed a knee to her stomach and backed away. Spencer landed a head kick late in the round and Dumont immediately answered back with four punches. 10-9 Dumont.
Round 2:
Dumont kicked at Spencer’s legs and prevented her from clinching again in the second round. A five-punch combination landed for Dumont and Spencer was momentarily wobbled. Dumont continued to land flurries as the round progressed and she mixed in front kicks to the body that kept Spencer guessing. Dumont scored with a left hook to the liver and one to Spencer’s face. Spencer threw a side kick and Dumont cracked her with an overhand right. Spencer clinched and Dumont landed a hard knee to the body, followed by two hooks. 10-9 Dumont.
Round 3:
Dumont took Spencer down into half-guard early in round three and she struck from the top. Spencer got back to full guard and eyed a kimura from the bottom, but Dumont avoided danger and she stood up soon after. Spencer followed and Dumont landed a quick combination. She caught a kick from Spencer and tripped her, but Spencer quickly rose to her feet and she held Dumont against the cage. In the clinch, Spencer landed short elbows and Dumont responded with a knee to the body. She tried to throw Spencer to the ground, but Spencer reversed on the way down and wound up on top. She landed very little before time expired. 10-9 Spencer.
Winner: Norma Dumont Viana by Split Decision (30-27, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. She improves to 6-1-0.
Ricardo “Carcacinha” Ramos vs Bill “Senor Perfecto” Algeo
Round 1:
Following an early exchange of kicks, Ramos took Algeo’s back and jumped into a standing rear-naked choke. Algeo shook him off and the fighters separated after a brief clinch. Algeo slipped while throwing a head kick and Ramos landed an uppercut as Algeo rose to his feet. A stiff jab landed for Algeo and he followed with a spinning back kick to the body. Ramos stepped forward with two looping hooks that landed and he used a lead left hook to set up a takedown. Algeo stood and Ramos held him against the fence. He took Algeo down again and tried to sink in both hooks. Algeo prevented him from doing so, but Ramos hunted for a rear-naked choke anyway. He slipped off of Algeo’s back and Algeo flurried with punches as Ramos returned to his feet. Ramos whipped Algeo down to the mat just as time expired. 10-9 Ramos.
Round 2:
The second round began with another exchange of strikes and Algeo landed a flying switch knee, but Ramos took him down. As Algeo stood up, Ramos trapped him in a standing Brabo choke, but Algeo escaped quickly and he began to chase after a fatigued Ramos with jabs and body kicks. Ramos took Algeo’s back again and Algeo turned into the clinch while fighting off takedown attempts. Ramos released the clinch and Algeo landed two punches. He followed with a spinning back elbow and Ramos took him down just before the bell. 10-9 Algeo.
Round 3:
Ramos pursued takedowns once again in the final round and Algeo landed a hard right hand. Ramos kicked at Algeo’s leg and Algeo answered with a spinning backfist. Lead left hooks scored for Algeo and he jumped forward with a knee, but Ramos tied him up in a clinch. Algeo circled away and the fighters exchanged wild punches before clinching again. As Algeo landed a right hand, Ramos dropped levels and tried to take him down. Algeo stuffed it, but Ramos maintained a clinch and got him down on his second try. He took Algeo’s back and Algeo stood up. Algeo broke free and landed a step-in elbow. Ramos caught a kick and dumped him to the mat. 10-9 Ramos.
Winner: Ricardo Ramos by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 15-3-0.
Jack “The Joker” Hermansson vs Edmen “The Golden Boy” Shahbazyan
Round 1:
Shahbazyan established his jab right away and Hermansson responded with a leg kick. Shahbazyan remained effective with his jab and he blocked a body kick. Hermansson shot in for a takedown and Shahbazyan easily thwarted it. He flurried to the body and used his jab to set up an overhand right. Hermansson clinched and Shahbazyan pushed him away almost immediately. He backed Hermansson up with an overhand right and a follow-up combination. Hermansson landed a pair of leg kicks in the final 30 seconds, but Shahbazyan answered with an overhand right and a quick combination that caused Hermansson’s nose to begin bleeding. 10-9 Shahbazyan.
Round 2:
Hermansson took Shahbazyan down right away in the second round and he tried to pass his guard, but Shahbazyan used the opportunity to scramble up against the cage. Shahbazyan escaped from a guillotine choke and then locked on one of his own, but Hermansson was able to take him down and he passed to half-guard to escape from the choke. Hermansson then postured up with punches and worked to pass to mount. Shahbazyan squirmed free on the bottom and shook Hermansson off of his back when he got too high. Shahbazyan wound up in Hermansson’s half-guard and he landed a right hand from the top, then tried for a guillotine choke. With eight seconds remaining, Shahbazyan stood over Hermansson and rained down heavy punches until the bell. Very close round. 10-9 Hermansson, barely.
Round 3:
Hermansson got Shahbazyan back down in the final round and he landed some nice elbows to Shahbazyan’s face. He stayed in Shahbazyan’s half-guard and continued to score with elbows, which opened a cut beside Shahbazyan’s right eye. Shahbazyan was unable to explode out from the bottom and Hermansson landed elbow after elbow to his face. He mixed in hammerfists as well and referee Herb Dean kept a close eye on the action. With 30 seconds to go, Hermansson got to side control and then to a top-side crucifix. He mounted Shahbazyan and teed off with hard punches, but the bell sounded to end the fight. 10-8 Hermansson.
Winner: Jack Hermansson by Unanimous Decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-27) after three rounds. He improves to 22-6-0.
(Undercard results and play-by-play on Page Two.)