Sun Tzu once observed that understanding your adversary—and knowing yourself—removes the sting of uncertainty from a hundred engagements.
Calgary, Alta.'s Matt "The Kid" Krayco (7-8-1) sets his sights on Edmonton, Alta.'s Tim Smith (14-10) in the welterweight head bout of BTC 11 this Sunday in Edmonton.
Krayco, 30, described Smith as a recognizable name whose path through the sport has echoed his own in notable ways.
"We've known each other since the beginning. We're good friends. In the local scene, everyone ends up crossing paths," Krayco told MMA Empire.
"He's always been a competitor. Driven, tough, with a foundation rooted in old-school kickboxing and Muay Thai. He's well-rounded now, and that's essential at this level—you need to be prepared for anything. I won't pretend otherwise, most of my matchups lean toward wrestling, so if he wants to stay on his feet and trade, I'll gladly take it. If he wants a striking battle, he's going to be out-hit."
Having trained across numerous disciplines since childhood and stepping into MMA at age 15, Krayco is accustomed to unfamiliar challenges, and he views himself as a mixed martial artist first—a generalist—rather than a specialist, even with his natural flair for striking.
"I began training at Dynamic (MMA) under my coach Vince Gentile, who holds black belts across several martial arts and didn't want me pigeonholed into one system. He taught combattere libero, which translates from Italian as 'free fighting,'" Krayco explained.
"Early on, my coach gave my father a video to watch and told me I couldn't look at it. Naturally, I watched it anyway. It was one of the early Rumble (In the Cage) broadcasts, featuring a couple of our gymmates. One of them was a younger kid from our classes competing in a kickboxing match. Afterward, there was an MMA bout—back then they called it 'no holds barred'—and one of the veterans in our gym landed an overhand right for an eight-second knockout. Seeing that, I was completely mesmerized."
Though his lifelong dedication to martial arts has fueled a deep passion for combat and competition, Krayco admitted the road to this moment has carried plenty of setbacks and tested his determination.
"Three years back, during my fight with Michael Hill, I broke my hand mid-match. I had surgery to repair it with pins, but those failed. We inserted a plate, and the screws failed again. I woke up with all that hardware inside my hand and developed a serious staph infection in the bone," Krayco recalled.
Despite the ordeal, Krayco said he remained a steady presence in the gym, teaching and coaching others, and through that process developed a deeper understanding of the fundamental principles of martial arts—particularly the value of cultivating mental fortitude alongside physical strength.
Following the 2018 clash with Hill, Krayco found himself sidelined not just by injuries but by difficulty locating willing opponents.
He expressed gratitude toward Smith for agreeing to the matchup with only weeks to prepare, noting he recognizes Smith as a dangerous fighter who pushes him to his best.
"I genuinely love and respect him, but I'm motivated. I've been spending a lot of time in the gym mentoring the guys who recently moved up to BFL, and supporting the fighters preparing for Unified (MMA)," Krayco said.
"I'm excited, I'm ready. I'm not sure what will unfold, but I've accepted that we could end up on the mat or on our feet. I might break my hand again and need to shift strategies entirely. Maybe I'll pull a classic Urijah Faber and start flinging elbows. Whatever happens, my mind, body, and spirit are all prepared."
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