UFC Fight Night: Cortes Acosta vs Walker (UFC Vegas 124): Davey Grant vs Elijah Smith · Bantamweight, three rounds · Main card · Saturday, Nov 7, 2026 · Meta APEX, Las Vegas · Prelims 5 PM ET, main card 8 PM ET on Paramount+ (UFC.com)
Davey Grant (18-8-0, UFC 9-7) faces Elijah Smith (10-1-0, UFC 3-0) at bantamweight on the main card of UFC Fight Night: Cortes Acosta vs Walker (UFC Vegas 124) on Saturday, Nov 7, 2026, at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas. Grant’s 65% takedown defence and long-distance volume against Smith’s top game. This breakdown sticks to UFCStats numbers, official records and the FightingStats Tape Index. It does not call a winner.
Grant vs Smith tale of the tape
Records and physicals from UFC.com, UFCStats, Sherdog and Tapology, as cited in the FightingStats matchup brief (2026-10-25).
- Record: Grant 18-8-0 (UFC 9-7) · Smith 10-1-0 (UFC 3-0)
- Age: Grant 40 (DOB Dec 18, 1985) · Smith 24 (DOB Sep 5, 2002)
- Height / Reach: Grant 5'8“ / 69” · Smith 5'9“ / 71”
- Stance: Grant Orthodox · Smith Orthodox
- Streak: Grant W1 · Smith W8
- Last fight: Grant W UD Adrian Luna Martinetti (Apr 25, 2026) · Smith W SUB (RNC) R2 SuYoung You (Mar 14, 2026)
- Win methods: Grant 4 KO/TKO · 9 SUB · 5 DEC · Smith 5 KO/TKO · 2 SUB · 3 DEC
- Layoff into this bout: Grant 196 days · Smith 238 days
How Grant and Smith win: style matchup
Grant path: A volume kickboxer who lands 5.58 significant strikes a minute and puts almost 60% of them into the body and legs. He wins decisions on output (147 and 162 landed in two of his last three wins) and has finished four UFC opponents in R2 or R3 — three by strikes, one by an inverted triangle from his back.
Smith path: A wrestler-finisher who wins on top. Nearly half his landed UFC strikes came on the ground; he averages 4:55 of control per 15 minutes; he finished Kazama with a slam and You with a rear-naked choke. He also scrambles well — four reversals in three UFC fights.
Central tension: Grant’s 65% takedown defence and long-distance volume against Smith’s top game. Grant has been held down before (Blackshear 3:52 in R1; Assunção 4:17 over three rounds), but his best submission came from bottom position. Smith, in turn, gave up four takedowns to You and has a below-average 46% takedown defence, which gives Grant the option of wrestling too.
Physicals: Smith is an inch taller with two inches more reach and is 16 years younger. Grant has 190 minutes of UFC experience to Smith’s 25.
Grant vs Smith stats comparison
UFC fights only (UFCStats via the Greco CSV pull in the brief). Rates are per minute or per 15 minutes; the last figure is the division average where the brief lists one.
- SLpM: Grant 5.58 · Smith 3.69 (division avg 3.36)
- SApM: Grant 4.04 · Smith 1.70 (division avg 3.85)
- SS Acc: Grant 45.5% · Smith 54.7% (division avg 42.9%)
- SS Def: Grant 54.8% · Smith 51.7% (division avg 53.7%)
- TD Acc: Grant 38.7% (12/31) · Smith 75.0% (3/4) (division avg 36.0%)
- TD Avg /15: Grant 0.95 · Smith 1.78
- TDD: Grant 65.2% · Smith 46.2% (division avg 58.0%)
- CTRL /15: Grant 1:48 · Smith 4:55 (division avg 2:44)
- CTRL against /15: Grant 2:12 · Smith 3:30 (division avg 3:20)
- KD rate /15: Grant 0.32 · Smith 0.59 (1) (division avg 0.34)
What to watch in Grant vs Smith
- Smith’s first fight against a UFC veteran of Grant’s length of service.
- Grant at 40, coming off his highest-volume UFC fight.
- Smith was taken down 4 times by You — can Grant wrestle him?
- Grant has been knocked down four times in the UFC; Smith has one UFC knockdown.
Grant vs Smith recent form
Last three fights, newest first (dates, results and methods from the brief's UFCStats, Sherdog and Tapology sources).
- Davey Grant, last 3: W Adrian Luna Martinetti, Decision (unanimous) (2026-04-25) · L Charles Jourdain, Submission (guillotine) R1 3:05 (2025-10-18) · W Da’Mon Blackshear, Decision (unanimous) (2025-07-26).
- Elijah Smith, last 3: W SuYoung You, Submission (RNC) R2 1:04 (2026-03-14) · W Toshiomi Kazama, KO (slam) R1 4:10 (2025-08-09) · W Vince Morales, Decision (unanimous) (2025-02-15).
The FightingStats Tape Index lists 26 career bouts for Grant (17 with film) and 11 for Smith (8 with film).
Grant vs Smith odds and betting angles
This page does not quote odds or make picks. Prices move all week, and no sportsbook price is cited here. For the numbers behind the matchup, see the stats comparison, style notes and recent form above.
Go deeper: Grant vs Smith stats comparison · Grant vs Smith: past fights and film in the Tape Index · Tape Index: every career bout on the card, with film · Full Grant vs Smith matchup report (PDF) · Main event: Cortes Acosta vs Walker breakdown · Schedule · Results
Grant vs Smith FAQ
When and where is Grant vs Smith?
Saturday, Nov 7, 2026, at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas, on the main card of UFC Fight Night: Cortes Acosta vs Walker (also called UFC Vegas 124). UFC.com lists the prelims at 5 PM ET and the main card at 8 PM ET on Paramount+.
What are Grant and Smith's records?
Davey Grant is 18-8-0 (UFC 9-7). Elijah Smith is 10-1-0 (UFC 3-0). Records per UFC.com, UFCStats and Sherdog as cited in the FightingStats matchup brief (2026-10-25).
How does Davey Grant usually win?
A volume kickboxer who lands 5.58 significant strikes a minute and puts almost 60% of them into the body and legs. He wins decisions on output (147 and 162 landed in two of his last three wins) and has finished four UFC opponents in R2 or R3 — three by strikes, one by an inverted triangle from his back.
How does Elijah Smith usually win?
A wrestler-finisher who wins on top. Nearly half his landed UFC strikes came on the ground; he averages 4:55 of control per 15 minutes; he finished Kazama with a slam and You with a rear-naked choke.
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