Tag: Anthony Smith

UFC Rankings Report: Anthony Smith Returns To The LHW Top 5

The UFC rankings have been updated following UFC Vegas 37! Check out all the changes below! Men’s Pound for Pound: No Changes Women’s Pound for Pound: Yan Xiaonan falls one spot to #14, and Lauren Murphy replaces her at #13. Strawweight: No Changes Women’s Flyweight: No Changes Women’s Bantamweight: Following her unanimous decision victory over […]

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The UFC rankings have been updated following UFC Vegas 37! Check out all the changes below!

Men’s Pound for Pound: No Changes

Women’s Pound for Pound: Yan Xiaonan falls one spot to #14, and Lauren Murphy replaces her at #13.

Strawweight: No Changes

Women’s Flyweight: No Changes

Women’s Bantamweight: Following her unanimous decision victory over Pannie Kianzad at UFC Vegas 37, Pennington re-enters the bantamweight rankings at #10. With the loss, Kianzad drops two positions to #14. Also moving down this week are Macy Chiasson (#11), Lina Lansberg (#12), and Karol Rosa (#15).

Women’s Featherweight: N/A

Flyweight: With Joseph Benavidez now retired, the flyweight rankings has a new look. The only change in the top 5 is the arrival of Brandon Royval at #5. There was also a new entrant into the top 15 in Tagir Ulanbekov at #15. The top-2 contenders in the division remain former champion Deiveson Figueiredo (#1) and Askar Askarov (#2).

Bantamweight: Raulian Paiva returns to the rankings at #15, replacing Song Yadong in the process.

Featherweight: No Changes

Lightweight: After defeating Christos Giagos via first-round TKO at UFC Vegas 37, Arman Tsarukyan moves up one spot to #13, prompting Rafael Fiziev to drop one position to #14.

Welterweight: No Changes

Middleweight: No Changes

Light Heavyweight: Anthony Smith moves up two spots to #4 following his first-round victory over Ryan Spann in the UFC Vegas 37 main event. This caused Thiago Santos (#5) and Dominick Reyes (#6) to fall one position this week.

Heavyweight: No Changes

You can view the full updated UFC rankings here.

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Ion Cutelaba Not Thrilled With Damage Inflicted On Devin Clark, Wants Anthony Smith Next

CutelabaIon Cutelaba was not happy with the damage he inflicted on Devin Clark. Cutelaba returned to the win column for the first time since 2019 when he dominated Clark over three rounds to get the unanimous decision victory at UFC Vegas 37 last night. Clark did well to last the fight, but ultimately took plenty […]

Cutelaba

Ion Cutelaba was not happy with the damage he inflicted on Devin Clark.

Cutelaba returned to the win column for the first time since 2019 when he dominated Clark over three rounds to get the unanimous decision victory at UFC Vegas 37 last night.

Clark did well to last the fight, but ultimately took plenty of damage including his teeth getting all mangled.

Cutelaba saw the damage he inflicted on Clark and was not particularly thrilled either.

“It’s very, very … I looked, and I’m not happy,” Cutelaba said (via MMA Junkie). “(It came from) my knee and hand. (My punches) are very strong, and Clark is a very good fighter. But I’m strong. I’m very tough. But my opponent is very strong.”

As for what’s next after ending a three-fight winless streak? Cutelaba wants Anthony Smith in a headliner.

“I’m ready for a new show, a new fight. … Let’s go with (Anthony) Smith,” Cutelaba added. “I’m ready for you, for me, and an important win. Let’s fight in a main event.”

It’s certainly an option if a rematch between Smith and Aleksandar Rakic doesn’t pan out.

Daniel Cormier Is Happy Jon Jones Didn’t Try To Hug Him After They Fought: ‘No Fake Friends’

Daniel CormierDaniel Cormier has revealed he was happy that Jon Jones didn’t try to play nice after their fights. ‘DC’ made the comments after watching Anthony Smith submit Ryan Spann at UFC Vegas 37. As soon as the fight was waved off ‘Lionheart’ stood up, got in his opponent’s face, and started shouting at his defeated […]

Daniel Cormier

Daniel Cormier has revealed he was happy that Jon Jones didn’t try to play nice after their fights.

‘DC’ made the comments after watching Anthony Smith submit Ryan Spann at UFC Vegas 37. As soon as the fight was waved off ‘Lionheart’ stood up, got in his opponent’s face, and started shouting at his defeated foe for his pre-fight disrespect.

“I have no problem with the way Anthony Smith just acted when you talk all that shit and you get beat the way Ryan Spann just got beat we don’t need to shake hands and hug Anthony is an OG and do not play,” Cormier wrote on social media. “Really was an easy night for @lionheartasmith great job!!!#UFCVegas37”

Cormier then referenced his UFC 182 fight with Jon Jones as a perfect example after a fan claimed he “didn’t act that way” after his first career loss.

“There was no hug and I’m happy he didn’t hug me I didn’t or don’t need that,” Cormier replied. “The things that go so far can’t just be buried once the fight is over. I was sad at presser and Jones showed no pity. It was perfect! No fake friends once the fight is done!”

Smith and Spann quickly made up post-fight. The same cannot be said for Cormier and Jones who still often bicker online despite the fact ‘DC’ is retired and Jones is still supposedly pursuing heavyweight gold.

Do you think Daniel Cormier has a point? Should fighters keep the same energy post-fight?

