Smith tried to go toe-to-toe with a menacing Chinese prospect, but just didn’t have the firepower to run with Zhang, who busted him up with sharp elbows in the clinch early in the fight. When Smith tried to wrestle, Zhang sprawled and went on the offensive, punishing the departing veteran with more elbows, forcing referee Jason Herzog to step in and halt that contest.
The surging Zhang has now won each of his first three UFC appearances inside the opening round, and will find himself stationed inside the Top 15 following this one. He is unquestionably one to watch in the 205-pound ranks, and it will be interesting to see who he gets matched up with next.
For Smith, this marks the end of his mixed martial arts journey, as “Lionheart” announced before the bout that it would be the last of his career. The veteran was a staple in the rankings throughout his light heavyweight run, working his way to a championship opportunity against Jon Jones in 2019. He moves on to the next stage of his life having amassed a 38-22 record overall.
