Weight Class: Bantamweight
Record: 5-0
Age: 19
Height: 5’10”
Born In: USA
Training Out Of: Next Level Training Center & MMA
Combined Opponent Records (at the time they fought): 9-23
Key Wins: N/A
After starting his year off with a pair of first-round finishes, undefeated bantamweight Jay Alderete gets a major step up in competition this weekend when he meets UFC veteran Cameron Smotherman at Fury FC 121.
All nine of Alderete’s combined pro and amateur fights have come under the Fury FC banner. He went 4-0 as an amateur in 2024 and capped off that run by winning the Fury Amateur Series flyweight belt with a unanimous decision over Alan Gonzalez.
Alderete’s pro debut in 2025 saw him overcome an early knockdown from Donzeill Marshall before he found a finish late in the second round, and he was also knocked down in the opening round of his next fight with Isaac Vasquez before getting his hand raised via split decision.
“Crack” has looked considerably more dominant in his last three fights. After stopping Anthony Valenzuela in just over a minute to close out 2025, the 19-year-old already secured two more first-round finishes in his two previous outings this year.
Alderete’s boxing is his primary strength, although he also likes to utilize body and head kicks from both stances and mix in the occasional spinning kick when he has an opponent against the fence. The aptly-nicknamed “Crack” will use frequent feints to back his opposition up before starting to let his hands go, and from orthodox stance he’ll almost always string together combinations of three or four punches when he does commit to coming forward.
He’s comfortable working from both southpaw and orthodox but has toned down his stance switching in his last few outings compared to his first two pro bouts, which saw him regularly change stances and spend extensive time working from southpaw. That stance does open up the opportunity for Alderete to land body kicks to the open side of orthodox opponents, but in southpaw he largely relies on his jab and left straight instead of the lengthier punching combinations he puts together from his natural stance.
The 19-year-old does do a good job of smoothly moving between stances off of his kicks or when he slides out of an opponent’s range. As showcased in his last outing against Will Hughes, Alderete is also quick to throw up nasty knees to the body if he and his opponent end up in a clinch situation.
Alderete hasn’t really had to show off his ground game too much since turning pro, but if an opponent fails on a takedown attempt and ends up on their knees he’ll immediately look to weigh on them with a front headlock. He’s also willing to bring things to the ground if needed and took Cristian Lopez’s back quickly to lock up a rear naked choke, and if he ends up in mount he’ll unload with brutal ground and pound to bring an end to the fight.
At just 19 years old, its hard to not be excited about Alderte’s potential. He has an extremely fan-friendly style, and when he’s feeling confident and dictating the pace of the action he also tends to showboat a bit and mix in some Diaz Brother-style antics.
Alderete did get dropped badly off of counter shots in his first two fights, but in his last few outings it seems like he’s made an effort to temper the aggression that got him caught during those bouts. That’s exactly the type of development you want to see from a young fighter that already boasts a wealth of confidence and talent.
All of that being said, Alderete is getting a massive step up in competition this weekend compared to the opponents he’s faced so far. Even though Smotherman went 1-3 during his UFC run, he’s significantly more experienced and credentialed that anyone Alderete has shared the cage with.
A loss against Smotherman wouldn’t be a major setback for the 19-year-old given that he’s taking on a UFC veteran, but a win on Sunday would be a massive statement for Alderete and significantly raise his profile as a bantamweight prospect. Given that he’s also a Team Iridium fighter, a victory over Smotherman would likely put him on the fast track to the UFC, either via Dana White’s Contender Series or through a short-notice opportunity.
