Outlook: “Lionheart” roared after his first-round TKO win over Ryan Spann in September and demanded his respect. After three straight stoppage wins over Devin Clark, Jimmy Crute and Spann, it’s clear to see why. He didn’t mind defending his spot after a pair of disappointing losses in 2020, but now, he expects to once again fight with an upward trajectory at stake. Given his vast experience, it’s easy to forget Smith is only 33 and perhaps entering his fighting prime, and he continues to improve as a multilevel threat to any contender, young or old. He wants a number one contender fight, which is possibly a matchup with Blachowicz, but he did seem adamant and open to a Rakic rematch.
5) Thiago Santos
(22-9, 15 KOs, 1 Submission)
Last Fight: Unanimous Decision Win vs Johnny Walker (10/2/2021)
Next fight: N/A