Overview
- Smith finished Harrell by first-round TKO with elbows and punches at the Toyota Center in Houston, with the official time listed as 3:01.
- The referee was slow to halt the bout, leading to additional unanswered strikes and prompting immediate backlash from viewers and media.
- Both fighters entered undefeated at 11-0, with Harrell making his UFC debut as a short-notice replacement for Seok Hyeon Ko.
- Harrell’s appearance followed his return from a 2023 moyamoya diagnosis and brain surgery that initially delayed his UFC opportunity.
- Pre-fight odds from FanDuel had Smith as a heavy favorite (-325 to +250), and the matchup streamed live on Paramount+.