George Smith is set to make the walk at Badmofo MMA 7, and has put forward his expectations for himself ahead of battle.
Smith made his MMA return in April this year after a break from competition. After a recharge and reset, Smith returned with a round one submission victory over Kofi Marshall at Budo Fighting Championships.
Saturday, October 7th, George Smith will face Matthew Holland in a professional middleweight matchup. We had the chance to speak with Smith to talk fight night and his preparations. Hear what he had to say.
Interview With George Smith
George, this year, you returned to the cage after a few years out of competition. Firstly, how much did the time off benefit you given your performance on your return, and secondly, how did it feel to get back to work?
My time off wasn’t planned. I had a heart operation in July 2022. I was forced to take a break until my health was sorted. I feel great now I’m back. Learned a lot and developed my style a lot at MTT.
On the break, what was the reason behind taking some time off? Was it just a reset and recharge, and had you been consistently training in that time?
I came off a loss against Stanton, not knowing the reason for my fitness issues. I assumed it was because I wasn’t training hard enough and looked for hard training/sparring. When that didn’t help, I sought medical advice, which brought this issue up. I have had a reset and trained hard for over a year, making adjustments needed.
You came back with a round-one win at Budo FC against Kofi Marshall? Given his past record, did that pan out exactly as you envisioned?
Yes, it wasn’t about the opponent; it was about me getting back in there after the health problems. Put that behind me now I’m back to work!
George Smith Talks Matthew Holland
Matthew Holland is the man you’ll face on fight night. You both enter with tons of Experience between you. That said, Matthew has been around the block. What do you think of him, his style, and his previous fights up until now?
He has fought a teammate of mine, so I know a little about him. I feel like he’s another step on the road. I experienced and come to fight, but I have to show my level and what I’m capable of.
With him having more professional fights. How much do you look into that? Do you look into that at all and expect it to play a factor on fight night?
I am very experienced, with 25 years in martial arts. So, Experience has never been my issue. Now, I’m feeling physically good at MTT. I’m developing a stand-up style which also compliments my high-level grappling. Training at such an active fight gym is what I need; 10s of fighters in fight camp all the time keeps me sharp and always developing.
Looking at this fight, how would you compare your skills against one another? Would you give yourself the advantage in every department?
I am better everywhere. I have ticked off my physical health in my comeback. Now, I’m here to show my other progression. I am confident in my preparation and in myself.
What to Expect
Finally, tell the readers why they should tune in to watch you fight at BMF 7 and what we can expect to see from you.
I want an aggressive and purposeful performance. Finishes come from doing the right thing at the right time. That’s what I want! Been to BMF to corner a teammate. Like the show. Come down to support!
