Smith: Advanced age 'doesn't mean I'm not going to be able to kick someone's butt'
Former UFC heavyweight champion Maurice Smith (12-13) is 50 years old, but he's not done fighting.
Despite his advanced age and a layoff that dates back to June 2008, Smith this month returns to the cage at Resurrection Fighting Alliance 2, where he takes on Kyle "Kodiak" Keeney (12-7).
But if you think this is some half-assed attempt at a paycheck, think again. Smith insists he's still got something left in the tank, and he's prepared to impress in his return to action.
"First of all, I never really left," Smith told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio). "I fight because it's what I know. I'm going to change businesses later on, but you look at me at 50, you go, 'Wow, that guy does not look 50.' My 50 is probably about 27."
Smith fights on the main card of the March 30 event, which takes place March 30 at the Viaero Event Center in Kearney, Neb. Smith hasn't fought professionally since losing to Hidehiko Yoshida in 2008, but he insists he's been training diligently since then and his age will not be a factor in the fight.
"Age is only a problem if you don't train," Smith said. "Just because I'm 50 doesn't mean I'm not going to be able to kick someone's butt. And if somebody beats me, don't say, 'Oh, it's because he's old.' If he beats me, he beats me. It's not something to do with my age.
"I don't want anybody to say I won or lost because of my age. That's not an issue with me. The issue is I'm going to win or lose because of my skillset – not because of my age. If that were the case, then I should have retired when I was 30."
Smith, a kickboxing specialist, made his MMA debut in 1993 and fought his first six bouts under the Pancrase banner. He later made his way to the UFC, where a UFC 14 win over Mark Coleman saw him claim the promotion's heavyweight title. He then defended the belt against "Tank" Abbott at UFC 15 before surrendering the title to Randy Couture at UFC Japan.
Smith's final UFC appearance was at UFC 28 in November 2000. He's fought three times since, scoring a 2007 win over Marco Ruas and a 2008 victory over Rick Roufus before dropping the bout to Hidehiko Yoshida.
Smith's place in MMA history is secure, and he'll always be considered one of the early elite strikers in the sport. But this run is for him, Smith said. His return to the sport is a win-win situation, and he's ready to take full advantage of the opportunity.
"I enjoy doing what I do," Smith said. "I know I'm not going to fight forever. Why fight forever? But I'm not saying anybody is going to beat me who's younger than me, as well.
"For him, if he beats me, he beats an old man. If he loses to me, he loses to an old man. It's a win-win for me, bad for him."
Former UFC heavyweight champion Maurice Smith (12-13) is 50 years old, but he's not done fighting.
Despite his advanced age and a layoff that dates back to June 2008, Smith this month returns to the cage at Resurrection Fighting Alliance 2, where he takes on Kyle "Kodiak" Keeney (12-7).
But if you think this is some half-assed attempt at a paycheck, think again. Smith insists he's still got something left in the tank, and he's prepared to impress in his return to action.
"First of all, I never really left," Smith told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio). "I fight because it's what I know. I'm going to change businesses later on, but you look at me at 50, you go, 'Wow, that guy does not look 50.' My 50 is probably about 27."
Smith fights on the main card of the March 30 event, which takes place March 30 at the Viaero Event Center in Kearney, Neb. Smith hasn't fought professionally since losing to Hidehiko Yoshida in 2008, but he insists he's been training diligently since then and his age will not be a factor in the fight.
"Age is only a problem if you don't train," Smith said. "Just because I'm 50 doesn't mean I'm not going to be able to kick someone's butt. And if somebody beats me, don't say, 'Oh, it's because he's old.' If he beats me, he beats me. It's not something to do with my age.
"I don't want anybody to say I won or lost because of my age. That's not an issue with me. The issue is I'm going to win or lose because of my skillset – not because of my age. If that were the case, then I should have retired when I was 30."
Smith, a kickboxing specialist, made his MMA debut in 1993 and fought his first six bouts under the Pancrase banner. He later made his way to the UFC, where a UFC 14 win over Mark Coleman saw him claim the promotion's heavyweight title. He then defended the belt against "Tank" Abbott at UFC 15 before surrendering the title to Randy Couture at UFC Japan.
Smith's final UFC appearance was at UFC 28 in November 2000. He's fought three times since, scoring a 2007 win over Marco Ruas and a 2008 victory over Rick Roufus before dropping the bout to Hidehiko Yoshida.
Smith's place in MMA history is secure, and he'll always be considered one of the early elite strikers in the sport. But this run is for him, Smith said. His return to the sport is a win-win situation, and he's ready to take full advantage of the opportunity.
"I enjoy doing what I do," Smith said. "I know I'm not going to fight forever. Why fight forever? But I'm not saying anybody is going to beat me who's younger than me, as well.
"For him, if he beats me, he beats an old man. If he loses to me, he loses to an old man. It's a win-win for me, bad for him."
