Prediction: Elijah Smith inside the distance
Let’s keep it real—Kazama is a scrappy dude, but his whole game hinges on getting the fight to the ground. That’s his bread and butter. The problem? He’s not just outgunned in the striking, he’s outmatched in the grappling too. Smith isn’t just strong—he’s explosive, athletic, and has the kind of hips that make your typical takedown entries look useless. If Kazama can’t win the grappling exchanges, he’s cooked. Flat out.
And then there’s the power difference. This is where things get real ugly, real fast. Smith throws with serious heat, and it’s not just wild aggression—it’s technical, sharp, and calculated. He doesn’t need to land much to change the direction of a fight, and Kazama’s defense? Man, it’s shaky at best. He eats shots clean because he doesn’t move his head, doesn’t use his feet, and when he gets cracked, his reaction time drops off a cliff. That’s a nightmare against someone like Elijah, who doesn’t just hurt you—he hunts you after that first big shot lands.