Smith needed one clean exchange. He clipped Grant with a counter check hook, dropped him near the fence with a left hook and landed a right hand on the ground before the stoppage.

Grant, a 40-year-old who has spent 13 years in the UFC, had never been knocked out before Saturday. Smith, a Colorado Springs product, is a second-generation fighter whose father, Gilbert Smith, appeared on two seasons of The Ultimate Fighter.

Smith’s win was his fifth in a row with the UFC — counting his unanimous-decision win on the Contender Series in 2024. He’s won his last three fights by stoppage, earning a performance bonus in two of those wins.

Elijah Smith’s Five-Fight Win Streak

The contract question hung over the matchup all week. At media day, Smith told reporters, “I haven’t been talked to about redoing my contract.”

If the UFC can’t find a spot on the roster for a 24-year-old on this kind of streak, it’ll be a shame and their loss. I’m sure MVP would love to swoop in and sign a fighter like Smith, book him reasonably and allow him to grow into a star.

Smith has confidence, charisma and he’s a rare commodity in the UFC. He’s one of the few young, up-and-coming African-American fighters in the promotion. Along with fighters like Jacobe Smith, who is 30, and the less-proven Stan Dorsainvil, Smith is one of the brightest stars in a demographic that is underserved in the world’s No. 1 MMA promotion.

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Smith’s defense still has some holes, but he is a plus athlete who is as passionate and determined as any young fighter you’ll find. I’d expect he’s earned himself a new deal after Saturday’s win.

Smith’s knockout came on a main card topped by Johnny Walker’s third-round TKO of Waldo Cortes-Acosta.