Mild Heavyweight gatekeeper? No approach.
Final week, it was introduced that former Mild Heavyweight title challenger Anthony Smith will struggle surging undefeated prospect Vitor Petrino later this Spring in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, at UFC 301.
Petrino truly referred to as for a matchup with Smith after he defeated Tyson Pedro at UFC Vegas 87 earlier this month, and the Brazilian received his want; nevertheless, Smith was not completely satisfied in any respect with the call-out, in reality he was offended.
“I’m offended,” Smith stated on SiriusXM’s MMA In the present day. “Why didn’t he name out somebody increased ranked? Why didn’t he name out [Aleksandar] Rakic? So far as timelines go, Rakic goes to be preventing quickly. That might be just a little nearer to your timeline when it comes to two guys who’re preventing across the identical time. Why didn’t you name out Rakic or Volkan Oezdemir? Why didn’t you name out any of these guys? Since you suppose you possibly can beat me. You’re unsure in regards to the different ones, and that pisses me off.
“I’m not performed,” Smith continued. “I’m not the outdated wounded lion that’s simply pacing round ready to be killed by the youthful ones. That’s not me. I refuse to be the brand new Neil Magny. Three guys in a month and a half have fought, received, and referred to as me out, all unranked, all younger guys. We’re going to lifeless this proper in its tracks. Name me a gatekeeper. Name me regardless of the hell you need to name me, however right here’s the actual fact: I’ve been preventing inside the highest 10 for a really very long time and have been preventing within the rankings in two completely different weight lessons for a really very long time.”
Smith is referring to Magny as the last word gatekeeper within the Welterweight division. Nevertheless, “Lionheart” has a great report of shutting down rising prospects within the 205 lb division—he beat Jimmy Crute, Devin Clark, and Ryan Spann twice. Alternatively, he was simply smashed by Khalil Rountree Jr. on brief discover.
Nonetheless, Smith is at a degree in his lengthy profession the place he should struggle the younger, hungry prospects except he can flip again the clock and get to at least one final title run.
Possibly he fights his brother from one other mom subsequent? Or Heavyweight…?
