Nick Piccininni

Dana White’s Contender Series 69: Grading the winners

MMA Junkie fight analyst Dan Tom takes a closer look at the performances of the five winners from Dana White’s Contender Series 69.

Week 3 of Dana White’s Contender Series (2024) took place on Tuesday in Las Vegas, and we’re grading the winners from the five-fight card, which streamed on ESPN+ from the UFC Apex.

With a simple but digestible format that has had the MMA fanbase responding, this series has shown to have legs in multiple ways while serving as a crockpot for contenders the UFC matchmakers can use to fill their roster for future events. With that trend in mind, I once again will be taking a look at the winning fighters, regardless of whether or not they won a UFC contract, and grading their performances in regard to their probability of returning to a UFC stage.

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Weight class: Flyweight
Result: Nick Piccininni def. Jack Duffy via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
Grade: B

Summary: Setting the tone for the night was an impromptu dogfight between [autotag]Nick Piccininni[/autotag] and Jack Duffy.

Despite my inherent bias for Piccininni as one of my : prospects to watch in 2023, I have to agree with the UFC president as far as scoring it two rounds to one for Duffy (giving him the first and third for the more varied striking volume and impact).

In Piccininni’s defense, the former All-American wrestler stepped up on just ten days’ notice, so not looking incredibly sharp or prepared is perhaps somewhat understandable for the OSU alum. Still, that same change-up also affected Duffy, who was previously scheduled to face more striking-based fighters.

Duffy acquitted himself well opposite Piccininni’s superior wrestling, and even stayed composed when finding himself wearing the Fortis MMA product as a backpack. Ultimately, it was the diverse striking and multi-dimensional threats of Duffy that set him apart in my eyes.

I feel like both fighters could’ve been justified signings for the UFC, but Dana White, unfortunately, felt different, calling for a Brandon Moreno vs. Deiveson Figueiredo-type audible (something the UFC president seems to do when getting a result that he really disdains).

Considering that both flyweights and wrestlers alike have traditionally been given the short end of the stick from White, seeing these guys forced to jump through more hoops on short notice is sadly something we shouldn’t be surprised by. I just feel bad for both Piccininni and Duffy for only having six weeks between now and the final week of this season of the Contender Series to heal their bodies from this war and be ready for another.

Malcolm Wellmaker

Weight class: Bantamweight
Result: Malcolm Wellmaker def. Adam Bramhald via knockout (punch) – Round 1, 2:29
Grade: A

Summary: Despite walking a fine tightrope to entertain us in his audition for Dana White, [autotag]Malcolm Wellmaker[/autotag] earns the easiest A of the night in my book.

Wellmaker, who has apparent swagger and savvy from both stances, is a high-risk, high-reward striker who seemingly has an inherent feel for range.

Whether Wellmaker is slipping just outside of punches or darting to an outside angle, the American pokes and prods his opponents with trapping responses in mind. And once he gets the bite he’s looking for, Wellmaker clearly keeps heavy counters on a hair-trigger

Bramhald, to his credit, did a decent job of keeping Wellmaker’s lowered guard in check by looking to counter in combination. Unfortunately for the Englishman, he committed a little too hard with a jab that his opponent was waiting for.

Signing Wellmaker was a no-brainer, and I expect to see him thrown into action sooner than later – likely in a showcase spot opposite the likes of Steve Nguyen or Connor Matthews.

Marco Tulio

Weight class: Middleweight
Result: Marco Tulio def. Matthieu Duclos via TKO (spinning back kick) – Round 2, 2:38
Grade: A

Summary: Someone cue Phil Collin’s “Sussudio,” because [autotag]Marco Tulio[/autotag] just earned a UFC contract on what was his second swing at bat.

Despite besting noted kickboxer, Yousri Belgaroui, Tulio failed to earn the thumbs up from the UFC president on last year’s season of the Contender Series.

Although this fight started as another classic middleweight slogfest that ran the risk of failing to impress the big boss, Tulio was able to build off his steady leg and bodywork to land an emphatic spinning back kick to Mattheiu Duclos’ liver that closed the show.

