Longtime UFC light-heavyweight contender Anthony Smith isn’t retiring quite yet.
‘Lionheart’ returned to the octagon on the UFC 310 main card last month in Las Vegas. Back for the first time since suffering a short-notice loss to Roman Dolidze in June, Anthony Smith faced Dominick Reyes. For his part, ‘The Devastator’ headed into the bout fresh off a knockout win over Dustin Jacoby in the summer.
Just weeks before fight day, Anthony Smith’s life was shaken up. His longtime coach, Scott Morton, suddenly passed away. While the former title challenger debated pulling out, he instead went forth with the fight. At UFC 310, Reyes dominated Smith, scoring a second-round stoppage win in a hard-to-watch bout.
Post-fight, an emotional Anthony Smith seemingly announced his retirement in the cage. While the 36-year-old admitted the decision wasn’t final, ‘Lionheart’ added that it’s hard to see himself competing without Morton long-term. Over a month after that emotional night, Smith has changed his mind.
Anthony Smith talks about what changed his mind on retiring from MMA.
We will have one more Lionheart fight! pic.twitter.com/OlYICQl01x
— On Paper with Anthony Smith (@theonpaperpod) January 16, 2025
Anthony Smith reflects on retirement comments following emotional UFC 310 loss
Speaking on a recent edition of his ‘On Paper With Anthony Smith’ Podcast, ‘Lionheart’ discussed the loss. There, the former UFC light-heavyweight title challenger revealed plans to fight on. After a trip to Puerto Rico, Smith decided that he had to fight one more time. The 36-year-old doesn’t want fans’ last memory of him, to be crying in the cage after such a traumatic loss.
“While I was in Puerto Rico, I was diving.” Anthony Smith stated in his podcast reflecting on his UFC 310 defeat. “… 70 feet underwater, looking at this incredible scenery around me. A little bit, I’m able to like, let in something small. ‘Okay b*tch, you’re down here. What are you going to do?’. That’s when I decided what I’m going to do, while I was diving. It was the only time I was able to shut the entire world out.”
He continued, “Focus on this one thing, and just let in a little bit [of that talk]… My first thought was ‘I can’t go out like that’. Crying in my walkout and then getting in the octagon and I’m bawling. Can’t even look at my kids because I’m so upset, letting a guy punch me in the face because I want to feel something over than grief. You can’t retire like that. I’m not saying I need a win! Just some circumstances that would be favorable would be nice.”
What do you make of these comments from the UFC light-heavyweight? Who do you want to see Anthony Smith fight next?
After suffering a devastating knockout loss at UFC 310, Anthony Smith has confirmed that he has no plans to retire just yet. Despite the emotional defeat, Smith remains determined to continue fighting and prove himself in the octagon.
In a recent interview, Smith opened up about the loss, stating “You can’t retire like that. I know I still have more to give and I’m not going to let one loss define my career.” The defeat may have been a setback, but Smith is focused on getting back in the gym, improving his skills, and coming back stronger than ever.
Fans of Smith can expect to see him back in action soon, as he prepares to bounce back from this setback and continue his journey in the world of MMA. With his determination and resilience, there’s no doubt that Smith will be back in the win column in no time. Stay tuned for updates on his next fight and continue to support him on his journey in the UFC.
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