If Gilbert Smith Isn’t Moving Up, He’s Moving On

Coming off a loss to start his year in January, RFA welterweight Gilbert Smith was in need of getting a win in his next bout in June if he had any hopes of possibly taking a step up in his career in 2015.

Against Benjamin Smith at RFA 26, Gilbert was able to not only get back on track with a third-round submission victory, but also claim the promotion’s 170-pound title that eluded him in January.

“It’s one of those things that people knew Ben was a good wrestler, a good grappler, so people said to keep it on the feet and not go on the ground, but I knew he wasn’t better than me, so I didn’t mind going to the ground and exchanging there,” said Smith. “With that said, I was able to pull off the victory.”

For Smith, failing to rebound off his January loss would have been a major step in the wrong direction.

“A second straight loss could have spelled disaster for me,” he said. “I’m not getting any younger. I’m not going be in this game long losing fights; especially losing back-to-back title fights.

“If I’m not moving up and trying to get to the big show, then I’ll move on. I’m an educated person. I have other options. I’m not going to be one of those guys who is just fighting to fight and losing any given weekend. That’s not going to happen.”

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While Smith does have other options, he told MMAWeekly.com he’s still driven and is not keen to leave fighting anytime soon.

“It’s that competitiveness,” said Smith. “It’s that hunger to be something great. Plus, I hate working a 9-to-5 job, to be honest.”

Smith (11-4) will defend his RFA welterweight title for the first time on Oct. 9 in Las Vegas against fellow UFC vet Bristol Marunde (16-9) in the evening’s main event.

“I don’t think too much about it. I just go out there and fight my fight and put pressure on him,” said Smith of facing Marunde.

“I really feel like I’m the better athlete. I don’t think there any areas that he beats me on. He’s a tough dude, a durable dude, and comes from a tough camp, but at the end of the day I don’t think that’s going to do too much for him.”

A second straight win and a title defense for Smith, and he feels like he could take the step up that he missed out on earlier this year.

“Sometimes getting a decision can be just as bad as getting a loss,” said Smith. “Nobody wants a boring fighter, especially the UFC. They want guys who go out and finish the fight by any means necessary. My goal is to go out there and make sure it doesn’t go five rounds and ends in my favor.”