Elijah Smith guarantees bonus, new contract at UFC Fight Night 293 - MMA Junkie
When news recently broke that the UFC had released Farid Basharat, Elijah Smith almost certainly sat up to pay attention.
Although he’s in the middle of a training camp and had pledged full focus on his next fight, the news about Basharat had to give Smith some pause. The two are in a similar position.
Basharat (16-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) was not offered a new contract with the promotion after he wrapped his deal with a UFC 329 win over John Garza. Smith is heading into the last fight on his deal – and hasn’t heard a peep.
“I’m not going to beat around the bush: This is my last fight on my contract. There haven't been any talks of renewing yet, so I guess they want to see what happens after this fight,” Smith told MMA Junkie Radio.
Smith (10-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) has arguably his most accomplished opponent yet when he returns next week at UFC Fight Night 293 at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas. There, in his home city, where he’s fought each of his three UFC bouts, as well as his DWCS contract-winner, he’ll take on Davey Grant (16-8 MMA, 9-7 UFC).
Grant’s had an up-and-down long run in the UFC, but at one point won five bonuses in six fights over a 4-2 stretch. He’s currently got three wins – all decisions – in his past four bouts. Smith said he knows he’s got a dangerous opponent, which is why thinking about paperwork could be moot if he doesn’t win the fight.
“I'm not thinking about the contract. I can only control the things that I can control, which is going out there and giving it my all and putting on a good performance, and the rest will come behind it,” Smith said. “If I were to stress about getting a new contract, then that will follow me into the fight, and I know that would hinder a lot of people's performance. So I just believe in my ability to go out there and go fight, and the rest will fall behind.”
Smith’s plan for how things will follow includes a six-figure check for the UFC to write before the brass – he hopes – work up his next deal. Grant had built a reputation of being tough to put away, but the Brit, who will turn 41 in December, was tapped by Charles Jourdain a year ago.
Smith thinks a decisive win will help his cause for a new deal – which he thinks is inevitable.
“(The contract is) coming, 100 percent,” Smith said. “I can only control the things that I can control, and I can control my attitude. I can control what type of effort I put out when I go out there in that cage. And also, I think it's pretty dope they have me finally on the main card. … Now that's what I'm talking about. Now let's get the crowd involved. I want to give these people something that they remember.
“I’m looking for either a Fight of the Night type of performance or a Performance of the Night. Either way, we're coming out with a $100K bonus. I promise that. I promise that.”
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