UFC Fight Night: Elijah Smith vs You Su-young Preview & Prediction
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Second generation UFC fighter, Elijah Smith, returns after dealing out a devastating KO in his last appearance, taking on Road to UFC winner You Su-Young at 135 pounds.
Elijah Smith vs You Su-young facts
What time are Elijah Smith and You Su-young expected to walk out?
Where is UFC Fight Night: Emmett vs Vallejos? Meta Apex, Enterprise, USA
Where can I get tickets for UFC Fight Night: Emmett vs Vallejos? Click here for the latest ticket information for UFC Fight Night 269
What TV channel is UFC Fight Night: Emmett vs Vallejos on? UK – TNT Sports / USA – Paramount
Where can I stream UFC Fight Night: Emmett vs Vallejos? UK – TNT Sports can stream the event online via the TNT Sports website and discovery+ / USA – Paramount+ & UFC Fight Pass
UFC Fight Night: Emmett vs Vallejos main card
Josh Emmett vs Kevin Vallejos (Featherweight)
Amanda Lemos vs Gillian Robertson (Women's Strawweight)
Ion Cutelaba vs Oumar Sy (Light Heavyweight)
Andre Fili vs Jose Miguel Delgado (Featherweight)
Marwan Rahiki vs Harry Hardwick (Featherweight)
Vitor Petrino vs Steven Asplund (Heavyweight)
UFC Fight Night: Emmett vs Vallejos prelims
Charles Johnson vs Bruno Gustavo da Silva (Flyweight)
Brad Tavares vs Eryk Anders (Middleweight)
Chris Curtis vs Myktybek Orolbai (Welterweight)
Bolaji Oki vs Manoel Sousa (Lightweight)
Luan Lacerda vs Hecher Sosa (Bantamweight)
Beatriz Mesquita vs Montserrat Rendon (Women's Bantamweight)
Elijah Smith vs You Su-young (Bantamweight)
Piera Rodriguez vs Sam Hughes (Women's Strawweight)
Elijah Smith: "Swift" returns following a KOTY contender in his most recent showing
Widely touted as one of the most exciting prospects at 135 pounds, Elijah Smith (9-1) makes his return following a highlight reel, POTN winning stoppage for the ages in his last appearance. Evoking comparisons with UFC legend, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Smith responded to Toshioma Kazami’s attempt at a triangle choke by power bombing the Japanese fighter through the mat for an indescribably brutal finish last August. Prior to that, “Swift” had earned a decision victory over Vince Morales following his contract winning performance on the Contender Series, leaving his promotional record at 2-0 entering his third fight. While he’s primarily a grappler, the 23 year old is just as comfortable on the feet, leaning on lightning fast hand speed to set up his entries.
You Su-young: Can the Road to UFC winner play spoiler at the expense of his latest foe?
Bantamweight winner of Road to UFC Season 3, Su Young You (16-3, 2 NC) has quietly gone 3-0 including his victory over Baergeng Jieleyisi in the finals since making his first appearance in the promotion in late 2024. A well-rounded combatant who is just as capable of grinding out a decision as he is scoring a finish, “Yoo-Jitsu” has solid grappling to complement a polished, technical striking game; he’s also only ever been finished in one loss. With wins over AJ Cunningham and Long Xiao already under his belt, the 30 year old South Korean looks to score the biggest win of his career and continue his rise up the 135 pound rankings.
Elijah Smith vs You Su-young prediction
While Smith is all the rage following his KOTY candidate last time out, You is a really solid bantamweight. He's very defensively sound, avoiding 70% of everything that has been thrown at him throughout his UFC tenure. Outside of a defeat in his debut, the South Korean has only lost to extremely decent levels of competition; the two other fighters to best him have a combined record of 26-2.
Both grapplers at heart, the two fighters have similar stats when it comes to the wrestling, averaging a similar amount of shots in each of their fights. Smith edges matters in terms of takedown accuracy and You holds the advantage when it comes to defending them. As such, don't be surprised if the pair's wrestling cancels out and they're forced to engage primarily on the feet.
If that scenario plays out, Smith would appear to have the advantage. He's the more naturally powerful of the two fighters and has a notable edge in size and reach over the stockier You. The American has also proven to land at a much higher clip than "Yoo-Jitsu," almost doubling the South Korean's significant strike output.
Despite the hype surrounding him, Smith is still very unproven; with just 57% takedown defense, it's not inconceivable that You takes him down relentlessly and blankets him to a decision. However, "Swift" looks to be exceedingly well-rounded for this point in his young career, to the point that I trust his athleticism and overall skill set to win out.
Prediction: Elijah Smith to win by decision
