UFC Fight Night: Smith vs. Rakić
| Company type | Mixed martial arts event |
|---|---|
| Industry | Sports entertainment |
| Founded | August 29, 2020 |
| Headquarters | Enterprise, Nevada , United States |
Area served | Worldwide (via broadcast) |
| Parent | Ultimate Fighting Championship |
UFC Fight Night: Smith vs. Rakić, also referenced as UFC Fight Night 175, UFC on ESPN+ 33, and UFC Vegas 8, was a mixed martial arts competition organized by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on August 29, 2020. The event took place at the UFC Apex facility located in Enterprise, Nevada, within the Las Vegas Metropolitan Area, United States.
Background
Originally, the headline bout was planned as a featherweight contest featuring Yair Rodríguez against Zabit Magomedsharipov. However, Rodríguez withdrew on August 5 due to an ankle injury, and Magomedsharipov subsequently chose not to participate in this event. This matchup had been postponed several times because of injuries and was eventually rescheduled for UFC 254.
On August 15, the promotion elevated a light heavyweight clash between former title contender Anthony Smith and Aleksandar Rakić to serve as the main event.
The women's strawweight fight between Emily Whitmire and Polyana Viana, initially set for UFC 248 but canceled after Whitmire missed weight and was hospitalized, was rearranged for this card.
A featherweight bout featuring ex-title challenger Ricardo Lamas versus Ryan Hall, which had been postponed earlier in the year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, was rescheduled here. Hall withdrew one week prior to the event and was replaced by promotional newcomer Bill Algeo.
A welterweight matchup between Neil Magny and Geoff Neal underwent changes after Neal pulled out because of severe pneumonia and sepsis; former champion Robbie Lawler stepped in as Neal’s substitute. The original Magny-Neal fight is anticipated to take place at UFC on ESPN: Rodriguez vs. Waterson.
The light heavyweight rematch between Magomed Ankalaev and Ion Cuțelaba, following a disputed initial encounter, encountered several postponements due to travel restrictions linked to COVID-19 and positive test results. Cuțelaba tested positive again on the day of the event, resulting in cancellation of their bout.
The featherweight contest between Alex Caceres and Giga Chikadze, delayed from a prior event, saw Chikadze withdraw after testing positive for COVID-19. Promotional newcomer Kevin Croom briefly replaced him but was then substituted by another debutant, Austin Springer.
Middleweight fights on the card included a matchup between Maki Pitolo and newcomer Impa Kasanganay, moved from an earlier event, while a scheduled bout between Saparbek Safarov and Julian Marquez was postponed until November due to Safarov’s travel limitations.
At the weigh-ins, both Hannah Cifers and Austin Springer failed to make weight—Cifers missed by one pound at strawweight, while Springer was five pounds over at featherweight. Their respective bouts proceeded at catchweight with penalties of 20% and 30% of their purses redirected to their opponents.
Bonus awards
The following competitors were awarded $50,000 bonuses:
- Fight of the Night: Ricardo Lamas vs. Bill Algeo
- Performance of the Night: Sean Brady and Mallory Martin