It’s nice to see another Chute Boxe Diego Lima product get signed off a clean stoppage win, so don’t be surprised to see Tulio compete again this year. For my money, I’d be willing to bet that we see Tulio booked opposite Americans like Zachary Reese or Sedriques Dumas for his first UFC assignment.

Bogdan Grad

Weight class: Featherweight
Result: Bogdan Grad def. Michael Aswell via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 30-27)
Grade: B

Summary: Despite this being another split decision where I disagreed with the judges, I was hard-pressed to deny [autotag]Bogdan Grad[/autotag] anything lower than a B for his insane effort over three rounds.

Coming out like hell on wheels, Grad quickly turned the Apex’s octagon into the World War 2 battleground that his name sounds like.

This aggressive approach ran Grad right into the jab-cross continuums of Michael Aswell, who won the first round on my card. That said, Grad’s aggression and pressure steadily began the pay dividends by the middle of the fight, where the Austrian fighter was able to start winning exchanges and force a cut on his American counterpart.

Unfortunately for Aswell, the blood from said cut provided a solid distraction from the solid counters and bodywork that MMA judges continually undervalue (which is a shame since the most reaction-drawing offense in the final frame was clearly Aswell’s body punches).

Aswell is getting his name moved to the top of the queue when it comes to the UFC’s constant need for short-notice call-ups, while Grad gets the contract that both of the flyweights who opened the card were denied.

To be fair, Grad should make for a fun addition to the featherweight division. And though I’d love to see him paired straight away with recent Ultimate Fighter winner, Mairon Santos, I suspect that the matchmakers will book him on an upcoming international card against someone like Jeka Saragih.

Andrey Pulyaev

Weight class: Middleweight
Result: Andrey Pulyaev def. Liam Anderson via unanimous decision (30-27, 20-27, 20-27)
Grade: B

Summary: Despite failing to find the finish that he was trying hard for, I found it hard to deny [autotag]Andrey Pulyaev[/autotag] anything less than a B for the effort he put up against Liam Anderson.

Tougher than a two-dollar steak, it was reminiscent of a Rocky movie watching Anderson take the damage he took this past Tuesday.

To his credit, Anderson had his moments throughout the fifteen-minute affair by making things ugly and getting to the grappling realm (where this fight was supposed to favor him on paper). Unfortunately for Anderson, Pulyaev proved to be just as scrappy on the floor – winning out on scrambles down the stretch.

Pulyaev may not be a top-shelf prospect coming out of Russia or your stereotypical ‘Dagestani destroyer,’ but the 26-year-old has a solid arsenal from southpaw that I see keeping him competitive with the bottom half of the division.

If Jose Medina and Robert Valentin get matched up like I suspect they do, then don’t be surprised to see Pulyaev paired up with anyone from Cody Brundage to Christian Leroy Duncan on the next international card (if those last two names are booked against each other, that is).

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Dana White’s Contender Series 69.

Dana White’s Contender Series 69 results: Four contracts issued, plus a rare immediate rematch

Season 8 of Dana White’s Contender Series continued Tuesday, and Dana White offered some rare stipulations afterward.

LAS VEGAS – MMA Junkie was on scene reporting live from Tuesday’s Dana White’s Contender Series 69 event.

Dana White’s Contender Series cards see prospects fighting for the opportunity to sign a UFC deal, with UFC president Dana White on hand to make the decisions.

The third week of the eighth season saw 10 fighters compete for their shot at a UFC contract. In the feature bout at middleweight, Liam Anderson took on Andrey Pulyaev.

The UFC Apex hosts Tuesday’s card, which streams live on ESPN+.

DWCS 69 full results

[autotag]Andrey Pulyaev[/autotag] def. [autotag]Liam Anderson[/autotag] via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
[autotag]Bogdan Grad[/autotag] def. [autotag]Michael Aswell[/autotag] via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 30-27)
[autotag]Marco Tulio[/autotag] def. [autotag]Matthieu Duclos[/autotag] via TKO (spinning back kick to the body) – Round 2, 2:38
[autotag]Malcolm Wellmaker[/autotag] def. [autotag]Adam Bramhald[/autotag] via knockout (punch) – Round 1, 2:29
[autotag]Nick Piccininni[/autotag] def. [autotag]Jack Duffy[/autotag] via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)

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Who won a UFC contract?

