antonio smith is doing his best to manage his career more carefully, but he had trouble finding good reasons to turn it down when he was asked to fight in the UFC 303.
With former UFC champion Jamahal Hill injured and unable to compete on the June 29 card at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, the promotion announced Thursday that Smith (38-19 MMA, 13-9 UFC) would be preparing to face Carlos Ulberg (9-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) on the light heavyweight main card.
Smith, 35, accepts fights in less than ideal circumstances and has done so throughout his career, but in recent times, those risks have not paid off with victories. But this situation is very different from the others, “Lionheart” admitted, and it has a lot to do with the fact that he was training with Hill before his retirement.
“I really had no reason to say no,” Smith said during a guest co-host appearance on the ESPN show. “Good Guy/Bad Guy” Podcast. “I’ve been living this whole ‘one fight at a time’ thing and trying not to look too far ahead. Not focusing on the title, so I had to put this fight in the box. And I had no reason to say no. I was at the camp with Jamahal. He was here in Omaha with me. I have been training a lot. I felt ready.
“I was already trying to fight in September. I was leaning toward (Dominick) Reyes, possibly. So I was already in that mindset. Jamahal was here, he got hurt, he went back to Las Vegas and did some footage and got hurt and I think it was just the natural progression. I was at camp with him. I was in shape. I’ve been thinking about Ulberg trying to help Jamahal. I think it was a natural decision for them to make, and I just didn’t have a reason to say no.”
Even though it was only 17 days between the time Smith accepted the replacement opportunity at International Fight Week and the time he steps into the Octagon, he doesn’t think it hurts his chances of winning.
Ulberg, No. 15 in latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie light heavyweight classification, is on a six-fight winning streak and has earned the chance to move up in the category. He has that chance with Smith, ranked number 12, who, on paper, has a style that could cause many challenges for the striker.
Smith knows the advantage of experience is dramatically in his favor at UFC 303, and as long as he fights responsibly, he likes the chances of his hand being raised.
“I don’t know if I see a guy competing with me in a full mixed martial arts fight,” Smith said. “I see him in competitions with people who favor him a little. He was there with top-notch forwards, a lot of hard hitters. But not many guys are going to mix it up. No one is grabbing his neck and hanging on to him, pushing him against the fence and slamming their knees into his body. I don’t think he’s fought a very high-level mixed martial artist who could fight him anywhere. If you let him get to his place, and let him feel comfortable
“I think he’s good. I think he’s really good when he’s where he wants to be. … If it has a hole, I will find it and drive a truck through it.”
For more information on the card, visit the MMA Junkie events hub to UFC 303.
