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Anthony Smith is still interested in making the Luke Rockhold fight happen. Before Rockhold made the move up to light heavyweight at UFC 239 against Jan Blachowicz, the former middleweight champ was trashing Anthony Smith. He made it clear that if R…
Anthony Smith is still interested in making the Luke Rockhold fight happen. Before Rockhold made the move up to light heavyweight at UFC 239 against Jan Blachowicz, the former middleweight champ was trashing Anthony Smith. He made it clear that if “Lionheart” could get a title shot at 205-pounds it would be easy for him […]
The post Anthony Smith ‘Would Love To Beat’ Luke Rockhold Up appeared first on MMA News.
There is still no love lost between Anthony Smith and Luke Rockhold. Smith snapped a two-fight losing skid after enjoying a first-round submission victory over Devin Clark at UFC Vegas 15 this past weekend. “Lionheart” has since claimed he would be okay with fighting lower-ranked opponents if that’s what it would take to get him […]
There is still no love lost between Anthony Smith and Luke Rockhold.
Smith snapped a two-fight losing skid after enjoying a first-round submission victory over Devin Clark at UFC Vegas 15 this past weekend.
“Lionheart” has since claimed he would be okay with fighting lower-ranked opponents if that’s what it would take to get him back into title contention. However, there is one opponent not in the rankings that also makes sense and that’s Rockhold.
The former middleweight champion hasn’t competed since a failed light heavyweight debut against Jan Blachowicz last year that saw him suffer a brutal second-round knockout defeat. He has since hinted at a potential return and Smith is more than happy to face him now that it makes sense.
“I hate Luke Rockhold. I would love to beat that guy up,” Smith said on Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show (via Middle Easy). “I just think that at the beginning of the Luke Rockhold and I beef, it didn’t make any sense at all because he wasn’t even in the division. Then he looked awful in the Jan (Blachowicz) fight, which in hindsight I guess doesn’t look bad anymore, but it just didn’t make any sense at the time.
“I think had this fight with Devin (Clark) had been with Luke, it would have made sense. But Luke still hasn’t shown his ability to stay conscious long enough to have a real fight.”
The beef between Rockhold and Smith stemmed from when the former mocked the latter for getting a title shot against Jon Jones last year. Smith has wanted to beat up Rockhold ever since as it doesn’t look like their beef is ending anytime soon.
That said, Smith is open to burying the hatchet. The only question is if Rockhold is capable of doing the same.
“There’s not too many people that get under my skin like that and Luke absolutely did,” Smith said. “At the end of the day, if we’re in different weight classes I can probably let it go. I’ve actually had other issues that weren’t as public, with other guys that are still in the UFC. Like me and Uriah Hall, we couldn’t even be in the same room at the same time. Me and Derek Brunson had some back and forth a little bit some years ago, when Strikeforce came over to the UFC.
“It’s kind of cool now, I see Uriah out and we’re all chummy and buddies and stuff, and me and Derek are on cordial terms. So I’m not against burying the hatchet and moving on and being an adult. I just don’t feel like Luke’s one of those guys you can do that with. I think his ego’s too big to do something like that.”
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Former light-heavyweight title challenger Anthony Smith has shutdown talks of a potential fight between him and British puncher Jimi Manuwa. Smith snapped a two-fight losing streak this weekend. ‘Lionheart’ quickly tapped Devin Clark in the UFC Vegas 15 main event after previously falling short against Glover Teixeira and Aleksandar Rakic. Manuwa ended his MMA career last […]
Former light-heavyweight title challenger Anthony Smith has shutdown talks of a potential fight between him and British puncher Jimi Manuwa.
Smith snapped a two-fight losing streak this weekend. ‘Lionheart’ quickly tapped Devin Clark in the UFC Vegas 15 main event after previously falling short against Glover Teixeira and Aleksandar Rakic.
Manuwa ended his MMA career last year on a four-fight losing streak, losing three of the four via TKO or knockout. In his last fight, which took place from Stockholm, Sweden, Manuwa was knocked out by Aleksandar Raki? in just 42 seconds after a hellacious head kick. He hasn’t picked up a victory since knocking out Corey Anderson in their UFC London headliner from March of 2017. As of late the Englishman has been leaning towards making a comeback to the sport.
In the aftermath of UFC Vegas 15, Manuwa took to social media to play down Smith’s win and suggest he’d easily win if they fought, he wrote.
“Lion heart got fed an easy fight. I’d spark him #night x”
In an interview with James Lynch for Line Movement, Smith addressed the multiple callouts he has received since getting back in the win column, he said.