At the conclusion of the event, White handed out four UFC contracts to winners Wellmaker, Tulio, Grad and Pulyaev.

White also passed on Piccininni because he disagreed with the decision, but offered a rematch vs. Duffy in Week 10 of Season 8. Both fighters will get another chance to vie for a UFC contract.

Additionally, White said UFC matchmaker Sean Shelby will have Aswell on his short-list for replacements if the UFC is in need of short-notice fix.

Jack Duffy vs. Nick Piccininni

Round 1 – Duffy lays out on his back with his legs up against the cage as the referee starts the fight, then rolls over and charges at his opponent with strikes. Piccininni steps away and looks to land, but Duffy rushes him and pushes Piccininni into the fence. turns him and gets a takedown of his own, and Duffy immediately looks to counter with a guillotine choke then a triangle choke attempt. Piccininni stands up and looks to land sniping ground strikes while hovering over his foe. He dives in, and Duffy grabs Piccininni and rolls for a kneebar submission. Piccininni escapes and stands back up. Duffy lands a knee to the body and multiple leg kicks. Piccininni tries to push forward, but Duffy is hammering him with a relentless assault of strikes to keep the momentum in his favor to close the round.

MMA Junkie scores the opening round 10-9 for Duffy.

Round 2 – After receiving a scolding in the corner from coach Sayif Saud, Piccininni comes out and manages to get the fight to the ground in short order. He can’t do much damage from inside the guard, however, because Duffy is holding him close and only allowing space when he throws elbows and punches from bottom position. Piccininni scoots Duffy into the corner then takes the back off a scramble attempt. Piccininni gets the body triangle from the back and is working toward a rear-naked choke while landing rabbit punches. Duffy scrambles back to his feet but is still being controlled along the cage wall. Piccininni lands a trip takedown with less than 30 seconds left, and again takes the back but can’t finish it before the end of the round.

MMA Junkie scores the second stanza 10-9 for Piccininni.

Round 3 – Both men trade hard strikes to begin the final round. The punches and kicks are flying to start a potentially definitive round, and Duffy is the first to shoot a takedown that ends up being stuffed. Piccininni advances forward and gets a takedown just over 60 seconds in, and he works hard to establish control before taking the back. Piccininni is too high on the back and falls off, but he quickly gets it back while Duffy stands up. Piccininni steps away and looks quite fatigued, and Duffy senses the chance to attack with more knees and punches. Duffy lands a front kick to the face and another series of strikes. Piccininni goes for a takedown and Duffy grabs the fence to stop it, but the referee doesn’t do a damn thing. They break back into striking range and both sides are fighting with urgency as the clock reaches 60 seconds remaining. They trade spinning backfist attempts and Piccininni gets a critical takedown as the seconds wind off the clock. Duffy stands back up, then Piccininni steps away and the pair trade bombs until the final buzzer, bringing Dana White to his feet in applause.

MMA Junkie scores the final round 10-9 for Duffy, giving him a 29-28 edge on our scorecard. But that was an extremely competitive fight.

Got the W on 10 days notice 💪

Nick Piccininni earns the split decision victory! #DWCS pic.twitter.com/jYMJdv6N0B

— UFC (@ufc) August 28, 2024

Result: Nick Piccininni def. Jack Duffy via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
Photos: Dana White’s Contender Series 69: Best photos
Records: Piccininni (7-0), Duffy (7-1)
Division: Flyweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Keith Peterson

Adam Bramhald vs. Malcolm Wellmaker

Round 1 – Both men start the fight with clear intention to stand and trade. They use footwork to move into kicks and punches, with Wellmaker connecting with a good series of leg kicks in the first few minutes. Wellmaker is the first to shoot for a takedown, but it’s easily stuffed by Bhamhald, who charges forward and eats a gigantic counter right hand from Wellmaker that faceplants him into the canvas out cold! A brilliant highlight-reel knockout to build on his undefeated record.

