Jean Matsumoto vows to make the most of the opportunity when he faces top-ranked Rob Font this weekend at UFC Seattle.
The undefeated bantamweight was flying back from Rio de Janeiro to Bragança Paulista, after spending a few weeks training at KO Squad, when his manager called with an offer to withdraw from a UFC 313 clash with Chris Gutierrez on March 8 and instead replace Dominick Cruz versus Font on nine days’ notice.
And Matsumoto didn’t hesitate.
“We agreed right away because it’s such a great opportunity,” Matsumoto told MMA Fighting. “We still had three weeks to cut weight and finish the camp [for UFC 313] but it’s an opportunity you can’t deny. To replace Dominick Cruz and enter the ranking in my third UFC fight, I couldn’t pass this opportunity.”
Font vs. Matsumoto will be a catchweight of 140 pounds, but the Brazilian said it wasn’t his request.
“We were willing to make 135 because my weight was as expected, so all I had to do was dehydrate,” Matsumoto said, “but the UFC already sent the contract for 140 pounds. We were willing to make 135, but it’s definitely easier without those final five pounds [laughs].”
The 25-year-old Brazilian is unbeaten as a professional fighter with nine finishes in 16 victories, including a DWCS decision over Kasey Tanner and back-to-back UFC wins against Dan Argueta and Brad Katona. Fighting someone like Font is a dream come true, he said, and a chance to cut the line so early in his UFC career — and maybe get him a fight with a big name like Marlon Vera next.
“I’ve always imagined myself fighting at that level, but not right now,” Matsumoto said. “But since this opportunity came to my door now, I’m ready to embrace it. Winning this fight skips two years in my life, and then I can dream higher. I still have so much to evolve, but I fear no one in this division. I can fight anyone with the right adjustments.”
Matsumoto sees big differences in the stand-up game from Gutierrez to Font, but said he decided to maintain the same strategy given the short time for major changes.
“[Font] is very experienced,” Matsumoto said. “I’ve always watched his fight. I always watch [bantamweight] fights to see what I need to work on and things like that. He has good boxing and great distance, a good reach for the division, but I think it’s a good match-up for me because I’m also a striker and I’ve been doing this my whole life. I’m ready for this fight.”
