Don’t Sleep on Elijah Smith vs. Toshiomi Kazama
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The UFC returns to Las Vegas, Nevada this Saturday, August 9, for UFC Vegas 109. The main event highlights top ten ranked middleweights Roman Dolidze and Anthony Hernandez clashing for a scheduled five rounds.
But don’t overlook the prelims. An intriguing showdown between prospects Elijah Smith and Toshiomi Kazama will catch the eyes of fans around the world.
Bantamweight Prospects Clash
The blazing hot American prospect Elijah Smith (8-1-0), makes his return to the UFC octagon this Saturday as he faces Japan’s young finisher Toshiomi Kazama (11-4-0). Both men bring legitimate finishing abilities to the cage.
Smith, 22, looks to extend his impressive six-fight win streak as he faces the dangerous Kazama. Smith comes into this bout as the heavy betting favorite given his recent momentum and diverse skillset. He comes from a fairly extensive amateur background with a record of 5-0. Smith channeled this success as an amateur and turned professional back in August 2022. He started his professional career on a hot note with a 6-1 record. This success eventually earned him a shot on Dana White’s Contender Series in September 2024. Smith went on to win a unanimous decision and score a UFC roster spot, making his UFC debut with a decision victory over veteran Vince Morales in February.
Kazama, 28, will look to build some momentum. He achieved a slick second-round submission victory over Charalampos Grigoriou back in August 2024. The Japanese bantamweight has had a rough going through his three UFC appearances, having suffered consecutive first-round stoppage losses in 2023. Kazama comes into this matchup as the heavy betting underdog given his history of suffering stoppage losses. The talented bantamweight is a must-watch fighter given his finishing abilities, with nine of his eleven wins coming inside the distance. He started his professional MMA career in 2020 and quickly accumulated a record of 9-2. This was before getting an opportunity on Road to UFC in June 2022. Kazama cashed in this opportunity and would make his UFC debut in February 2023. He fell into a two-fight skid against tough competition but bounced back in his most recent fight.
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