Elijah Smith thinks there’s no higher division within the UFC currently than bantamweight, and he’s keen to make his mark in it.
Smith (7-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) is one in all the latest members of the UFC roster after earning a contract on this past Tuesday’s episode of Dana White’s Contender Series. He earned a unanimous decision win over Aaron Tau within the featured bout of the cardboard, which he took on roughly two weeks’ notice as a alternative.
It was a historic win for Smith, became he’s the second, second-generation fighter to affix the UFC roster after his father, Gilbert Smith, made one octagon appearance in 2013.
At just 22, the longer term for Smith seems vivid. He said his showing at DWCS 72 was only a portion of what he’s able to, and he did it under unideal circumstances.
“I used to be not even near one hundred pc,” Smith told MMA Junkie. “I’d say I probably went into that fight like 70, 75 percent. I play UFC 5 (video game) and I actually have my very own created player and in the sport in profession you might have weeks you’re alleged to undergo training camp so once you get to the fight you might have one hundred pc energy and health is sweet. I probably went into that fight probably around 75 percent, so I didn’t get to indicate the world and Dana White the total Elijah Smith. I used to be blissful I got to placed on a performance that I used to be blissful with.”
Now that he’s been inked to a UFC contract, there’s going to be nowhere for Smith to cover within the 135-pound division. He likes it that way, he said, since it won’t be long before we seen if his status as a blue chip prospect multiplies.
Smith has expectations of greatness for his profession, and said he’s already excited for the day he gets to share the octagon with a few of the elite names.
“It’s really exciting,” Smith said. “I wouldn’t need to be in some other weight class because that is essentially the most exciting within the UFC. I’ve been watching these guys since – who really made me develop into a fan of the division is T.J. Dillashaw. When he beat (Renan) Barao I used to be like, ‘Oh man.’ Then he beat Cody Garbrandt twice, I’m like, ‘That is the division to be in.’ You’ve got Dominick Cruz. There’s a lot history on this division and I need so as to add onto this history.
“I need to maintain constructing because I feel that is the perfect division within the UFC. Once I see guys like Merab (Dvalishvili) and Sean O’Malley and (Cory) Sandhagen and all these guys in the highest 10, top five. It’s like, we’re going to run into one another in some unspecified time in the future in time. It’s going to be bittersweet fighting them because I’m a fan of all of them, but it surely’s a business.”
It’s Smith’s intention to construct himself as much as being among the finest on the planet, and with that create a story for himself that stands on his own. Smith said he’s currently relishing the historic nature of his UFC entry and the way it ties to his father, but over time, he hopes that fades and he’s checked out as a person.
“I’m able to create my very own story,” Smith said. “They’re all the time going to bring that up because my dad goes to be in my corner every fight that I actually have within the UFC and I feel they’re going to repeatedly bring that up, but as I proceed on with my profession, I feel that’s slowly going to die out because I shall be creating a reputation for myself. There’s nothing mistaken with living on my father’s shadow and carrying by myself name, but I do want to start out veering off and creating a reputation for myself and my very own story.”
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