UFC Fight Night: Anthony Smith dominates Ryan Spann for first-round submission win

He then made Ryan Spann tap out to a rear naked choke for a first-round submission in the main event of UFC Fight Night from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The submission came after a dominant standup game from Smith, who buckled Spann with piercing left hooks and dropped him with powerful rights before ending the fight for his third straight victory.

"He's got the skills. It's just, I think I'm better," a victorious Smith said in the Octagon following his one-sided win. "And that was the gameplan, be better at every position."

Smith put Spann on notice of his power with a left hook across the jaw in the opening minute. Moments after that, another left hook buckled Spann, before a lunging right dropped "Superman" with a thud. Despite Spann making it back to his feet, Smith launched another left that badly wobbled him before another huge right across the jaw made him taste the canvas yet again. 

The veteran "Lionheart" proceeded to flatten Spann out before swiftly taking his back and cinching in a rear naked choke, which Spann tapped out to almost instantly. 

Following the dominant win, Smith and Spann had to briefly be separated by security as the former made sure to verbally rub his victory in. However, cooler heads prevailed as they later embraced in a showing of respect.

Smith called out Aleksandar Rakić for a rematch moments after that.

Rakić took to his Twitter account and made sure to let Smith know that he's available to run it back.

When Smith was informed about Rakić's tweet, he was elated.

"Merry Christmas to me," Smith said.

Rakić scored a unanimous decision over Smith back in August 2020.

Here's how the entire UFC Fight Night: Smith vs. Spann card went.