Cameron Smotherman’s post-UFC run is off to a bad start after the American fighter was left unconscious in his Fury FC return on July 19. His opponent was Jay Alderete, a now-6-0 prospect fighting out of Houston, Texas.
Smotherman (12-7, 1-3 UFC) finished his UFC career on a skid of three losses, finally conceding a knockout to Kai Asakura in May. His debut win against England’s Jake Hadley as a sizeable short-notice underdog had him in high regard, but he failed to live up to expectations with unanimous losses thereafter.
Fighting again in Fury FC, the regional promotion where Smotherman cut his teeth, it was expected that he’d return to his winning ways. That hope ended late in round two, when Alderete knocked him down with a head kick and found a tight D’Arce choke that put Smotherman to sleep.
Smotherman Carried Away From Cage in First Fight Since UFC Departure
Chaos ensued when Smotherman tried to re-enter the cage after the result and had to be carried out of the room by security. Alderete’s sportsmanship left a lot to be desired, as he landed four low blows in the fight and taunted his opponent after the win.
UFC fighter Adrian Yanez claimed Alderete was being disrespectful to Smotherman’s mother in a post on X after the fight. Alderete replied, “Remember everything he said? [I] didn’t flick off his mom; I flicked off the crowd, and her dramatic [expletive] took it personal. If you have a real issue line it up and I’ll see you in the show.”
Yanez is 7-3-1 in the UFC and just knocked out former bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt in the first round of their fight at UFC 329.
‘Crack’ moves to 6-0, with Smotherman being his first win against an opponent with a winning record. Alderete’s last five opponents had a combined record of 9-23, but he remains undefeated across his amateur and professional careers. At 19, he has a long way to go, but this didn’t stop him from calling for a chance in the UFC post-fight.
Bizarre Fight for Smotherman Considering Last UFC Loss
Without diminishing Alderete’s win, this was absolutely a fight that shouldn’t have been made. Smotherman was knocked totally unconscious back in May by Asakura, and should have had more time away from the cage.
That’s a 50-day return after suffering considerable trauma, adding another weight cut to the mix as well. It’s incredibly unhealthy for 28-year-old Smotherman, and somewhere along the way, whether it be management or promoter, someone needs to be held accountable.
His fight was entertaining nonetheless, featuring a double knockdown, a head-kick knockdown, a choke, and the eventual chaos spurred by the disrespect. It still doesn’t excuse the shameful matchmaking that had Smotherman return to action just weeks after suffering that flatline knockout against Asukara.
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