Former champ Blake Smith ready to show out once again at CFFC 141: 'When I'm out there, stay glued to your seats'

Smith credits Billy Quarantillo and crew for rapid growth and is aiming to show it again at Saturday's event on UFC FIGHT PASS.

After putting on a clinic against Donald Bush at this past September's CFFC 135, Blake Smith will step into the cage once more, and he's intending on a repeat performance.

The former CFFC lightweight titleholder continues to display his evolution as a fighter, showcasing his dynamic striking ability and improved grappling defense against the cagey vet in Bush, and Smith said it was a confidence-building result.

"Donnie made it a fight," Smith said. "We had our antics, but that's part of the game. He was tough. He tried to take away my strengths, and he moved well. It felt good to get in there and get a dominant win over a dominant grappler."

After the fight, Smith and his coaches went immediately back to the lab, refining and sharpening his tools – though he admits he did carve out a little personal time, as well, to focus on his son's budding baseball career, where he made the varsity team as a freshman and even started as a first-year student.

While focusing on his MMA training, though, Smith spent a lot of time on the mats getting his grappling right. The goal is to make another title run in the division, and he knows that can't be done without a well-rounded game.

Smith (9-4 MMA, 4-1 CFFC) now gets an opportunity to display his further growth when he steps into the cage against Mongolia's Enkhtur Bayartsogt (7-5 MMA, 0-0 CFFC) on the UFC FIGHT PASS-streamed main card of Saturday's CFFC 141, which takes place at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa.

Smith hinted at a high level of intensity through his training camp due to his opponent's skills, recognizing that his grappling will have to be on point against the CFFC newcomer.

"Don't be surprised if you see me grappling this guy a little bit," Smith said. "I know at the highest level, guys will shoot from anywhere. I worked on getting better at defending takedowns. I think that will be what makes a difference."

Bayartsogt comes in with one previous appearance on UFC FIGHT PASS, and Smith looks to showcase his improved grappling skills against the incoming threat. Smith acknowledges Bayartsogt as a guy who simply won't go away easily and knows he'll need to be at his best come fight night.

"I believe he's going in there prepared to die," Smith said. "If you come to a fight prepared to die, that means you're ready to kill. I accept that. In training, I've been breaking my personal records. I'm ready for whatever happens.

"He's going to come to fight. I'll have to be efficient with my defense and my counters. I'll have to look polished this fight, and I will."

Like every camp, Smith spends a little time checking out his opponent's social media pages to get any information he can. Smith noted that he thinks about his opponents a lot prior to his fights.

This time around, he envisions a victory against Bayartsogt and feels the improvements he will showcase on fight night will bring him both his show and win money.

"I'm getting two checks for sure," Smith said. "I know I can be at the upper echelon. I just have to go out there and prove it. With my new coaches, they revamped my career. I saw big improvements with my last fight, and you'll see more improvements with this one."

Smith recently made a move to Billy Quarantillo's Gracie PAC and Gracie Tampa South squad and notes that decision as an important part of returning to the top of the peak at CFFC. At Saturday's event, he will be joined by teammates "Iron" Will Rentz and amateur prospects Evan Spencer and Jesse DeJong on the CFFC 141 card.

The "Billy Q Army" anticipates going perfect on the night and looks to electrify their home crowd yet again. On top of seeing his team go undefeated, the former CFFC titleholder looks to impress fans and media alike with a big win and a performance that gets his name in the discussion of athletes ready for the UFC.

"We're expecting to go 4-0, nothing less," Smith said. "When I'm in the cage, I hear the warriors that were here before me. I hear the battle cries. I'm just ready to get out there. I go in there and let my soul out. I get to be free. I want fans to know that I'm a true artist.

"When I'm out there, stay glued to your seats and keep your eyes open."

ARTICLE BY: SETH FASSANO