Rob Font booked to fight replacement opponent at UFC Seattle
After losing out on a bout with former WEC and UFC champion Dominick Cruz, the veteran bantamweight contender, Font, will take on late-replacement Jean Matsumoto in a 140-pound catchweight bout next Saturday, Feb. 22, at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle.
Two people with knowledge of the situation informed MMA Junkie of the booking Friday but asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement. Font's status had been in question since Cruz abruptly announced his retirement last week after suffering a serious shoulder injury.
Undefeated Matsumoto (16-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC), 25, is shifting from a UFC 313 booking against Chris Gutierrez and into a high-profile matchup with Font, who is ranked No. 9 in the official UFC bantamweight rankings. Matsumoto, a Dana White's Contender Series alum, won his first two UFC bouts last year against Dan Argueta by submission and Brad Katona by unanimous decision.
Font (21-8 MMA, 11-7 UFC) recently rebounded from a two-fight skid against Cory Sandhagen and Deiveson Figueiredo when he defeated Kyler Phillips last October.
Below is the updated UFC Fight Night 252 lineup:
Henry Cejudo vs. Song Yadong
Brendan Allen vs. Anthony Hernandez
Melsik Baghdasaryan vs. Jean Silva
Rob Font vs. Jean Matsumoto
Steve Garcia vs. TBA
Ibo Aslan vs. Ion Cutelaba
Andre Fili vs. Melquizael Costa
Modestas Bukauskas vs. Rafael Cerqueira
Javid Basharat vs. Ricky Simon
Adam Fugitt vs. Billy Ray Goff
Mansur Abdul-Malik vs. Nick Klein
Eric McConico vs. Nursulton Ruziboev
Alonzo Menifield vs. Julius Walker
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie's event hub for UFC Fight Night 252.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Erceg rallies after early knockdown to save UFC career at Vegas 109
Erceg rallies after early knockdown to save UFC career at Vegas 109 originally appeared on The Sporting News Steve Erceg walked into UFC Vegas 109 knowing his career might be on the line. He left with his hand raised, halting a three-fight skid. The Australian won a gritty unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) over Ode Osbourne, surviving a first-round knockdown before grinding out the final two rounds. MORE:Reyes talks up Ulberg ahead of UFC Perth All three judges scored the fight for Erceg, who admitted the result wasn't pretty - but it may have been the most important win of his career. Just 15-months-ago, Erceg was fighting for UFC gold against Alexandre Pantoja. Fast forward to Sunday, and he was fighting to stay employed by the promotion. Three straight losses had shaken his self-belief and placed him firmly on the chopping block. "Unfortunately, I'm on three losses and I could be fighting for my contract," Erceg told MMA Fighting prior to the bout. Originally booked to face Alex Perez, Erceg saw two opponents withdraw before landing Osbourne - a dangerous knockout artist coming off of a win. Despite being the betting favourite, the 30-year-old understood the test that he had in-front of him. Osbourne made his intentions clear in the first round, tagging Erceg with a crisp check hook that sent the Aussie to the canvas. The second round was tighter. Osbourne still landed clean but began to slow down, while Erceg pressed forward with grappling and clinch-work. By the third round, Erceg had taken control - he shot for a takedown early, securing the mount, and riding out long stretches of control time. "I had his back in the second [round]. The striking was close in the second [round]. I thought I won," said Erceg in the post-fight interview. "I wanted to make a statement about how tough I am." Erceg now hopes to ride the momentum into a quick turnaround - and a spot on the UFC's Perth card in September. "Yeah, I think I can at the moment for sure," he said.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Best of the Best: MMAmania.com's UFC/MMA week in review – Fans were correct about ‘Massive' Khamzat
