Continuing the series of fights I want to see the most in 2021, I look at Font vs Dillashaw. If you missed my last story in the series, I proposed a potential middleweight banger.
Let’s Make it Happen
Rob Font is 8-3 in the UFC, current the fifth ranked ranked bantamweight and winner of three straight. TJ Dillashaw is a two time bantamweight champ eligible to come off suspension January 19. Font called TJ out after his most recent TKO of Marlon Moraes, and has turned the heat up more since then. This fight seems like a great matchup, as they are both elite-level strikers with knockout power. It also feels more fair than TJ getting an immediate title shot coming off a suspension. Font vs Dillashaw is an exciting fight I hope to see in 2021.
Cartel in Control
Rob Font has been competing in the UFC since 2014, and seems to be rounding his MMA skillset into a complete package. The man also puts on a show, and has won Fight of the Night and Performance of the Night in his last two outings. He is a high level knockout striker; check out this finish of the very talented Thomas Almeida. Font has been in the octagon four times since then, and is even more polished now. We see this kind of proficiency maturation in the MMA world all the time, as gifted athletes finally put multiple disciplines together. He is a member of the New England Cartel, a group that is gathering some real momentum in the UFC, and Font vs Dillashaw allows them another huge opportunity. A Rob Font victory over TJ Dillashaw would be the biggest win of his career to this point.
Immediate Title Shot?
TJ Dillashaw is a two-time UFC Bantamweight champion, and once considered possibly the greatest bantamweight fighter of all time. His suspension has surely altered his legacy and there are some questions about how he will perform as a clean athlete. Regardless of the controversy, Dillashaw is a true mixed martial artist; a world class striker with a collegiate wrestling background. While TJ is extremely talented and hoping for an immediate title shot, that seems unrealistic and unfair. What message is that sending to the clean athletes inside the promotion? Font vs Dillashaw gives us a barometer on where TJ stands in a very talented 135 pound division after two years away. Will there be any ring rust? Can he compete with elite fighters in a clean setting?
Title Implications
Putting up a top five ranked bantamweight against a former champ has title implications for 2021. At the very least, the winner would be in a title eliminator next. With a dominant performance from either, they could be in line for a title shot. Sterling vs Yan has been booked for March 6, and Sandhagen vs Edgar is going February 6, so the division has some shaking out to do before we know exactly what implications this fight would have. Regardless, the fight has fireworks written all over it, and would be a treat for UFC fans. Font vs Dillashaw is fair, it’s exciting, and this fight needs to be made.
