Sergio Pettis believed size would not be an issue in his return to bantamweight at UFC on FOX 31. Unfortunately for him, Rob Font’s physicality made the difference in their fight.

Font (16-4 MMA, 6-3 UFC) used his length on the feet and his size in the grappling exchanges to get the better of a very game Pettis (17-5 MMA, 8-5 UFC) over the course of three rounds to leave with a unanimous decision.

The bantamweight bout was part of the main card of today’s UFC on FOX 31 event at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee. It aired on FOX following prelims on FS1 and UFC Fight Pass.

From the outset, Font established his main weapon in the contest: his jab. He tagged Pettis with it numerous times in the opening minutes, which allowed the rest of his game to open up behind it. Pettis tried to work around it and fire back with his own jab as well as head kicks, but he was just out of range. Font then got a takedown, clearly establishing the first round in his favor.

The action picked up where it left off in the second round, with Font causing damage around the eye of Pettis due to his precise jab. He stuck firmly to his game plan, working Pettis over for the majority of the round. Pettis had moments, including a brief period in top position, but Font found a way to reverse him and once again earn a clear round on his side.

Pettis came out with much more desperation in the final stanza. He tried to push the pace on Font, but he was backed up by the jab once again. He had real struggles finding clean attacks through Pettis’ guard. Font then waited for an opening to change the pace of the fight and grounded Pettis with a takedown halfway through the last round. Font worked at a consistent rate from there, taking Pettis’ back at one point en route to grinding out the round and taking the win with 30-27 scorecards across the board.

“I got my jab going, but he was a lot slicker with the head movement and the footwork than I thought,” Font said in his post-fight interview with Jon Anik. “I didn’t get the finish or the knockout, but I got the W, some ring time, and I’m happy with the performance.”

Up-to-the-minute UFC on FOX 31 results:

• Rob Font def. Sergio Pettis via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Charles Oliveira def. Jim Miller via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 1:15
• Zak Ottow def. Dwight Grant via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
• Drakkar Klose def. Bobby Green via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Joaquim Silva def. Jared Gordon via knockout (punches) – Round 3, 2:39
• Jack Hermansson def. Gerald Meerschaert via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 1, 4:25
• Zak Cummings def. Trevor Smith via unanimous-decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Dan Ige def. Jordan Griffin via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Mike Rodriguez def. Adam Milstead via knockout (strikes) – Round 1, 2:59
• Juan Adams def. Chris De La Rocha via TKO (strikes) – Round 3, 0:58

For complete coverage of UFC on FOX 31, visit the UFC Events section of the site.