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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nSgt. 1st Class Colton Smith, top, hammers Washington Nunes da Silva during their October World Series of Fighting bout. The promotion is seeking military veterans to join Smith, an active-duty soldier, on its roster.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Photo Credit: Courtesy of WSOF<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n The promotion hopes to find more veterans this year and next, planning to feature more “Who’s the Toughest” fights on future WSOF shows into 2017, Silva said. Both male and female fighters will be considered. The promotion’s cards air on NBC Sports Network, with preliminary bouts streamed live online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The site for the Nov. 12 card has yet to be determined. MMA fans may already have Nov. 12 circled on their calendars\u00a0\u2014 the UFC has a show set for New York’s Madison Square Garden<\/a> on that date, which is expected to include some of that promotion’s top talent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Active duty represents<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Some fighters already have reached out to WSOF officials seeking inclusion. One message came from Sgt. 1st Class Colton Smith, an active-duty soldier and former UFC fighter\u00a0who is 1-0 under the WSOF banner:<\/p>\n\n\n\n “I say it all the time: There are 20 more [service members] like me, if not better,” Smith told Army Times. “There are some stellar fighters out there. Duty calls, and they put that first. They haven’t had that opportunity to spread their wings, per se, and show the world where they belong in the mixed martial arts realm.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Silva said he’ll work with Smith to find such fighters, and he’s also saving space for Smith on future cards following the soldier’s upcoming deployment to Afghanistan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “When he comes back, they’ll be a seat waiting for him, and we’ll work him into the schedule,” Silva said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Fort\u00a0Hood, Texas-based\u00a0Smith fought April 30 on a charity card in Weatherford, Oklahoma, defeating Joe “The Caveman” Valadez via decision. Plans for a WSOF-sanctioned spring fight fell through, he said, praising WSOF for allowing him to compete outside the promotion to raise money for Honoring America’s Warriors<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He said he hopes another WSOF win could earn him a shot at the promotion’s welterweight title, now in the hands of UFC veteran Jon Fitch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “That’s my ultimate goal, to get that championship,” said Smith, who followed three straight UFC losses with his current four-fight win streak. “I think I’m ready. … I think I have all the tools and the attributes to do that.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n