“What is Jimi Manuwa thinking? Jimmy Crute, crazy respectful kid man. I am a fan of his and I like his style. And the same with Paul Craig, fairly respectful callout the last time after he fought ‘Shogun.’ And even now, gave me props on my submission and then asked if I wanted to go to ‘Fight Island’ or something like that.”
Smith isn’t entertaining disrespectful callouts from Manuwa who he thinks it would be “silly” to fight at this stage in their careers.
“But then Jimi Manuwa, every time he says something about me it just sounds so cringy, like, he’s looked awful in his last four fights and then retired because he wasn’t able to stay conscious the entire time he was fighting,” Smith said. “If he wants to come back, man, that would be silly for me to entertaining at this point.” (Transcribed by MMA Mania)
"What is Jimi Manuwa thinking?"
#UFCVegas15 winner Anthony Smith responds to "Poster Boy" Jim's call-out via @LynchOnSports
Full interview: https://t.co/YdQR914ZNc pic.twitter.com/HeMvNNTXeK
— Line_Movement (@Line_Movement) November 30, 2020
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Now that Anthony Smith is again moving in the right direction after his UFC on ESPN 18 victory, he has a specific opponent in mind for his next fight. Prior to defeating Devin Clark in the main event of UFC on ESPN 18 last night, Anthony Smith had suff…
Now that Anthony Smith is again moving in the right direction after his UFC on ESPN 18 victory, he has a specific opponent in mind for his next fight. Prior to defeating Devin Clark in the main event of UFC on ESPN 18 last night, Anthony Smith had suffered two lopsided defeats in a row. […]
The post Anthony Smith Names Preferred Opponent For Next Bout appeared first on MMA News.
UFC President Dana White believes Anthony Smith’s entire UFC on ESPN 18 process serves as an example for other fighters to follow. It is not often that a ranked fighter will volunteer to fight an unranked opponent on short notice in today’s UFC. But as…
UFC President Dana White believes Anthony Smith’s entire UFC on ESPN 18 process serves as an example for other fighters to follow. It is not often that a ranked fighter will volunteer to fight an unranked opponent on short notice in today’s UFC. But as Anthony Smith has demonstrated in the past, he is a […]
The post Dana White Believes Anthony Smith Set An Example For Other Fighters At UFC on ESPN 18 appeared first on MMA News.
Former light-heavyweight title challenger Anthony Smith is open to facing off against Paul Craig next after quickly dispatching of Devin Clark to get back in the win column at UFC Vegas 15. Smith went in to his fight against Clark off the back of two tough losses against Glover Teixeira and Alexander Rakic. He admitted […]
Former light-heavyweight title challenger Anthony Smith is open to facing off against Paul Craig next after quickly dispatching of Devin Clark to get back in the win column at UFC Vegas 15.
Smith went in to his fight against Clark off the back of two tough losses against Glover Teixeira and Alexander Rakic. He admitted at the UFC Vegas 15 post-fight press conference he had almost forgotten what it felt like to win.
“You forget what it feels like to win,” he said. “I remember what a loss in 2006 felt like as an amateur. I think I put a lot of pressure on myself. I don’t know, it’s been a crazy goddamn year, and it hurts even more when you’re losing to people you know you can beat. Had Glover been a three-round fight, I would have won that fight. Had I not gotten the two leg kicks, I’m fairly confident I beat Rakic. Both of those guys did great jobs, they’re both incredible competitors. Sometimes, the shoe just drops like that. It’s just the break-in, and COVID-19, and getting my teeth knocked out, it’s just a mess, so it feels really good back where I belong.”
‘Lionheart’ went on to explain that he was feeling more pressure than ever heading into his fight with Clark.
“I’m not exactly sure why,” he said. “This one was heavy, though. I don’t know if the stakes are higher, or if it’s in the spotlight. When I was back on the regional scene, no one gave a sh*t cared. I’d lost three or four in a row, and they’re like, whatever. But the whole world is watching when it happens now, and you hear the whispers. Where’s his head at? Is he back to soon? Is he healthy? Does he really want this? Is he too focused on the desk? Is he too worried about his pretty teeth. I hear it all, so you don’t want to prove those people right, and that’s where the pressure comes. And then it’s just a spiral down from there, because then you’re worried about everything else.
Paul Craig, who is coming off an emphatic win over Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua took to Twitter to call for a fight with Smith who is down to make it happen.
“I think I saw something about Paul Craig had brought my name up,” Smith said. “That’s a fun matchup. That’s a fun grappling matchup. I love his style. I could listen to his interviews forever. As long as I have enough time to get ready, I’m good.” (Transcribed by MMA Fighting)
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