Welcome to 'This Week in Maniacs! As you know, churns out a ridiculous amount of stories weekly. And if you don't refresh this site constantly, you might just miss an amazing story. Or, if you don't go read the comments section on each story, you might miss a wisecrack that will leave you LOL'ing. But, don't trip — we've got you covered. This weekly article will recap the best of reviewing the most-read stories, comments, social media posts, etc. So, sit back and take a gander at the madness of the week that was … Last week, the story that attracted the most eyeballs here at was fight fans panicking when Khamzat Chimaev and Dricus du Plessis met each other for the first time. Well, they were right to panic. Ding-dong, UFC on ESPN+ is DEAD (thank god). If you were under a rock this week, starting in 2026, UFC will be streaming all of its events on Paramount+, meaning pay-per-view is no more. Hell yeah! User Ramon Suarez got jokes Dan Hooker buried Charles Oliveira this week for accusing him of turning down a fight in UFC Rio — 'His brain is mashed potatoes.' I don't know if you missed it, but 'The Feed' is brand new, fan-oriented section on for YOU to post discussion topics, breaking news or just about anything combat sports-related. Igl00Man sparked an interesting conversation: 'Which fighter would have had more success if they changed division sooner?' The correct answer is Rumble Johnson … right? DDP got dominated, and this picture perfectly encapsulates the beating. That elbow sounded like a baseball bat Take a bow, HellsKitchenResident, you called Aaron Pico getting iced (watch it). It flew under the radar this week, but after eight fights at Featherweight, Edson Barboza returned to the Lightweight division, where he already had an awesome run. — (He lost) One of the best prospects, Losene Keita, has signed with UFC … and he'll make his debut against Patricio Pitbull at UFC Paris. – Aug. 13, 2022 We did know at the time, but Dominick Cruz's final fight came against Marlon Vera, in his adopted hometown of San Diego. – Aug. 14, 2011 Speaking of retirements, one of the best retirements of all time came when Chris Lytle tapped Dan the weigh-ins, Lytle handed White a thank-you letter and let him know he was retiring after this bout. On the same card, Donald Cerrone scored his first TKO finish inside the Octagon against Charles Oliveira. UFC 252 – Aug. 15, 2020 I didn't know I would be writing about three retirements in this week's segment, but here we are. At UFC 252, Stipe Miocic defeated Daniel Cormier, retiring him in their trilogy bout. On the same card, 'Chito' handed Sean O'Malley his first professional loss. ee you guys next week! And be sure to peep those comments sections. Who knows, you might just be highlighted among the 'Best of the Best' around these parts. Remember to follow on socials, too: Twitter (X) Instagram Facebook TikTok o checkout UFC's upcoming schedule of events click here.
Forbes
3 hours ago
- Forbes
How An Alternate Fighter Became A Knockout Star: Abdoul Razac Sankara's PFL Africa Story
Abdoul Razac Sankara wasn't even supposed to be here. Listed only as an alternate for the Professional Fighters League (PFL) Africa quarterfinals, he had been training, staying ready, but a spot in the bracket still felt like a distant dream. Then his phone rang and that call would change everything. 'When my coach told me I would fight in the PFL, I didn't believe it,' he shared with some days after the fight, still laughing as if it was a dream. 'I said, 'No, not now — maybe tomorrow.' PFL was a dream for me. But when he sent me the contract, that is when I knew it was real.' The disbelief was understandable. Sankara, a Muay Thai world champion from Côte d'Ivoire with a pair of AML Muay Thai world and national titles, had made his name striking in the ring, not grappling in the cage. MMA was still relatively new to him, he had made his debut in 2023 and had since won two straight fights and six of his last eight. Now he had the chance to step in at one of the sport's fastest-growing promotions, in a high-stakes quarterfinal matchup, no less. There was just one catch: this wouldn't be a fight at his usual weight. 'They told me it would be in featherweight and it was my first time in this division,' he says. 'It was very, very difficult for me. But I took it because opportunities like this don't come every day. Maybe it's the first time and no second time.' Adapting for the Opportunity Sankara's striking credentials are well known: he's a decorated Muay Thai fighter who has collected belts and trophies across continents. But MMA is an entirely different challenge, and his opponent wasn't a straightforward striker. 'I'm a striker, Muay Thai is my home, but my opponent was a karateka and a judoka, so I trained for all of it,' he says. 