HE ONLY NEEDED ONE SHOT 🤯

Malcolm Wellmaker gets the KO in round 1! #DWCS pic.twitter.com/8tzqVoN344

— UFC (@ufc) August 28, 2024

Result: Malcolm Wellmaker def. Adam Bramhald via knockout (punch) – Round 1, 2:29
Recap: Malcolm Wellmaker faceplant KOs Adam Bramhald while moving backward
Photos: Dana White’s Contender Series 69: Best photos
Records: Wellmaker (8-0), Bramhald (13-3)
Division: Bantamweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Eric McMahon

Matthieu Duclos vs. Marco Tulio

Round 1 – Tulio is eager to attack with leg kicks from the outset and it causes Duclos to move back and attempt to time a chance to throw his own kick or counter with a punch. Tulio beats him to it with a pressing combination, however, and managed to land a shot that briefly drops Duclos as he’s moving backward. Duclos recovers quickly and escapes from close range to get it back to a striking fight from distance. Tulio senses his opportunity to do more damage, though, and is still pushing forward with his hands and mixing in leg kicks. Duclos gets some respect back with a stinging left hook. Tulio charges forward, but Duclos evaded and throws a looping overhand right that’s blocked. Duclos slips to the ground off a kick and that allows Tulio to close distance and press him to the fence. He circles away and it’s clear Duclos is growing in confidence with less than a minute remaining. They crash into each other in the final seconds, and Tulio tries a body lock takedown, but Duclos reverses it and ends on top.

MMA Junkie scores the opening round 10-9 for Tulio due to the knockdown.

Round 2 – The pace is somewhat slowed to open the second stanza but picks up about 30 seconds in when Tulio just misses with a spinning back elbow during a wild exchange. Tulio lands a nice straight right hand to the sternum and Duclos is trying to stay patient while answering back. Tulio’s pressure is giving him a tough time, and the leg kicks are seemingly adding up. Tulio staggers Duclos with a hard punch then crashed into the clinch with a serious of knees that are partially blocked. They battle from close range against the fence. They break and Tulio lands an absolutely perfect spinning back kick to the body that folds Duclos. He tries to survive, but Tulio needs the referee to save him and the fight is over! Nasty finish from Tulio.

The liver shot gets it done 😮‍💨

Marco Tulio puts an end to this one in the second round! #DWCS pic.twitter.com/ImMuVV6tLq

— UFC (@ufc) August 28, 2024

Result: Marco Tulio def. Matthieu Duclos via TKO (spinning back kick to the body) – Round 2, 2:38
Recap: Marco Tulio shuts down Matthieu Duclos with expertly-timed spinning back kick
Photos: Dana White’s Contender Series 69: Best photos
Records: Tulio (12-1), Duclos (6-3)
Division: Middleweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Keith Peterson

Michael Aswell vs. Bogdan Grad

Round 1 – There is zero caution shown from both sides to start the fight as they meet in the middle and trade blows. The kicks are landing low and to the body, but Aswell and Grad are barely missing on some absolute bombs with their hands. Aswell lands a nice straight punch that earns some respect but he’s still the one moving backward as Grad stalks him. Grad lands a nice left body kick and some clean shots with the hands. Aswell is finding his timing on the counters but the pace and output on both ends is very high. The fight settles in and Aswell is getting the better of the exchanges and showing solid defence. Grad answers with a pair of hooks, then a spinning backfist moments later that’s barely blocked. Grad shoots for a takedown with less than a minute left and gets it, but Aswell pops back to his feet. Grad tries for a standing guillotine, but Grad pushes him against the fence to break leverage then separates back into striking range. They trade to close the round, with Grad landing a stiff left hook late to close a tight round.

MMA Junkie scores the opening round 10-9 for Grad.

Round 2 – Defense goes out the window in the opening moments of the second round. Both men are tagged clean but look rather comfortable taking each other’s power at this point. Grad mixes in a leg kick, and Aswell has only thrown one kick to this point according to the commentary team. He finds more success with his hands moments later and snaps Grad’s hand back, but Grad fires back with a hard right hand. Grad is growing in confidence as he moves forward with his hands low, then throws some more leg kicks. Aswell lands a few nice jabs and evades a big spinning head kick attempt. Grad eats some more jabs then an overhand and a straight right seconds later. He charges with an overhand then shoots for a takedown against the cage, and Aswell stands up after being grounded for a moment. Grad lands a knee to the body and nearly an elbow as they break, and Aswell is now bleeding from near his left eye. Grad lands more good punches late to close out a strong round.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9 for Grad.

