UFC Nashville main card preview & best bets – August 5, 2023

The main card for UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs Font features some significant matchups as promising fighters look to rebuild following injury. The undefeated Tatiana Suarez will be keen to advance her title aspirations as she tangles with veteran Jessica Andrade, and Aleksa Camur will be hoping to throw off the ring rust when he faces Tanner Boser after a lengthy break from the sport. Read on for full tips and analysis.

Cory Sandhagen v Rob Font UFC fight preview

Cory Sandhagen vs Rob Font

UFC Fight Night at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville pits Cory Sandhagen against Rob Font in a clash of impatient bantamweight contenders who are keen for a crack at UFC gold. Font steps up on short notice as a replacement for the injured Umar Nurmagomedov, and the bout will be staged at a catchweight of 140 pounds.

Jessica Andrade v Tatiana Suarez

Jessica Andrade vs Tatiana Suarez

Jessica Andrade (24-11-0) has dropped successive fights in recent months and faces another stern test as she hopes to arrest the slide. The Brazilian was choked out by the surging Erin Blanchfield in February and then suffered a round one knockout at the hands of Yan Xiaonan in May and desperately needs to get her hand raised here. Andrade has long rested on her freakish strength to out-muscle opponents, but this approach can only be successful for so long. She faces an imposing height and reach disadvantage in this matchup and will need to close the distance and unleash heavy shots from the inside if she hopes to prevail.

Tatiana Suarez (10-0-0) returned to the octagon after a three-year break and effortlessly picked up where she left off. The unbeaten American is a submission specialist and she exerted little sweat when finishing Montana De La Rosa via second round guillotine. She will be looking to make Andrade miss and capitalise on early takedowns to continue her perfect UFC record. Suarez has the potential to hoist the women’s strawweight belt one day and is expected to move further up the rankings with a victory over a veteran of the division.

Dustin Jacoby v Kennedy Nzechukwu

Dustin Jacoby vs Kennedy Nzechukwu

Dustin Jacoby (18-7-1) has endured two close decision losses on his most recent trips to the cage and will be hoping to avoid the judges’ scorecards a third time if possible. The American has 11 knockouts on his record and is capable of landing heavy strikes when he can find the correct range for his kickboxing arsenal. This appears a favourable stylistic matchup for his skill set and fans should witness a stand-up war between a pair of knockout artists. In such a scenario, cardio endurance will place a big role as will the ability to wear a shot and fire back. At his best, Jacoby is capable in both these facets of the MMA game.

Kennedy Nzechukwu (12-3-0) is riding a three-fight win streak into this contest and appears to have lifted his performance level since a close loss in March 2022. All three victories came via stoppage and the Nigerian is a scary man to stand opposite. He will carry a huge seven-inch reach advantage which should negate many of Jacoby’s primary weapons. Nzechukwu will need to avoid a barrage of heavy leg kicks, establish his jab, and hunt for finishing opportunities as the fight enters the latter stages.

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Diego Lopes v Gavin Tucker

Diego Lopes vs Gavin Tucker

Diego Lopes (21-6-0) makes his second UFC appearance after being on the wrong end of a close decision loss to Movsar Evloev in May 2023. The Brazilian built a strong record with a range of MMA promotions and now needs to produce the goods on the big stage. He boasts a strong ground game with 11 submission wins on his record, but also packs a solid punch with eight knockouts as a professional. He will hope to utilise a huge 6.5-inch reach advantage in the early stages of this contest before testing Tucker on the mat.

Gavin Tucker (13-2-0) holds a tidy 4-2 UFC record, although his most recent effort resulted in an immediate, round one, knockout at the hands of Dan Inge. The 37-year-old has an obvious UFC experience advantage over his young opponent, but this otherwise looks like a tricky match-up. Tucker’s BJJ prowess appears overshadowed by Lopes, and the American will need to work hard to close the distance and find a favourable range.

Tanner Boser v Aleksa Camur

Tanner Boser vs Aleksa Camur

Tanner Boser (20-10-1) has hit a rough patch in recent times with a 1-4 UFC record since November 2020. The win was an impressive round two KO over Ovince Saint Preux, but Boser can struggle to set a decent tempo across 15 minutes and is prone to sloppiness when his gas tank runs short. The Canadian has fought at both heavyweight and light heavyweight but appears a better fit at 205 pounds, where this fight will be staged.

Aleksa Camur (6-2-0) returns from a long break following a string of injuries that kept him sidelined for two years. The Bosnian has a 1-2 UFC record but appears a more technically sound martial artist than his opponent. He throws heavy hands from both short and long range, and five of his six wins came via KO. He will be keen to dust off the cobwebs and should be motivated to produce his best efforts after a few moments to adjust to the octagon pressure.

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