'For me, there was no chance to lose this fight, it was my dream and when a dream comes true, and you are going to lose? No, no, no. No way.' This mindset: equal parts determination and adaptability, shaped his camp. Even with short notice, Sankara doubled down on the fundamentals: refining his striking angles, drilling takedown defense, and sharpening his reaction time. Every mistake his opponent could make, Sankara wanted to be ready to exploit. The Walk to the Cage Fight night was electric. As he left the locker room and stepped into the tunnel, Sankara took in the atmosphere, the roar of the crowd, the blinding lights, the pulsing energy that comes with a PFL event. 'When I saw the crowd, I saw they were all with my opponent,' he recalls. 'I said to myself, 'They don't know me. Let's show them who is Sankara.'' It wasn't hostility he felt from the stands, just unfamiliarity which was a challenge he embraced. This was his chance to make a statement, to introduce himself to the PFL audience in the most definitive way possible. 'I was excited,' he says. 'I like fighting. I wanted to give all the best of myself to make them know that I'm there to be a winner.' Capitalizing on a Split-Second Opening Once the cage door shut, the months of Muay Thai precision and weeks of targeted MMA preparation converged. The round started with Yemba testing him with low kicks and body strikes, while Sankara moved smartly around the outside, landing counters and jabs. As Yemba pressed forward with a high kick, Sankara stayed opportunistic, exploiting openings with precision. 'I'm opportunistic,' Sankara says. 'If you make a mistake, I see it and I use it. My opponent kept dropping his hand when I kicked, so I faked low, then went high with the question mark kick. That was it.' The strike landed flush, and just two minutes into the first round, Yemba was out cold. 'I believed I could win, but not like that,' he reflected. 'A knockout in two minutes of the first round? I had no words for that moment.' With the victory, Abdoul Razac Sankara went from alternate fight participant to PFL Africa Semi-finalist in highlight fashion, a major leap in his professional MMA journey, now holding a record of 7-4-0. The Call Home In the chaos after the win, the celebrations, the hand-raising, the backstage interviews, Sankara reached for his phone. The first call went to his mother who could not bare to watch the fights but was constantly praying for his success. 'My mom can't watch my fights,' he says. 'She cries. But she has always believed in me. Even when it was hard, she paid for my training, my transport, everything.' Her support has been constant, even when she questioned the practicality of and the career that combat sports could offer him in Côte d'Ivoire. 'She said, 'This job is not working in Africa, it's in Europe. Don't stay here, you will suffer.' But I was confident. I believed I could go far in this job because I love it.' Training as a Way of Life For Sankara, fighting isn't just a career but has become his full-time commitment which has become a part of his identity. 'I give everything for the fight,' he says. 'I don't have another job. I train every day, from Monday to Saturday, twice a day. It's my job, but I don't even see it like a job. I love it.' That discipline is part of what keeps him dangerous in the cage. He's always in shape, always prepared to step in, even as an alternate because the work never stops. Bigger Than One Win The quarterfinal victory was more than just personal success. For Sankara, it was a spark for fighters back home. 'If I can do it, they can do it,' he says. 'This win gives my country hope. I can see people training harder already, they start to take this job seriously.' In the days after the fight, his phone was flooded with messages from fans and fellow athletes in Côte d'Ivoire. Social media posts from local fighters showed renewed energy, heavier training sessions, and a growing belief that African athletes can make an impact in major MMA promotions. The Road Ahead As much as the win means, Sankara is clear-eyed about what's next. 'It's just the beginning,' he says. 'Semi-final, then the final, big things are coming.' From alternate to contender, his PFL journey has already defied expectations. Now, with momentum on his side, Sankara has the chance to prove that lightning can strike twice, and that preparation meets opportunity not by luck, but by design. 'When opportunity knocks again,' he says, 'I will be ready. Always.'
