Anthony Smith, Devin Clark ask UFC for five-round fight, get their wish

Anthony Smith and Devin Clark both asked the UFC to make their short-notice UFC Vegas 15 headliner a five-round fight, and they got their wish.

Smith and Clark were originally expected to meet in the evening’s co-main event, but when Curtis Blaydes was forced out of his main event battle with Derrick Lewis due to a positive COVID-19 test, the pair of light heavyweights were promoted to the headlining spot.

While Smith and Clark had initially been scheduled to battle for three rounds, both reportedly asked the UFC to extend the bout by two rounds—and the promotion was on board.

Brett Okamoto of ESPN, the official broadcast partner of the UFC, has the details:

Smith vs. Clark will now be a five-round main event. Clark told me UFC asked what he wanted and he said he preferred five rounds. He wants to win a title some day and sees this as a good chance to get a five round fight. https://t.co/adULYvZBUV

— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) November 27, 2020

Anthony Smith told me when he was asked to main event, he texted Dana White directly to say he wanted it to be five rounds. Said a big part of that is for the fans, main event should be five rounds. So, both guys say they preferred five, even though they trained for three.

— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) November 27, 2020

“Smith vs. Clark will now be a five-round main event,” Okamoto wrote on Twitter. “Clark told me UFC asked what he wanted and he said he preferred five rounds. He wants to win a title some day and sees this as a good chance to get a five round fight.

“Anthony Smith told me when he was asked to main event, he texted Dana White directly to say he wanted it to be five rounds,” Okamoto added in a follow-up Tweet. “Said a big part of that is for the fans, main event should be five rounds. So, both guys say they preferred five, even though they trained for three.”