UFC Fight Night 175: Smith vs. Rakić | Event Profile, Full Results & Legacy
- Conor McBragger
- May 21
- 6 min read
Introduction
UFC Fight Night 175: Smith vs. Rakić took place on August 29, 2020 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas — UFC Vegas 8, the fourth consecutive Saturday the promotion held a card at its facility during the pandemic era. Originally planned as a featherweight showdown between Yair Rodríguez and Zabit Magomedsharipov, both men pulled out, and a last-minute restructure elevated a light heavyweight battle between Anthony Smith and Aleksandar Rakić to the main event just two weeks before fight night.
Rakić was dominant from start to finish, earning a convincing unanimous decision that announced him as a genuine light heavyweight title contender. Neil Magny dismantled a fading Robbie Lawler. The card opened with four consecutive submission victories, the first time that had happened in the UFC since Fight Night 90. Sean Brady won his 13th straight with a guillotine. A genuine Apex gem.
Contents
Quick Stats
📅 Date: Saturday, August 29, 2020
📍 Venue: UFC Apex, Enterprise, Nevada, USA (UFC Vegas 8)
👥 Attendance: 0 (behind closed doors — COVID-19 pandemic)
📺 Broadcast: ESPN / ESPN+ (UFC on ESPN+ 33)
🏆 Main Event: Anthony Smith vs. Aleksandar Rakić — Light Heavyweight (replacement main event)
✅ Result: Aleksandar Rakić def. Anthony Smith via Decision (Unanimous) (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)
🥇 Champion: Title not on the line
The Build-Up
The original plan for FN 175 was a featherweight clash between Yair Rodríguez and Zabit Magomedsharipov — a match fans had waited years for. Rodríguez pulled out on August 5 with an ankle injury and Magomedsharipov refused to find a new opponent. The promotion scrambled: on August 15, just two weeks before fight night, a light heavyweight bout between Anthony Smith and Aleksandar Rakić was announced as the replacement main event. Despite the late notice, both camps accepted, and the fight was set.
Smith was coming off a brutal fifth-round TKO loss to Glover Teixeira at FN 171, where the controversial non-stoppage had become a major talking point. Rakić, an Austrian of Serbian descent trained out of Las Vegas, had been building one of the most impressive records in the division. The welterweight co-main also changed: Geoff Neal was pulled with severe pneumonia and replaced by the legendary Robbie Lawler, now 38 years old, against Neil Magny.
Main Event: Rakić vs. Smith
Aleksandar Rakić was dominant across all three rounds, earning a unanimous decision with scores of 30-26, 30-27, and 30-27. The young Austrian was explosive and controlled throughout — his opening leg kick put Smith on the mat inside the first minute, setting the tone. Rakić proceeded to outwork Smith in every area, mixing his kicks, wrestling, and ground-and-pound to accumulate a one-sided scoreline.
The victory was Rakić's most impressive at UFC level to that point and thrust him firmly into the light heavyweight title picture. He had the power, the wrestling, the athleticism, and the striking variety to compete at the very top. For Smith, it was a second consecutive defeat — both coming after extended damage — raising questions about where Lionheart's career was heading.
Co-Main Event: Magny vs. Lawler
Neil Magny defeated Robbie Lawler by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) in a welterweight co-main that was more one-sided than many expected. Magny's reach, volume and movement proved too much for Lawler, who at 38 showed the signs of a long career at the highest level. The win was arguably the most significant of Magny's career to that point, adding a former champion's scalp to his already impressive record.
