Elijah Smith, 22, is a rising star with an 8-1 record and will fight Toshiomi Kazama in his second UFC fight on the Prelims. Former UFC fighter Gilbert Smith is Elijah’s father and last year became the second father-son duo to each compete in the UFC. His opponent, Kazama, is coming off a submission victory in August 2024.
Here is my best bet for Smith vs. Kazama on the Prelims this week.
Elijah Smith To Win And Over 1.5 (+130)
Smith is still a raw prospect, but he has shown his unique athleticism and potential. He is 8-1 with five finishes in his young career and won his UFC debut against Vince Morales in February. Even though he has three first-round finishes, five of his previous seven bouts have gone past the first round.
On DraftKings Sportsbook, Elijah Smith is the biggest favorite on this week’s card at -800. On that note, I got creative and chose a fight parlay with Smith to win and over 1.5 rounds, which is +130.
Kazama is five years younger, but regardless of age, Smith is the better fighter in every area. As Smith advances in the UFC, he will continue to face tougher competition, making it increasingly difficult to secure a finish in each fight, as he has recently come to realize.
