More than two decades after his final appearance inside the Octagon, Maurice Smith remains a historic figure in mixed martial arts despite his sub-.500 record.
The first African American to win an Ultimate Fighting Championship title, Smith completed his trailblazing career with a 12-14 mark. He was a multiple-time world champion kickboxer who befriended ground specialist Frank Shamrock—together, they formed The Alliance—and unknowingly provided one of the blueprints to the cross-training methods that now permeate modern MMA. Smith competed for the last time at the age of 51 when he dropped a unanimous decision to Matt Kovacs at a Cage Warrior Combat event on Nov.