Aleksandar Rakic celebrates with 10 seconds left in UFC Vegas 8 headliner

Aleksander Rakic takes out top contender Anthony Smith in the main event headliner at UFC on Vegas 8.

Rakic dominated the fight and wanted to show the audience he had done enough to win and proceeded to celebrate early during the fight.

With seconds left on the clock Rakic raised his arms, jumped, and screamed during his celebration.

“I love to do a little bit of a show, but only if I deserve it, and I think I deserved to put on a show like this,” Rakic told reporters after his win on Saturday night at UFC APEX.

“I saw the clock, and I saw, OK, seven seconds left and so I go, OK, I’m going to stand up and celebrate a little bit.

With Jon Jones gone from the division, Rakic has his eyes set on UFC gold.

“I made a great performance tonight, and I think I’m the next for the title,” he said. “But if the UFC wants to see me in a five-round fight, they can do it.

I was preparing for a three-round fight, but put on this great performance tonight, and I could go another two rounds with no problems. I was ready for five.

Can you imagine me getting ready for a five-round fight with this pace? It’s amazing. We’re going to see what the UFC plans for me next. I’m going to be ready.”

Rakic broke down the fight and said the gameplan was to attack Smith’s legs with kicks and mix in his wrestling.

“I worked hard on my wrestling and putting pressure on him. I made him really tired. I heard in the second and third how he was breathing heavy.

The plan was, don’t rush and don’t go for the submissions. If he gave me something really, really, then I’d go for it. The goal was to dominate, put pressure, and to win.”

“I think the hardest challenge for me would be Reyes,” Rakic said. “He fought a very good fight against Jones. He’s fighting for the title with Jan. Both guys deserve a title shot. But Thiago, Glover and Jan are very strong athletes, and they are here in the top for a reason.”