On Saturday night at UFC 239, Anthony Smith won a minor victory without ever stepping in the cage when Luke Rockhold got knocked out by Jan Blachowicz. Smith and Rockhold had been publicly feuding for the better part of a year and Rockhold’s loss had to have been sweet for Smith. But with Rockhold now no longer a concern, Smith has turned his attention to another fighter who has been critical of him: Corey Anderson.
Speaking with Submission Radio recently, “Lionheart” broke down the current state of the UFC light heavyweight title picture, and concluded that he and Corey Anderson are likely to lock horns next.
“As far as getting back to Jon and who I’m gonna fight, I think there’s me, Jan [Blachowicz], Corey Anderson, and Dominick Reyes,” Smith said. “One of them is gonna fight Jon, so I would take myself out of that. It probably won’t be me. So, when it comes down to Jan, Corey or Reyes, one of them is gonna fight Jon, one of them is gonna fight me when I come back, and the other one is gonna sit and either fight someone lower down or wait. So, I’ll fight one of those three guys, likely Corey Anderson. Wouldn’t mind knocking him out either.”
Anderson and Smith’s beef goes back to when Smith received a title fight against Jon Jones after only three fights at 205 pounds, causing Anderson to say Smith had not earned his shot, despite Smith’s three-fight run of KO’s being more knockouts than Anderson has recorded in his 13-fight UFC career. Anderson has been active on social media over the last few months calling for a title shot, but since he is currently only ranked eight in the division, it’s unlikely he’ll be next in line for Jon Jones. Perhaps given that fact, Anderson recently called out Smith on Twitter for a fight. Smith says that’s because Anderson is mad about what he’s accomplished, and then says it’s Anderson’s own fault this all happened.
“He’s just mad. He’s just always talking sh*t,” Smith said. “He’s like trying to take a page out of Luke Rockhold’s book. I haven’t done anything to Corey expect for clean up his f*cking mess.
“They offered me a fight with Corey Anderson in Lincoln, Nebraska. He turned it down because he wasn’t ready. Then not long after that, I took a fight with Shogun, who they offered to him first and he turned it down, so then I took it because he wouldn’t. Then Glover Teixeira needed an opponent like a week later, and he takes that fight. So, he turns down me, he turns down Shogun, and then takes Glover because that’s a fight that in his head he feels he can win. He won’t take a fight with anybody that he’s not 100 percent sure he can beat. So, he goes in against a guy who’s known to be taken down and held there, and wins the fight and wants to talk sh*t like he’s the best in the world.
“Alright, fine. Whatever, not a big deal. Then I didn’t hear anything from Corey. So, because we’re in the god damn locker room and he’s feeling really god damn stupid because he knows that I know all that stuff, so he won’t even look at me. So, then they offer him the Gus fight after I fight Jon Jones, and he won’t take it. So, then I take it, and he tries to go back and say, ‘No, no, no, no, I’ll take it now, I’ll take it now’. I was like, it’s too late, I already signed it, you idiot. Here I am cleaning up your god damn mess again. Like, fine. So, from now on I hope they offer Corey Anderson the title shot, because it means I’ll probably end up with it.”
It wouldn’t be completely unreasonable for Smith to somehow wind up with the next title shot. “Lionheart” just picked up the biggest win of his career with a rear-naked choked victory over perennial contender Alexander Gustafsson. With that win under his belt, Smith has more than earned his place among the light heavyweight elite and he’s happy to rip on Anderson for achieving more in a year than Anderson has in his entire career.
“Again, it’s another dude that I’ve never done anything to,” Smith said. “Like, he’s just mad because you’ve been in the division for how many years, and haven’t even sniffed a title shot, and then guys like me and Thiago and have three fights and get one. There’s a reason. It’s not because we sell anymore tickets than you, it’s not because we’re ‘better than you’. We just go out there and we put it on the line and we take fights when they’re offered.
“Like, I’m not saying be a company guy and suck Dana’s d*ck or anything, but be a god damn fighter. And if you have a style that’s kind of dependent on winning decisions, then just count on winning a hell lot more of them, cause that’s just how the game goes. No one wants to watch you f*cking dry hump someone’s leg for 15 minutes, unless they’re a big Jiu Jitsu fan. No one wants to see it. And I’m a Jiu Jitsu guy at heart, so I just don’t know what it is about me that rubs some of these guys the wrong way.”
It’s a good question. At middleweight, Smith was relegated to gatekeeper status, and no one really picked fights with him. But since moving up to 205, Smith has suddenly found himself consistently embroiled in drama. That’s been good for Smith though as he has also consistently proven the doubters wrong, and should he fight Anderson, he doesn’t see why it wouldn’t happen again.
