UFC Press Release: April 21, 2022
A thrilling bantamweight contenders’ bout will take place at UFC APEX on Saturday. No. 5 Rob Font will challenge No. 8 Marlon Vera. Former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski will face Jake Collier in the co-main event.
UFC FIGHT NIGHT®: FONT vs. VERA
Saturday, April 30 UFC APEX in Las Vegas.
Watch on ESPN and ESPN Deportes, as well as simulcast in English and Spanish on ESPN+ at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT.
Prelims on ESPN2, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 4:30 p.m. ET / 1:30 p.m. PT.
With a three-year unbeaten streak since 2018, Font (19-5, based in Woburn, Massachusetts) has risen into the top 5 at bantamweight. At that time, he defeated former bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt, Marlon Moraes and Sergio Pettis. Font looks to become the first fighter to defeat Vera and defend his position in the rankings.
With another outstanding performance, versatile finisher Vera (18-7-1, from Chone, Manab*, Ecuador) is hoping to continue his ascent up the 135-pound rankings. He has won memorable fights against Frankie Edgar, Davey Grant, and Sean O’Malley during his UFC career. Now Vera looks to prevent Font from cracking the top 5 for the first time in his career.
Arlovski (33-20 2NC, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.) is aiming to extend his UFC heavyweight record to 23 wins. Veteran of the MMA world, he has beaten former champions Fabricio Werdum, Frank Mir, and Tim Sylvia. Now, Arlovski hopes to use his experience to challenge another high-caliber heavyweight.
By defeating his first former champion, Collier (13-6, fighting in Cuba, Mo.) hopes to further solidify his heavyweight run. As a former UFC middleweight, he defeated Chase Sherman, Gian Villante, and Marcel Fortuna. A spectacular performance by Collier will give him another victory at heavyweight.
The card also features the following bouts:
- Andre Fili (21-8 1NC, fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.) vs Joanderson Brito (12-3-1, fighting out of Bauru, Sao Paulo, Brazil)
- Jared Gordon (18-4, fighting out of Queens, N.Y.) vs Grant Dawson (17-1-1, fighting out of Lee’s Summit, Mo.)
- Darren Elkins (27-10, fighting out of Portage, Ind.) vs Tristan Connelly (14-7, fighting out of Vancouver, B.C., Canada)
- Krzysztof Jotko (23-5, fighting out of Orneta, Poland) vs Gerald Meerschaert (34-14, fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisc.)
- Daniel Lacerda (11-2, fighting out of Valença, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) vs Francisco Figueiredo (12-4-1 1NC, fighting out of Soure, Para, Brazil)
- Gabe Green (10-3, fighting out of San Pedro, Calif.) vs Yohan Lainesse (8-0, fighting out of Saint-Bruno, Quebec, Canada)
- Natan Levy (6-1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev. by way of Herzliya, Israel) vs Mike Breeden (10-4, fighting Lee’s Summit, Mo.)
- Gina Mazany (7-5, fighting out of Kansas City, Mo.) vs Shanna Young (8-5, fighting out of Knoxville, Tenn.)
- Tatsuro Taira (10-0, fighting out of Naha, Okinawa, Japan) vs Carlos Candelario (8-1, fighting out of Hartford, Conn.)
