To shore up the allure of the upcoming
UFC
301 spectacle, the pay-per-view showcase will feature a light
heavyweight clash between former title challenger
Anthony
Smith and burgeoning contender
Vitor
Petrino. Smith hopes to end the 1-3 tailspin in which he finds
himself, with knockout losses to
Magomed
Ankalaev and
Khalil
Rountree at the forefront. The veteran 205-pound mainstay owns
an 8-6 divisional record in the
Ultimate Fighting Championship and aims to kick off his 2024
campaign with a bang. Meanwhile, Petrino, a
Dana White’s Contender Series alum, has rattled off four
victories within a span of 12 months. That was enough for the
division’s stalwarts to take notice, and he has now been tasked
with the challenge to take on the No. 10-ranked Smith. The
Brazilian can expect to curry some favors from the matchmakers
should he upend “Lionheart” this Saturday at Farmasi Arena in Rio
de Janeiro.
Prior to the forthcoming Smith-Petrino showdown in Brazil, a look
at the statistical intricacies that bind the fighters together:
7: With seven finishes to his credit, Smith has cemented his spot
at No.7 in divisional history.
4: Smith has four submission wins on his UFC record, tying him for
sixth-best in the light heavyweight division.
5: Occupying the ninth spot on the divisional ladder, Smith has
recorded five post-fight bonuses throughout his career.
54: Smith has rattled off 20 knockout victories throughout his
career, accumulating a 54% finish rate on that front.
38: The 35-year-old Smith has recorded 14 submission wins, which
constitute 38% of his professional total.
11: Petrino has 11 victories on his ledger. The imposing 205-pound
prospect has not lost a single fight so far.
64: Petrino has a reputation for possessing dynamite in his hands,
punctuated by the seven knockout victories that he has rattled off
in his career. They account for 64% of his total.
4: The Brazilian also has four first-round finishes in his career,
which only goes on to prove that he does not shy away from swinging
right out of the gate.