Former UFC light heavyweight title challenger Anthony Smith has struggled in recent years inside the octagon. The 36-year old has lost five of his last seven fights and hasn’t been able to put together consecutive wins since 2021.
During an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, Smith announced his plans to retire but wants one more fight inside the octagon. Smith last fought at UFC 310 last November, losing to Dominick Reyes via TKO late in the second round. He entered the fight on an emotional rollercoaster having lost his longtime coach Scott Morton just weeks prior to the event.
“I just decided that I can’t go out like that. You know? Crying on the way to the cage having a God damn panic attack and just upset and sad and going in there and letting Dominick Reyes punch me in the face just to feel something other than grief. I just didn’t want to do that.
“We’re going to go one more time,” Smith continued. “One more and that’s it for me.”
Smith made his professional fighting debut in Feb. 2008 and made his octagon debut in June 2013 after fighting for Strikeforce. He wouldn’t become a mainstay on the UFC roster until 2016. His career reached it’s height in 2019 when he fought Jon Jones for the light heavyweight championship in the UFC 235 main event. He lost to Jones via unanimous decision.
Regardless of what happens in his next fight, Smith is hanging up the gloves and the fight promotion is on board with his plans. He expects his retirement fight to take place in April.
“It’s one more. It’s win, lose, or draw, that’s it,” Smith said.
