Cole Smith is finally getting the opportunity.
Once Mitch Gagnon (12-4) withdrew from his UFC Ottawa matchup against Brian Kelleher, Smith (6-0) stepped in to receive the long-awaited callup for his UFC debut on May 4 against Gagnon.
Hailing from Squamish, B.C., Smith's latest triumph arrived at BFL 59 — a first-round submission victory over Tyler Wilson that saw him retain his BFL bantamweight title.
Tune in below for MMA Empire's complete interview with Smith, where he discusses stepping into the UFC, the grind required to reach that level, and much more.