Full Results
Main Card
Aleksandar Rakić def. Anthony Smith — Decision (Unanimous) (Round 3, 5:00) | 30-26, 30-27, 30-27
Neil Magny def. Robbie Lawler — Decision (Unanimous) (Round 3, 5:00) | 30-27, 30-27, 30-27
Alexa Grasso def. Ji Yeon Kim — Decision (Unanimous) (Round 3, 5:00)
Ricardo Lamas def. Bill Algeo — Decision (Unanimous) (Round 3, 5:00) — Fight of the Night
Impa Kasanganay def. Maki Pitolo — Decision (Unanimous) (Round 3, 5:00) | UFC debut
Preliminary Card
Zak Cummings def. Alessio Di Chirico — Decision (Unanimous) (Round 3, 5:00)
Alex Caceres def. Austin Springer — Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) (Round 1, 3:38) | Springer missed weight (151 lbs)
Sean Brady def. Christian Aguilera — Technical Submission (Guillotine Choke) (Round 2, 1:47)
Polyana Viana def. Emily Whitmire — Submission (Armbar) (Round 1, 1:53)
Mallory Martin def. Hannah Cifers — Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) (Round 2, 1:33) — Performance of the Night
Bonuses & Awards
🥊 Fight of the Night: Ricardo Lamas vs. Bill Algeo ($50,000 each) — Three-round thriller, Algeo's UFC debut
🏆 Performance of the Night: Sean Brady ($50,000) — Guillotine choke of Christian Aguilera, Round 2, 1:47
🏆 Performance of the Night: Mallory Martin ($50,000) — RNC of Hannah Cifers, Round 2, 1:33
Records & Milestones
🥊 The card opened with four consecutive submission victories — the first time this had happened in the UFC since Fight Night 90. The streak: Mallory Martin (RNC), Polyana Viana (armbar), Sean Brady (guillotine), Alex Caceres (RNC).
🥊 Sean Brady extended his unbeaten record to 13-0, submitting Christian Aguilera in round two. Brady had gone the distance in only three of those 13 wins.
🥊 Rakić's dominant win over a former title challenger pushed him toward the top of the light heavyweight rankings. He would eventually earn a title shot against Jiri Procházka at UFC 300 in April 2024.
🥊 Austin Springer's weight miss was one of the most extreme of the pandemic era — he came in at 151 lbs for a featherweight (145 lb) bout, a 6 lb overage.
Legacy & Impact
UFC Fight Night 175 delivered more than its chaotic build-up suggested it would. Rakić's dominant win was a genuine statement performance that moved the needle in the light heavyweight division. The card's opening run of four consecutive submissions was a statistical curiosity that made it into the record books. And the Magny-Lawler result, however one-sided, marked a clear generational shift in the welterweight division.
The biggest long-term story from FN 175 is Sean Brady: then largely unknown outside of hardcore MMA circles, his performance here was the beginning of a long, patient climb toward the welterweight title contention. The pandemic-era Apex events, stripped of atmosphere and spectacle, often served as the launchpad for exactly this kind of career — quiet, consistent, and ultimately impossible to ignore.
FAQ
Why did the original main event not happen at UFC Fight Night 175?
Yair Rodríguez withdrew with an ankle injury on August 5. Zabit Magomedsharipov then declined to fight a replacement opponent, removing himself from the card entirely. The featherweight pairing, which had been scheduled and cancelled multiple times since 2018, was eventually rescheduled for UFC 254.
What was historically notable about the start of UFC Fight Night 175?
The first four fights of the card all ended by submission, making FN 175 the first UFC event to open with four consecutive submission victories since UFC Fight Night 90 in 2016. The four finishes were: Mallory Martin (RNC), Polyana Viana (armbar), Sean Brady (guillotine), and Alex Caceres (RNC).
How convincing was Rakić's win over Smith?
Very. The judges scored it 30-26, 30-27, 30-27 in Rakić's favour. The opening leg kick knocked Smith down inside the first minute, and Rakić controlled all three rounds on the feet and the ground. He spent all but 30 seconds of round two on top of Smith in dominant position.
What happened to Robbie Lawler after his loss at UFC Fight Night 175?
Lawler's unanimous decision loss to Magny was his fourth defeat in his last five fights. He continued to compete in the UFC, but at 38 he was clearly past his prime. He retired after a loss to Nick Diaz at UFC 266 in September 2021, then unretired and fought again in 2022-23 before hanging up his gloves for good.
Who is Sean Brady and why was his FN 175 performance significant?
Sean Brady is a Philadelphia-based welterweight who entered FN 175 at 12-0. His guillotine submission of Christian Aguilera extended his record to 13-0 and earned him a Performance of the Night bonus. He would go on to become a top-5 welterweight contender and challenger for the division's title.
References
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