Colton Smith, an active duty Army ranger, continues to make an impression in the MMA world. Smith has been an Airborne Ranger Qualified Infantryman in the US Army for the past 7 years. Upon returning from a deployment in Iraq in 2008, Colton took his first MMA fight as a challenge. He proved himself by defeating his opponent via TKO in the first round, having no prior training other than Army Combative Training and being a lifelong wrestler. After that, he began focusing on his MMA career, garnering a 7-1 amateur record with seven first round finishes.


In 2012, Colton Smith auditioned for The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 16: Team Carwin vs. Team Nelson. He was chosen to become a cast member and defeated Jesse Barrett by unanimous decision to secure his spot in the TUF house. While fighting his way through the house, Smith won via unanimous decision over Eddie Ellis in the first fight, Igor Araujo in the quarterfinals, and Jon Manley in the semifinals. On December 15, 2012, Colton Smith made his UFC debut at the TUF 16 finale, where he won against Mike Ricci via unanimous decision and became The Ultimate Fighter 16 winner. As an Iowa State Greco-Roman and Freestyle Wrestling champion, his dominant wrestling style has made him an extremely difficult opponent to all he faces.


Of all winners of The Ultimate Fighter, Colton is predicted to rank among the top with the most potential. Prior to his life as an MMA athlete, he joined the Army at the age of 18, during which time he did 2 tours overseas in Iraq. While in the Army, Smith trained vigorously for both his job and his passion- mixed martial arts. Colton Smith also supports Wounded Warrior and Intrepid Fund.