Tag: Anthony Smith

Anthony Smith Wants Glover Teixeira In UFC Headliner

Anthony Smith is ready to get back to work inside the Octagon. The former UFC light heavyweight title challenger already has his mind set on who he’d like to challenge next. Speaking to MMA Junkie, Smith noted he’d like to take on fellow light heavyweight title challenger Glover Teixeira. “Lionheart” has nothing but respect for […]

The post Anthony Smith Wants Glover Teixeira In UFC Headliner appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Anthony Smith is ready to get back to work inside the Octagon. The former UFC light heavyweight title challenger already has his mind set on who he’d like to challenge next.

Speaking to MMA Junkie, Smith noted he’d like to take on fellow light heavyweight title challenger Glover Teixeira. “Lionheart” has nothing but respect for the 205-pound veteran and everything he has done in the sport.

“I’ve really had my eye on the top five, but I think outside of the top five it’s a little shifty. It’s been moving around a lot, but I think Glover is available, so that’s someone that I would love to fight just because of who he is and what he’s done in this sport,” Smith said.

Smith then detailed an incident in 2013 in which he struggled through a Brazilian airport after suffering a first-round submission loss to Antonio Braga Neto via kneebar. Teixeira actually helped Smith journey through the airport with his injury, translating for him and getting him to his plane. It was a gesture Smith won’t soon forget.

“Funny story: My UFC debut in Brazil, I blew my knee then got cut right after, so on my way back I was struggling with all my bags and a blown knee, and Glover actually helped me through the airport and translated for me and helped get me on the plane and stuff like that. So ever since then, I’ve always had this really – like, I was a nobody.

“He was a superstar, you know, so I’ve always had just a really big, just a lot of respect for him since then. So again, I’m not attacking anybody. I’m not picking on anybody. He’s just the next guy that may be available, and that’s how I do it. I’m not waiting on anybody.”

In an ideal matchup with Teixeira, Smith would like the headlining spot in either February or March.

“I would love to fight Glover. I think that he’s quietly amassed a winning streak over some super, super tough opponents that nobody else wants to fight, and I think he deserves the main event,” Smith said.

“I don’t know. You know he had the main event against Gus that didn’t go his way, but I think it’s time that Glover gets another main event. I think he’s earned that, and I think he deserves it.”

What do you think about Smith wanting to face Teixeira next?

The post Anthony Smith Wants Glover Teixeira In UFC Headliner appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Anthony Smith Provides Update On Octagon Return

Anthony Smith’s return to the Octagon might come a lot sooner than fans expect. Smith comes off of a big submission win over Alexander Gustafsson in Sweden back in June. Now that he’s dealt with some post-fight injuries, Smith is ready to get back into the Octagon. Speaking on his weekly MMA Tonight on Sirius […]

The post Anthony Smith Provides Update On Octagon Return appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Anthony Smith’s return to the Octagon might come a lot sooner than fans expect.

Smith comes off of a big submission win over Alexander Gustafsson in Sweden back in June. Now that he’s dealt with some post-fight injuries, Smith is ready to get back into the Octagon. Speaking on his weekly MMA Tonight on Sirius XM’s Fight Nation show, Smith provided fans with an update on when we can expect his return.

“Lionheart” said his opponent is already locked in, but a venue and date for his fight has yet to be determined. (H/T BJPenn.com)

“We got some things in the works that I imagine that here in the next week, we’re going to have some news for you guys. It’s not an opponent problem, it’s a venue problem. Opponent is locked in, it’s location [still being worked on].”

Smith then gave his thoughts on a pivotal light heavyweight bout coming up between Jan Blachowicz and Corey Anderson. The winner could very well determine who is next in line for a shot at the 205-pound title. Smith said he thinks the fight is pretty ridiculous given both men turned down fights with himself. However, he understands that Blachowicz, in particular, is chasing Anderson to avenge a past loss.

“I think it’s a silly fight to be honest. Both of those guys were offered fights with me in the last two, two-and-a-half weeks, both of them turned it down. I understand. I’m not going to give Jan any grief for turning the fight down, because he turned it down to chase Corey Anderson.

“I understand that, he’s got a loss to him, he wants to avenge that loss. Even post-fight [vs Anderson] he didn’t talk about me, he talked about Corey Anderson and he talked about Thiago Santos. I know better than anybody wanting to avenge a loss, so him wanting to get back to that and Corey being available and highly-ranked, makes sense.”

Although he has respect for Blachowicz, Smith can’t say the same for Anderson, who he called a “coward.”

“Corey Anderson is a coward. He had every opportunity in the world, he begged me for a fight when I already was matched with Jon Jones, after he beat Latifi. He was constantly talking shit, constantly calling me a middleweight that I’m not a real light heavyweight, all the trash talk we’ve already gone over.

Who would you like to see Smith fight next upon his return to the Octagon?

The post Anthony Smith Provides Update On Octagon Return appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Anthony Smith: Blachowicz & “Coward” Corey Anderson Turned Me Down

Anthony Smith will not be able to attack Corey Anderson inside the Octagon anytime soon, but that is not stopping Smith from unloading on him in his personal time. Anthony Smith believed that the road to a title shot for Corey Anderson ran through him….

Anthony Smith will not be able to attack Corey Anderson inside the Octagon anytime soon, but that is not stopping Smith from unloading on him in his personal time. Anthony Smith believed that the road to a title shot for Corey Anderson ran through him. Apparently, Anderson begged to differ, with the #5-ranked light heavyweight […]

The post Anthony Smith: Blachowicz & “Coward” Corey Anderson Turned Me Down appeared first on MMA News.

