The Dana White Contender Series is the most violent job interview ever. To secure the contract, the fighters have to sometimes break faces and outcold their opponent. This series is big considering the fact that big fighters like Sean O’Malley and Cory Sandhagen have come from this scene. Elijah Smith, recently signed to the UFC, is generating hype as a second-generation fighter. His recent bout, from which he secured and created a lot of buzz, raises expectations for his upcoming performances. As he gets ready to make his debut, it’s worth noting his family legacy in the sport.
Recently, at the Apex, four of the five winners from the latest Dana White’s Contender Series joined the UFC roster, including Elijah Smith. Talking about his fight, following a challenging first round, Smith found his rhythm. He started showing his striking skills as he decisively outperformed his opponent, Aaron Tau, in the second and third rounds. This performance secured him a unanimous decision victory (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) and a coveted UFC contract.
As always, when there is a new signing, all eyes immediately turn to Dana White, which indicates his perspective on the newcomer. Regarding Smith, the UFC CEO was highly impressed with his ability to bounce back in the later rounds. It seems the already stacked bantamweight division has yet another solid contender. This new threat comes with an impressive 7-1 career record and a 71% finish rate, which suggests that he can surely be the next big thing, given his father Gilbert Smith’s experience.
Elijah Smith’s Early Life and MMA Career
In WWE, fans are familiar with numerous superstars who come from pro wrestling lineage families. From Dwayne Johnson to Cody Rhodes, many names are of generational athletes. However, this trend is still not common in the UFC. With Elijah officially securing his spot on the UFC roster, he has made history as only the second father-son duo, after Randy and Ryan Couture, to compete in the organization.
His father, Gilbert Smith, was a contestant on Season 17 of The Ultimate Fighter back in 2012. Although Gilbert showed promise, he faced challenges and ultimately lost his only full fight in the UFC in 2013. Meanwhile, the junior Smith seems to have the potential to go far ahead of his father.
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Talking about his journey, Elijah Smith started his MMA journey shortly after the 2020 prep state wrestling season. Subsequently, after wrestling for two years at Sierra High School and qualifying for state both years, he left in 2020 after disappointment, which fueled his path to MMA. Initially hoping to play football, Elijah trained at Victory MMA, eventually surprising his father, Gilbert, with his dedication.
Later, he trained under his guidance, just like Khabib Nurmagomedov. Elijah quickly built a 5-0 amateur record before turning pro in August 2022. After facing a loss in his 3rd pro fight in 2023, he quickly bounced back with five wins, earning a UFC contract.
Who Could Be Elijah Smith’s First UFC Opponent?
The world is excited to see the UFC’s second-ever second-generation fighter make his debut. Even though the bantamweight division is entirely of top fighters, he won’t get an immediate shot at a big name despite his background. Talking about his first fight, going up against Adrian Yanez could be a solid matchup, as he is also another rising star from Dana White’s Contender Series. Yanez has already built a solid reputation with wins over fighters like Vinicius Salvador.
While a potential fight against Yanez would be a tough challenge for Smith, winning the fight will add to the hype surrounding him, helping him quickly rise through the UFC ranks, similar to fighters like Alex Pereira. Fans are indeed pumped to see if he can make his father proud and succeed in areas where his dad couldn’t, starting a legacy of his own in the UFC. The question is: Can he be like Khabib and make his father’s plan a reality? Only time will tell, but the hype for him is real.
Also Read: Sean O’Malley Reportedly Rakes In Extra Millions Despite UFC 306 Loss to Merab Dvalishvili