Round 3 – Aswell comes out with a sense of desperation to start the final round after the doctor was brought into the cage to check it. He pressures with solid boxing combinations and is landing, but Grad doesn’t look deterred. He is standing in the pocket and trading with success of his own, and the blood is leaking more significantly from the cut around Aswell’s left eye. Grad shoots for a takedown and engages in a grappling sequence, but it doesn’t last long and Aswell gets it back to the feet. Grad is showing some fatigue as the fight enters the final minutes, and Aswell is all over him with big punches to the body and hand. Aswell is applying tons of pressure and output late and both men land hard blows. They leave it all in the cage as it reaches the final bout, and the broadcast reveals UFC CEO Dana White called the production truck to say both men will receive the show and win portion of their purse.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9 for Aswell, with a 29-28 victory for Grad.

WHAT. A. FIGHT. 👏 #DWCS pic.twitter.com/dGSkQRkRyp

— UFC (@ufc) August 28, 2024

Result: Bogdan Grad def. Michael Aswell via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 30-27)
Photos: Dana White’s Contender Series 69: Best photos
Records: Grad (14-2), Aswell (9-2)
Division: Featherweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Eric McMahon

Liam Anderson vs. Andrey Pulyaev

Round 1 – Anderson closes the distance on Pulyaev within the first few seconds and has him on the back foot and against the cage inside of the 30 seconds ticking off the clock. Anderson changes levels and is putting full effort into a takedown from either a double leg of a body lock. Pulyaev shows good balance and defense but there is minimal damage. They finally break at the midway point of the round and Pulyaev starts unloading with body kicks and solid boxing combinations, one of which snaps Anderson’s head back. Pulyaev starts to open up with his striking attack and Anderson is starting to display some concerning sides. Anderson fights his way inside the clinch, but can only end the round by pressing him against the cage. Anderson heads back to his corner with a busted and bloody nose.

MMA Junkie scores the opening round 10-9 for Pulyaev.

Round 2 – Pulyaev is beaming with confidence to start the round, but Anderson is standing his ground agains the attacks. Anderson clinches Pulyaev in the center of the cage and pushes him toward the fence. He fights hard for a single leg takedown and spins Pulyaev, but the Russian shows sharp takedown defense and get gets himself toward the cage and upright. Pulyaev eventually gets himself free andgoes back to work with diligent striking. He’s tagging Anderson over and over from all ranges and Pulyaev is taking control of the contest in all forms. Anderson shows all kinds of courage and spins Pulyaev into a takedown with less than 75 seconds remaining. He works for a Hail Mary submission as the clock winds down, then adjusts to some ground-and-pound in the closing seconds.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9 for Pulyaev.

Round 3 – Anderson pursues the takedown again right of the bat and manages to push Pulyaev against the cage. They trade elbows and uppercuts from inside before Pulyaev escapes. Pulyaev lands a series of powerful punches and Anderson somehow absorbs them without going down. Anderson clinches Pulyaev and tries to get a takedown from the front headlock, but Pulyaev counters him and ends up in top position. Pulyaev goes to work with punches and elbows from inside Anderson’s guard, and precious time is ticking off the clock as the final round hits its midway point. Pulyaev continues to work effective ground and pound as Anderson struggles to get free with less than 90 seconds left. The blood of Anderson is getting smothered all over the mat, and that forces him to turn around and give up his back. Pulyaev tries to get a choke but is too high on the back and falls off. Anderson takes the back with just under a minute left and tries to get a choke! Pulyaev fights the hands perfectly and turns him around, ending up back in guard as the time expires.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9 for Pulyaev, giving him the 30-27 sweep on the scorecards.

Result: Andrey Pulyaev def. Liam Anderson via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Photos: Dana White’s Contender Series 69: Best photos
Records: Pulyaev (9-2), Anderson (6-3)
Division: Middleweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Keith Peterson

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for DWCS 69.

Dana White’s Contender Series 69 weigh-in results: All 10 fighters set for UFC auditions

Check out the results from the third week of Dana White’s Contender Series weigh-ins in Las Vegas.

