Yoo Soo-young is preparing for his third consecutive UFC victory after overpowering Xiaolong (China). He kept his promise to never lose to China.
Bantamweight Bout Confirmed
Yoo Soo-young (31), a former winner of ROAD TO UFC Season 3 Bantamweight (61.2kg), weighed in at 61.7kg, meeting the bantamweight limit. His opponent, Korean-American Eliza Smith (23, USA), also weighed 61.7kg. This confirms their undercard bantamweight match at “UFC Fight Night: Emmet vs. Bachet Horse” at Meta Apex in Las Vegas.
The fighters had a tight face-off. They shook hands, showing respect before the fight.
Yoo Soo-young’s Strategy
According to the UFC, Yoo Soo-young believes Smith is a tough opponent. However, he sees this fight as a foundation for ranking higher. Yoo Soo-young said trusting himself and his team, and showing everything he has prepared is the key to victory.
The match is being called a Korean Derby. Smith is a quarter Korean. His maternal grandmother is Korean, and he lived in Korea when his father worked there as a U.S. soldier. Smith has a deep affection for Korea, with the Korean national flag and his daughter’s name, Nayomi, tattooed in Korean on his left shoulder.
A Prior Meeting and Mutual Respect
The two fighters have met before. Smith invited Yoo Soo-young to his podcast last year. They had a conversation about Smith’s Korean identity. Smith said, “You have children, and I have children. Let’s go out and make money properly,” suggesting the fight. Yoo Soo-young accepted, stating, “It’s a strange feeling to fight with a player I talked to while smiling, but I have enough chances.”
Preparation and Confidence
Yoo Soo-young trained in the U.S. with Kim Dong-hyun for this fight. He sparred with bantamweight champion Merab Devalishvili. Yoo Soo-young expressed confidence. He said that Smith is a smart opponent who hits well, but this fight will be the foundation for him to reach the ranker.
Yoo Soo-young added that Smith’s movements are not tricky. He reiterated that he trusts himself and his team and will show everything he has prepared.
Yoo Soo-young previously made an impression at the ROAD TO UFC final in Shanghai. He won by unanimous decision. This followed his claim that he doesn’t lose to Chinese players, despite boos from the home crowd. He is currently on a two-game winning streak. It will be observed whether Yoo Soo-young will win his third consecutive fight by overpowering Smith.