Filed under: Featured Videos , News , Radio Highlight , UFC , Videos A seemingly innocuous pre-fight hype video ultimately helped lead Maurice Smith to the UFC Hall of Fame. As MMAjunkie first reported this past week, Smith is the second confirmed member of the 2017 class , which also features Urijah Faber. Smith (14-14 MMA, 4-3 UFC), who in 1997 became just the second man to claim the UFC heavyweight title, is the 13th fighter to join the Pioneer wing of the hall of fame. He’ll be inducted on July 6 during UFC International Fight Week festivities in Las Vegas. The 55-year-old was a decorated kickboxer even before entering the UFC octagon. While wrestlers and jiu-jitsu specialists ruled the early UFC days, Smith told MMAjunkie Radio he had one important strength that many other early-UFC fighters didn’t: “Getting hit didn’t faze me.” Related Bas Rutten: Maurice Smith's UFC Hall of Fame inclusion is 'freaking awesome' Still, until he fought Mark Coleman at UFC 14 and ultimately picked up a unanimous-decision title victory, strikers hadn’t come into their own
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How a pre-fight hype video helped lead Maurice Smith to the UFC Hall of Fame – MMA Junkie