Leslie Smith News

Cole Shelton - October 5, 2018

Leslie Smith has been fighting professionally since 2009. However, the former UFC bantamweight contender hasn’t fought since July 2017. Smith, who is on a two-fight winning streak with victories over Irene Aldana and Amanda Lemos, was set to take on Aspen Ladd at UFC Fight Night 128 in April, but unfortunately, this plan was derailed. At the weigh-ins for the fight, Ladd missed weight. With Ladd missing her mark, it was reported that she was offering Smith $5,000 dollars in addition to 20% of her purse as incentive to accept a catch weight. Unfortunately, the UFC then opted to pay Smith her show and win money and cancel the fight. Having been paid, Smith was then released by the UFC.

Drake Riggs - June 29, 2018

After the whole fiasco that took place at UFC Atlantic City, Leslie Smith is starting to take some steps in the right direction. Riding a two-fight winning streak (three at bantamweight), Smith was headed into the last fight on her contract at UFC Atlantic City in April when she was to take on Aspen Ladd. However, Ladd would end up missing weight and the fight would be called off.

Tom Taylor - May 10, 2018

If things had gone according to the initial plan, Leslie Smith would have fought Aspen Ladd on the undercard of April’s UFC Atlantic City card. Regrettably, things took an incredibly ugly turn at the last minute, and the end result was Smith’s release from the UFC. The trouble began when Ladd missed weight for the fight, tipping the scales 1.8 pounds over the bantamweight limit. Despite this hiccup, Smith was willing to take the fight, but she wanted to hash out a new deal with the UFC first, as her bout with Ladd marked the last obligation on her current contract. Unfortunately, the UFC instead opted to buy out Smith’s contract, paying the bantamweight her show and win money, and ending her UFC career on the spot…

Drake Riggs - April 24, 2018

https://youtu.be/dDSvpS0B_Dw?t=39m27s “This is the problem. I hope that Project Spearhead is the one that breaks through and all the fighters get behind. Can you imagine if Conor [McGregor], Kevin Lee, Khabib [Nurmagomedov], DC [Daniel Cormier], Mighty Mouse [Demetrious Johnson], [Cris] Cyborg, Holly Holm, Rose [Namajunas]… Anyone I just named, if they just did this. Imagine how many waves this would make. The problem is it’s Leslie Smith doin’ it. How sad is that to say?

Drake Riggs - February 13, 2018

The year is 2016, the UFC has been sold to WME-IMG from Zuffa in a four billion dollar deal. Fighters unions are being formed and trying to stay intact. Primarily there was the MMA Athletes Association(MMAAA) and the Professional Fighters Association(PFA). Both of which weren’t helped by being associated with former Bellator promoter Bjorn Rebney. So much so that they disbanded pretty quickly. The oldest of all has been the MMA Fighters Association(MMAFA) which is roughly ten years old. The MMAFA has never had unionization as their goal though, its focus has been on the Ali Act extension bill in Congress and an antitrust lawsuit against the UFC.

Justin Golightly - September 30, 2017

Earlier this month, UFC fighters got a curious survey sent to them about the future of USADA and how the organization and its employers would interact. The purpose of the questionnaire was to gauge interest in an app that would be installed on UFC fighter’s phones to track their whereabouts, making it easier and more efficient for the athletes and USADA. Well, at least that’s what they were going for. Sean Strickland did not support the idea, now Leslie Smith has released a comprehensive statement about the idea. “What’s your response if your job said they were going to track you 24/7 with your phone? Same as mine? In my journey to educate and advocate for the UFC fighter’s union I hear some arguments for keeping the independent contractor status. I would rather be an independent contractor with no boss except for myself if it was possible but right now it’s the pits of them both – we don’t get benefits or federal protection as employees because we are ICs but we’re treated as employees by being regulated in our uniforms, not allowed to seek out other contracts for our fighting skill set and under supervision at all times through the USADA program. And now they want to make the USADA program into the type of tracker app a parent gets for their 10 year old.”

Tom Taylor - July 16, 2017

On Sunday afternoon, the UFC touched down in beautiful Glasgow, Scotland with UFC Fight Night 113. In the first bout of the 12-fight card, Leslie Smith collided with the debuting Amanda Lemos in a compelling bantamweight booking. It was a tough night for the debutant, as Smith cranked up the offense with a series of second-round elbows, which she used to earn a violent, TKO victory.

Chris Taylor - August 14, 2016

Watch as former and current UFC fighters talk about the need for a Fighters Union.