Anthony Smith Has Message For Corey Anderson: ‘Beat The Next Guy’

UFC light heavyweight contender Anthony Smith offered some words of advice to Corey Anderson. Anderson is coming off a TKO victory over Johnny Walker at UFC 244 earlier this month. In the process, he established himself as a potential next contender to face current champion Jon Jones. However, he has long been vocal about not […]

The post Anthony Smith Has Message For Corey Anderson: ‘Beat The Next Guy’ appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

UFC light heavyweight contender Anthony Smith offered some words of advice to Corey Anderson.

Anderson is coming off a TKO victory over Johnny Walker at UFC 244 earlier this month. In the process, he established himself as a potential next contender to face current champion Jon Jones.

However, he has long been vocal about not getting a title shot before and notably traded words with Smith as he felt “Lionheart” wasn’t deserving of his opportunity at Jones earlier this year.

Smith, on the other hand, believes it’s not that complicated — he earned his way to a title shot by beating the top contenders:

“I just beat the next guy,” Smith said in a recent interview (via MMA News). “When the UFC said, ‘Oh, what do you think’s next?’ ‘Whoever you think is next. Who do I gotta beat to get to a title shot?’ ‘Well, Volkan Oezdemir’s number 2.’ ‘Give me that f*cking guy then.’ And that’s what I did. Sometimes you gotta put your head down, and you gotta work, and stop complaining all the time.”

Anderson notably told the UFC to release him if he didn’t get the next title shot after Dominick Reyes. However, Smith advised him to simply keep working hard and continue to beat the fighters ranked above him.

“Overtime” can start by facing him:

“Just put your head down, and beat the next guy, and don’t complain about it,” Smith continued. “And then, every once in awhile, try to be a little bit exciting and stop talking sh*t about the guys that are doing it right.

“You want to talk sh*t about Thiago Santos? Thiago Santos got a title shot. You want to talk sh*t about me? I got a title shot. So instead of talking sh*t, maybe emulate what we do a little bit, try to get a goddamn finish, stop talking sh*t about the UFC and just beat the next guy. It’s that simple.

“I don’t understand this formula in his head, it’s like he’s doing brain surgery. It’s not that hard. I’m the next guy that you have to beat. It’s that simple.”

Do you agree with Smith?

The post Anthony Smith Has Message For Corey Anderson: ‘Beat The Next Guy’ appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Quote: Jon Jones Probably Chose ‘Easier Opponent’ In Dominick Reyes

One top-ranked UFC light heavyweight believes Jon Jones may have taken the easier route for his next title defense. Jones’ next bout isn’t set in stone, but many expect him to share the Octagon with Dominick Reyes. UFC president Dana White …

One top-ranked UFC light heavyweight believes Jon Jones may have taken the easier route for his next title defense. Jones’ next bout isn’t set in stone, but many expect him to share the Octagon with Dominick Reyes. UFC president Dana White has said he’s interested in booking Jones vs. Reyes. Jones also expressed his desire […]

The post Quote: Jon Jones Probably Chose ‘Easier Opponent’ In Dominick Reyes appeared first on MMA News.

Corey Anderson Fires Back At Anthony Smith: Get Off My Wave

Corey Anderson has been very vocal in regards to believing he deserves a title opportunity next. Anderson realizes Dominick Reyes is the likely next challenger for the strap, and is fine to wait and fight the winner of Reyes vs. Jon Jones. However, he has also been called out by fellow top contender Anthony “Lionheart” […]

The post Corey Anderson Fires Back At Anthony Smith: Get Off My Wave appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Corey Anderson has been very vocal in regards to believing he deserves a title opportunity next. Anderson realizes Dominick Reyes is the likely next challenger for the strap, and is fine to wait and fight the winner of Reyes vs. Jon Jones.

However, he has also been called out by fellow top contender Anthony “Lionheart” Smith as well. Anderson has since claimed he has zero interest in that fight, and doubled down on those claims in a recent interview with MMA Fighting.

“Get off my wave baby, it’s my time,” Anderson said. “I called every single one of those people in front of me out. From Jon Jones to DC [Daniel Cormier], Jan Blachowicz, Anthony Smith, Thiago, Dominick Reyes, I called them all out for nine months straight, and every single one of them avoided it.

“They said other names, but nobody said me, or they had to say, ‘I don’t want to fight Corey Anderson.’ Well guess what? I don’t want to fight you now. It’s my time. I earned this. So after I get my shot whenever it is, then they can come fight me for the belt. Come on. Until then you’ve had a whole year to say yes, and you picked every other fight.

“Dominick Reyes, they offered me him, and now all of a sudden his nose is broke. Two days later he was looking for a fight. Everybody tries to avoid me. Now I’m hot, and they want to ride my waves. Get off my coattails.”

Anderson comes off of a big first-round TKO win over Johnny Walker at UFC 244 – a contender many believed would give Jones a run for his money if they ever shared the Octagon. As for Smith, he hasn’t fought since June when he submitted Alexander Gustafsson in Sweden.

Should Anderson take a fight with Smith, and beat him, there would be no denying him the next shot at the title.

Do you think Anderson should have to fight Smith before getting a title shot?

 

The post Corey Anderson Fires Back At Anthony Smith: Get Off My Wave appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.