How world champion Smith can become a mainstream star
In his BBC Sport column, Tony Bellew explains why Dalton Smith could be British boxing's next superstar - and why he should fight Adam Azim at Hillsborough.
Dalton Smith: What Happened
BBC Sport reported on Friday, October 23, 2026 in a story involving Dalton Smith, BBC Sport, Tony Bellew. Here is how the report opens:
In his BBC Sport column, Tony Bellew explains why Dalton Smith could be British boxing's next superstar - and why he should fight Adam Azim at Hillsborough.
Photos: BBC Sport
It is one of many UFC & Boxing stories we are following today. Below are the key takeaways, how the story is being reported across the sport, background on Ultimate Fighting Championship and what to watch next.
Key Takeaways
- The story: How world champion Smith can become a mainstream star
- Who’s involved: Dalton Smith, BBC Sport, Tony Bellew and Adam Azim
- League: UFC & Boxing
- First reported: Friday, October 23, 2026 by BBC Sport
Background: Ultimate Fighting Championship
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in the Las Vegas, Nevada, area. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, itself a majority owned subsidiary of the WME Group. The largest MMA promotion in the world, the UFC has over 578 fighters contracted that fight across 11 weight divisions (eight men's and three women's). The organization produces events worldwide and abides by the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts.
Text from Wikipedia’s Ultimate Fighting Championship article, CC BY-SA 4.0.
What’s Next for Dalton Smith
For fans following Dalton Smith, the next things to watch are the fight card, results, rankings and odds. Stories like this one tend to move quickly, so check back for follow-up reports and reaction as more outlets pick it up.
- Latest UFC & Boxing news today: every UFC headline as it breaks
- Live scores and schedules across every sport we cover
- More Dalton Smith news from around the web
- Around the Web: today’s top sports stories from every outlet
More UFC & Boxing News Today
England's Smith outpoints Puello by split decision
Sheffield's Dalton Smith retained his WBC light-welterweight title after winning a thrilling contest against the Dominican Republic's Alberto Puello at the Utilita Arena on a split decision.
Britain's Smith retains title in split-decision win over Puello
Britain's Dalton Smith defends his WBC light-welterweight world title with a split-decision victory over Alberto Puello in a triumphant homecoming in Sheffield.
Smith v Puello world title fight predictions
Figures from the boxing world give their predictions for Saturday's light-welterweight title fight between WBC champion Dalton Smith and Alberto Puello.
Pauls aims for December fight as bout is cancelled
Former British and IBF international middleweight champion Brad Pauls says he is trying to find a fight for December.
Kavanagh secures R1 finish at UFC 333, joins flyweight title talk
England's Lone'er Kavanagh catapulted himself into flyweight title contention on Saturday with a devastating Round 1 finish of Ramazonbek Temirov in Abu Dhabi.
Volkanovski, 38, KO's Evloev to retain title, wants to 'keep going'
Alexander Volkanovski defended his featherweight title for the second time this year Saturday, knocking out undefeated challenger Movsar Evloev at 4:54 of the second round at UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened with Dalton Smith?
In his BBC Sport column, Tony Bellew explains why Dalton Smith could be British boxing's next superstar - and why he should fight Adam Azim at Hillsborough. BBC Sport reported the story on Friday, October 23, 2026.
Who reported this UFC story?
BBC Sport first reported it on Friday, October 23, 2026. ForTheFans summarizes it here with background and related UFC & Boxing news.
Where can I get the latest UFC & Boxing news today?
The ForTheFans UFC & Boxing page collects every UFC headline as it breaks, including fight card, results and rankings, with live scores on our scores page.
Summarized by ForTheFans from reporting by BBC Sport. Headlines, quoted text and photos belong to their publishers. How we report
UFC & Boxing Explainers From ForTheFans
Boxing World Titles Explained: WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO and What Undisputed Means
Four sanctioning bodies, four belts and one dream: becoming undisputed. Here is how boxing's world titles work and why there are so many champions.
How UFC Judging Works: The 10-Point Must System Explained
When a UFC fight goes the distance, three judges decide it round by round. Here is how the 10-point must system works and why scorecards cause so many arguments.
UFC Weight Classes Explained: Every Division, Weight Limit and Weigh-In Rule
From strawweight to heavyweight, here is every UFC division, its weight limit and the weigh-in rules that decide whether a fight goes ahead.