Anthony Smith & Aleksandar Rakic Agree To Rematch In December

Anthony SmithAnthony Smith put on a dominant display before submitting Ryan Spann in the first round of the UFC Vegas 37 main event. ‘Lionheart’, who had just stretched his win streak to three, got on the mic and immediately called for a rematch with Aleksandar Rakic, who was the last man to beat him. “I want […]

Anthony Smith

Anthony Smith put on a dominant display before submitting Ryan Spann in the first round of the UFC Vegas 37 main event.

‘Lionheart’, who had just stretched his win streak to three, got on the mic and immediately called for a rematch with Aleksandar Rakic, who was the last man to beat him.

“I want Aleksander Rakic,” Smith told Michael Bisping post-fight. “He’s just sitting around. He’s not next for the title. Either I get that fight or I’m going to skip it. That’s what I want. I want someone ahead of me and I earned that.”

During Smith’s post-fight chat Rakic tweeted out to let his rival and all the fans know that he is ready to throw down later this year.

“I’m free in December @Mickmaynard2,” Rakic wrote.

‘The Count’ relayed that information to Smith, who replied by saying “Merry Christmas to me.”

Speaking at the UFC Vegas 37 post-fight press conference, Smith explained why he chose to call for a rematch with Rakic.

“That’s what I wanted,” Smith said. “That’s what I asked for. That’s the fight I’ve been talking about. It’s nothing personal. Me and Rakic have had nothing but positive exchanges with each other both before and after the fight. It’s purely competitive. I want his spot. He took mine, I want to take it back.”

As well as trying to right a wrong, Smith genuinely believes that a win over Rakic is worth more than beating any of the other contenders who are similarly ranked.

“No disrespect – I think Dominick Reyes is an easier fight (than Rakic), but that doesn’t get me closer to the title,” Smith said. “I need what’s going to get me closest to the title fight. I could hang around and wait for the loser of the title fight, but I don’t want to wait. I think for me stylistically – not saying for everyone – but for me, Rakic is probably the toughest fight out of those (top) five guys.” (Transcribed by MMA Junkie)

Are you looking forward to watching Anthony Smith rematch Aleksandar Rakic?

Smith On Spann’s Disregard Of Accomplishments— “I Bet He Cares Now”

Anthony Smith wanted to make a statement against Ryan Spann on Saturday—and he did it in emphatic style. Smith notched up his third successive win by defeating Spann via first-round submission in the main event of UFC Vegas 37. The 33-year-old dropped Spann multiple times before sinking in a rear-naked choke to earn his eighteenth […]

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Anthony Smith wanted to make a statement against Ryan Spann on Saturday—and he did it in emphatic style.

Smith notched up his third successive win by defeating Spann via first-round submission in the main event of UFC Vegas 37. The 33-year-old dropped Spann multiple times before sinking in a rear-naked choke to earn his eighteenth career submission victory and a Fight of the Night bonus. 

Anthony Smith Spann
PHOTO: MMA FIGHTING

Against Spann, Smith had more to fight for than just title contention. Perhaps as importantly, he wanted to put respect back on his name, and Spann in his place, for the disrespect shown by his opponent leading into the fight.

Immediately after releasing Spann from his rear-naked choke, a fired-up Smith let his pent-up emotions fly, dispensing some choice words to his opponent before the duo were held apart by security. Once tensions simmered down, and Spann offered his respect to Smith, the duo embraced, squashing the beef then and there.

Anthony Smith Explains His Emotional Reaction To Spann’s Comments

Their beef may now be squashed, but Smith still had some words for Spann at the UFC Vegas 37 post-fight press conference. “Lionheart” revealed that he came into the bout carrying a fair amount of pent-up anger thanks to Spann’s comments.

“Oh, I was holding a lot of that shit back. It really pissed me off. I just didn’t want him to know that,” said Smith.

As a veteran of 52 professional MMA fights, Smith has unquestionably put in the hard yards to get where he is today. And he said that’s why Spann’s disrespect cut so deep.

“And maybe this is gonna sound arrogant or pretentious, but I have earned the respect from my peers,” said Smith. “I put a lot of work into this game. I’ve sacrificed my entire adult life to be here, to be in the position I’m sitting in right now. That’s time with my kids, that’s friendships, that’s life opportunities. I could’ve been a goddamn surgeon by now, you know what I mean? I’ve put a lifetime of work into this, and most of my peers respect me.”

Finally, Anthony made it clear why Spann’s comments were so disrespectful.

“And that’s all I ask. You don’t have to like me, we don’t have to get along, we don’t have to be friends. You can say you’re gonna kick my ass, and sometimes you might.

“But I think just respecting my journey is the only thing I ever expect from anybody. And he didn’t. Saying he doesn’t care what I’ve done, he doesn’t care about the main events, he doesn’t care who I’ve beaten, he doesn’t care about the bonuses—I bet he cares now.”

Continue Reading Smith On Spann’s Disregard Of Accomplishments— “I Bet He Cares Now” at MMA News.

UFC Fight Night 192 Results: Anthony Smith Beats Ryan Spann via Submission

UFC Fight Night 192 finished with some fireworks as Anthony Smith put away Ryan Spann with a first-round submission from the UFC’s Apex facility in Las Vegas on Saturday…

UFC Fight Night 192 finished with some fireworks as Anthony Smith put away Ryan Spann with a first-round submission from the UFC’s Apex facility in Las Vegas on Saturday…