LAS VEGAS – MMA Junkie is on scene and reporting live from Monday’s official Dana White’s Contender Series 69 fighter weigh-ins, which kick off at noon ET (9 a.m. PT).

The weigh-ins take place at the UFC host hotel in Las Vegas. The UFC Apex hosts Tuesday’s card, which streams on ESPN+.

For the third event of the season, 10 fighters will vie for UFC contracts in their fights, including middleweights [autotag]Liam Anderson[/autotag] (6-2) and [autotag]Andrey Pulyaev[/autotag] (8-2), who headline the show.

Below are the complete Dana White’s Contender Series 69 weigh-in results include:

Liam Anderson (185) vs. Andrey Pulyaev (185)
Michael Aswell (145) vs. Bogdan Grad (145.5)
Matthieu Duclos (185) vs. Marco Tulio (184)
Adam Bramhald (135.5) vs. Malcolm Wellmaker (135.5)
Jack Duffy (125) vs. Nick Piccininni (125)

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Dana White’s Contender Series 69.

Recovered and refocused: Former OSU wrestler Jacobe Smith and the leap of faith that could land him in UFC

Undefeated OSU wrestler-turned-MMA fighter Jacobe Smith thinks an adjustment upturned the trajectory of his career toward the UFC.

As [autotag]Jacobe Smith[/autotag] sat in a small apartment in Northern California, he reached a conclusion: He needed a change.

Banged up, homesick and slightly disappointed, Smith contemplated a full reset – but that’s easier said than done when your imperfect recipe works.

Despite all of nagging injuries and grueling training sessions he endured, Smith, for as long as he could remember, had been at the top of whatever athletic activity he partook in.

The son of an NFL player, Smith was fascinated by high-level athletes, their training sessions and their mentalities. But for the first decade-plus of his life, he was unable to partake in sports due to asthma.

When he finally received clearance to partake in middle school, Smith was overwhelmed by the options in front of him. There were so many he could sign up for. That’s when he saw wrestling listed as an option.

Perfect. He could be just like … John Cena?

“I signed up for wrestling, thinking it was going to be WWE wrestling and I’d be getting paid,” Smith recently told MMA Junkie. “It turned out to be what it was. I’m kind of blessed, but I’m still waiting for that big payday.”

The “accidental” decision refined Smith’s life. A standout high school wrestling stint later, the teen from Muskogee, Okla., didn’t need to think twice about accepting an offer to wrestle at Oklahoma State University.

“I didn’t plan on going to college at all,” Smith said. “I was planning on fighting or going to the NFL. In college, I saw a video of Jordan Oliver on YouTube and it was that rock song, ‘Let the city burn.’ It was a highlight of him wrestling and just tearing everybody up. Right then and there I just told myself I’m wrestling for that school in those colors. It ended up happening years later.”

Rutger’s Willie Scott vs Oklahoma’s Jacobe Smith in their 184 lbs. bout. Rutgers Wrestling vs Oklahoma State in Piscataway, NJ on January 13, 2019.

While it was a dream come true, the OSU stint wasn’t all smooth sailing. Smith injured himself significantly, but chose to evade surgeries that would knock him out of action until after he graduated. He pushed through the pain and still he broke through.

“I tore everything in my knee my junior year at Oklahoma State,” Smith said. “I didn’t get it repaired until I graduated, because they told me I wouldn’t have been able to wrestling again, my senior year. My career would’ve been over, pretty much, because of the recovery time. I tried to wrestle on a torn knee for a year-and-a-half. I actually All-American’d on a torn knee.”

Eventually, the curtains closed. Smith’s wrestling career was over. Though a desire to wrestle in the Olympics persisted, circumstances pushed Smith toward fighting – something that’s always been part of his plans, even before wrestling.

“My dad would do tough-man tournaments around the Tulsa area, the Muskogee area,” Smith said. “He would win golden jackets and make $20,000 just fighting around where we were. I didn’t know it was as big as it was. I didn’t know about the UFC or Bellator or anything like that. I just knew I could find around where I live and make $20,000 just to fight one fight. That kind of stuck with me and I kind of wanted to do that.”

