Rob Font vows to bring 'intensity and action' and 'put on a show' against Cory Sandhagen at UFC Nashville

Rob Font has no complaints about taking on Cory Sandhagen at short notice, and is hopeful a statement win at UFC Nashville will put him in line for a shot at the bantamweight title.

Font had been lined up to take on Song Yadong at UFC 292, but injury ruled out the latter and left him free to face Sandhagen on Saturday.

The clash with Sandhagen came about when Umar Nurmagomedov pulled out due to a shoulder injury.

With it being a short-notice switch, the bout offers challengers for both fighters.

Font faces the prospect of potentially going an extra 10 minutes, as his clash with Yadong was slated for three rounds rather than five.

The 36-year-old does not expect the fight to go the distance, but is prepared for it to go to the scorecards.

"I want to get in and get out as soon as possible,” Font said at a press conference ahead of the encounter. “I am prepared for five. I want to finish as quick as possible, but I am prepared for five.”

Reflecting on the opportunity to headline the card in Nashville, Font said: “It is a main event, a big night with a lot of opportunities. There is a lot of upside to this fight and I am not complaining.”

Taking on Sandhagen poses a different challenge than what he would have faced against the power of Song, but it is a style that is not alien to Font.

“He has been killing it,” Font said of Sandhagen. “He has fought all the best guys out there.

“We are kind of similar, he is technical, he is smooth, he is entertaining.

“UFC knows what it is doing, putting me and Cory in together is going to be fight of the night for sure.

"We have got Cory, we are focusing on him and are prepared.”

Font goes into the fight following an impressive win over Adrian Yanez in April, and is looking to deliver a similar display.

“It was a much-needed win,” Font said of victory over Yanez at UFC 287, which came after back-to-back defeats. “It was awesome. I am planning on recreating that same kind of intensity and action.

"The plan is to put on a show, get a finish and head back to Boston and get that title shot."

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