2026 has not been kind to former UFC bantamweight Cameron Smotherman.
Tough Times for Cameron Smotherman
The year got off to a rough start for Cameron Smotherman in January. After successfully making weight for his scheduled January 24 fight against Ricky Turcios, “The Baby-Faced Killa” collapsed after stepping off the scales, resulting in a hospital visit and the cancellation of the bout.
At 1-2 in the UFC and coming off the weight-cut debacle, Smotherman was then tasked with traveling across the world to China to face Kai Asakura in Asakura’s UFC bantamweight debut. Smotherman successfully made weight this time around, but he was knocked out cold by a left hook in under two minutes. He was subsequently released by the promotion.
What’s next for Cameron Smotherman
After receiving his walking papers from the UFC, Cameron Smotherman immediately got back to work, which brings us to last weekend. The UFC veteran was matched up against 19-year-old Jay Alderete, a 4-0 professional, in the co-main event of Fury FC 121. On paper, the fight appeared to be a step down in competition for Smotherman.
However, the fight did not go according to plan. After dropping Smotherman with a head kick, Alderete immediately attacked the neck of his dazed opponent. He locked in an anaconda choke that rendered Smotherman unconscious. With the choke fully secured and Smotherman fading, Alderete stuck his tongue out to fire up the crowd.
Upon regaining consciousness, Smotherman was greeted by an animated Alderete, who got in his face and began trash-talking. Smotherman attempted to attack Alderete but had to be restrained by his corner, who ushered him out of the cage.
While making the walk backstage, Smotherman was once again met with harsh words from Alderete, who continued antagonizing his opponent. Smotherman then rushed back toward the cage in another attempt to confront Alderete. It took three security guards to lift Smotherman up and carry him backstage as the defeated fighter struggled to make his way back into the cage. Teammate, Adrian Yanez, proclaimed that the 19-year-old was yelling f*ck you and flipping off Cameron Smotherman’s mom after the fight.
It has been a difficult downfall for Smotherman. Over the past two years, he has suffered four consecutive losses, endured a viral weight-cut incident, been released by the UFC, and now faces scrutiny for both his performance and his post-fight antics on Saturday. Smotherman now owns a professional record of 12-7 and, in all likelihood, will no longer receive an invitation to compete for Fury FC.
With the victory, Jay Alderete improved to 5-0 as a professional. “Crack” said in his post-fight interview that he hopes to earn an opportunity to compete on Dana White’s Contender Series later this summer.
