Anthony Smith announces plans to retire after one | MMA News
Former UFC gentle heavyweight title challenger Anthony Smith has struggled in recent times inside the octagon. The 36-year previous has misplaced 5 of his final seven fights and hasn’t been in a position to put collectively consecutive wins since 2021.
During an look on The Ariel Helwani Show, Smith introduced his plans to retire however desires one more battle inside the octagon. Smith final fought at UFC 310 final November, dropping to Dominick Reyes through TKO late within the second spherical. He entered the battle on an emotional rollercoaster having misplaced his longtime coach Scott Morton simply weeks prior to the occasion.
“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 is 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 is it,” Smith mentioned.
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