“… I didn’t really get to do my full rehab after the surgery. I had to do it all on my own and it wasn’t as fast of a recovery as it should’ve been. I should’ve been back wrestling way sooner than then, but I had to make money so I just started taking fights. I couldn’t even do a pushup, but I was taking fights just to make money because I didn’t want to get a job.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/Ckbu88RS5aN/

Fast forward back to Smith in his apartment pondering change – and he wasn’t alone. Smith’s long time friends and wrestling teammates [autotag]Kyle Crutchmer[/autotag] and [autotag]Nick Piccininni[/autotag] took the trip to live in San Jose, Calif., and train at American Kickboxing Academy (AKA).

They were invited by Cowboys alum Daniel Cormier, of course. There training was intense, as the room was filled with Dagestani representatives including Khabib Nurmagomedov. The gym slowly lost its fit for the trio of fighters.

“DC got so busy with that commentating stuff in the UFC that it took time away from me and him,” Smith said. “I was living at his gym at the wrestling academy and I’d only ever see him once or twice a week. It got to that point where we weren’t getting in the work we should’ve been getting in. I was getting dished off to other coaches that I wasn’t really connecting with. I wasn’t really feeling it.”

Smith, Crutchmer and Piccininni are in this together. So as their yearning for a change grew, they put their heads together. What about Fortis MMA under coach Sayif Saud?

“One night, we were all talking and Kyle was like, ‘I miss my daughter. It’s getting bad,'” Smith said. “I’m like, ‘Yeah, I’m getting depressed, thinking about my wife.’ He’s like, ‘Man, I’m going to type up a message to Sayif and see if we can go down there and see what it’s like, see if that training could benefit us at all.'”

https://www.instagram.com/p/CtE5WOSLXB1/

Crutchmer typed out a text message, but didn’t send it. The draft sat there, an uncertain send. There was hesitation and the what-ifs existed, but Smith made an executive decision. When Crutchmer left the room for a moment without his phone, Smith hit the send arrow.

“I pressed send on the message he typed out and wasn’t going to even send,” Smith said. “I ended up sending it because I knew I wanted to see something different. We all decide we were going to do something together.”

The impulsive decision proved to be a good one. Smith found the striking and jiu-jitsu instruction he felt was missing previously. Surprisingly, the biggest impact Smith felt (besides now training only 20 minutes away from his family) was the focus on recovery. Sure, Smith still partakes in a grueling training regiment, but he’s integrated an active focus on healing and preserving as well.

“(My wife) got in my ear and Coach Sayif got in my ear about me putting more effort into my rehab like I do trying to get better at fighting,” Smith said. “Once I did that, the first two weeks I was here, I noticed a difference. I’ve been here since, what, February? Now I’m fully recovered. It took me to attack that with my full effort, as I do with fighting. Now I realize I should’ve done that a long time ago.”

Smith, 27, has a 5-0 pro MMA record. He returns Sunday at Fury FC 81 against Austin Jones (13-9) in San Antonio. The event streams on UFC Fight Pass. If he wins, Smith has his UFC roadmap figured out – and there isn’t much journey left before he gets there.

“From right now, I have myself mapped out,” Smith said. “I’ll fight July 16 … I’ll take one more fight with Fury, and then my contract with them will be done. Then I’ll go to the Dana White’s Contender Series. So two more fights, and then I’ll be done with the small shows. I’ll be going to the UFC pretty soon.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/Ctwb923Opui/

As it stands, Smith thinks he’s already UFC-caliber. He’s able to gauge his skill level by training with UFC-ranked welterweight [autotag]Geoff Neal[/autotag], who has become one of his main partners to work with.

“We exchange rounds and I’m getting to the point where I don’t need to use my wrestling,” Smith said. “I can win rounds against him with my striking pedigree and just baiting him with my wrestling. I’ll steal rounds away from him every now and then. If I’m competing with Geoff, I know I can compete with any of the top fighters. I’ve seen him f*ck up some good fighters. I know I’m ready. I just don’t want to rush it.”

“… We’re trying to execute and make it easy. That’s what I want to do. I want to be able to go out with my wife after my fights and not worry about being cut up or having to go see a doctor. That’s where I feel like we’re getting at, to the point we’re getting so far ahead that once we are thrown out there, we’re going to be so far ahead of the field. We’re going to make these nights easier than they have to be.”