Aleksandar Rakic knows the stakes are high for his UFC Vegas 8 main event against Anthony Smith.
Rakic is coming off a controversial decision loss to Volkan Oezdemir but is still getting a step up in competition in fifth-ranked Smith. It is a very intriguing matchup as ‘Lionheart’ is coming off a brutal TKO loss to Glover Teixeira just three months ago.
For Rakic, he knows Smith is dangerous and believes this could be a three-round war.
“I’m ready for 15 minutes of hell, and I don’t want to predict I’m gonna knock him out in the first or the second or submit him,” Rakic told MMA Junkie. “A fight is a fight – you never know. I’m ready for everything. I’ve been training my striking, my wrestling and my grappling, putting on a new level and also my cardio. So if it goes to the distance, I’m happy. If it’s a knockout or a submission, I’m also happy. … I want to perform at the best and you’re gonna see Saturday what I’ve been doing the past two months.”
Aleksandar Rakic knows Anthony Smith is durable but believes he is better everywhere. The Austrian knows his grappling is underrated and says he might even use it on Saturday night.
“It’s good for him to think I’m one-dimensional and he’s gonna feel it on Saturday. It doesn’t matter where the fight goes – standup or ground, wrestling – I’m ready for everything,” he concluded.