“I think we can agree that I’m not the guy that goes out and picks fights,” Smith said. “Like, I don’t go out talking trash about people, cause I don’t give a shit. I’m doing my own shit. I’m in my own little hole here in Nebraska. I do my own little thing. I don’t even keep a pulse on any of that stuff. So, I just don’t know. And I know he looks at me like I’m an easy fight. And so did everyone else. So did Gustafsson, so did Jon Jones, so did Rashad [Evans], so did Shogun, so did [Volkan] Oezdemir. I just don’t understand why he thinks he’s any different.”
MUST-READ STORIES
PFL 4. Magomed Magomedkerimov, Kayla Harrison clinch high playoff seeds.
Faber. Urijah Faber not ruling out potential clash with champ-champ Henry Cejudo.
Gamebred. Jorge Masvidal calls out Conor McGregor: ‘I want to break his face…that’s an easy paycheck’.
Update. Kamaru Usman gives update on health status, eyes return before end of 2019.
Missed Fists. The best highlights from combat sports from last week.
VIDEO STEW
Faber’s top five subs.
Stephen Thompson goes behind the scenes are the UFCPI.
Chandler saying he’d beat his brother’s ass.
Anderson talking about his son being a better fighter than him.
Masvidal remix.
LISTEN UP
UFC Unfiltered. An interview with Germaine de Randamie.
MMA Vivisection. Breaking down UFC Sacramento.
SOCIAL MEDIA BOUILLABAISSE
Conor with the cryptic tweeting.
I’d tell you I’m done but you wouldn’t believe me.
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) July 12, 2019
Jon back on his super nice guy thing.
Just want to take the time to wish Thiago a speedy recovery. What a warrior. Heal up and let’s do it again. Thanks for making me better https://t.co/GBZB480KgS
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) July 12, 2019
Vitor invites Rogan to be his cornerman for his ONE debut.
Matchmaking.
If @FunkMaster_UFC doesn’t have balls to come to Russia, no problem I will fight him in his backyard @joerogan
— Petr “No Mercy” Yan (@PetrYanUFC) July 12, 2019
Great! Thanks buddy ♂️ https://t.co/3IWjIeTOnp
— Aljamain Sterling (@FunkMaster_UFC) July 12, 2019
UFC 244, Nov. 2 https://t.co/PtTZYP3LE9
— Petr “No Mercy” Yan (@PetrYanUFC) July 12, 2019
Jorge and the Rock.
Yo @TheRock can you smell that 3pc? #supernecessary
— Jorge Masvidal UFC (@GamebredFighter) July 11, 2019
You know I did brother. You served em cold and violent - the necessary way. Big luv. #miami #AndNew https://t.co/R186Hh2y0I
— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) July 11, 2019
You have the #peopleselbow I have the #peoplesknee you know it’s #supernecessary all love homie https://t.co/DqQv7fjc4o
— Jorge Masvidal UFC (@GamebredFighter) July 12, 2019
Israel on the fans.
Cejudo might want to reconsider his quest to claim all the gold.
Hey .@HenryCejudo are you sure you want my gold ?
— Valentina Shevchenko (@BulletValentina) July 12, 2019
It’s protected so good!
By my Glock 19 !
All the times !
Nunes and Ansaroff with the greatest living American.
With the Champ Champ. pic.twitter.com/zVhuHYVluW
— Allie Long (@ALLIE_LONG) July 11, 2019
It’s not easy to make Francis Ngannou look small.
UFC 241 poster.
Anaheim brings the !@DC_MMA vs @StipeMiocic 2️⃣@ShowtimePettis vs @NateDiaz209 @YoelRomeroMMA vs @BorrachinhaMMA #UFC241 pic.twitter.com/2Xoo9b2ql6
— UFC (@ufc) July 11, 2019
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Ryan Bader (27-5) vs. Cheick Kongo (30-10-2); Bellator 226, Sept. 7.
Patricio Freire (29-4) vs. Juan Archuleta (23-1); Bellator 228, Sept. 28.
Gegard Mousasi (45-7-2) vs. Lyoto Machida (26-8); Bellator 228, Sept. 28.
TODAY IN MMA HISTORY
1996: Mark Coleman won the one-night tournament at UFC 10, stopping Don Frye in the finals. This event also featured the debut of Bruce Buffer as the in-cage announcer.
2015: Kamaru Usman made his UFC debut, submitting Hayder Hassan to win The Ultimate Fighter 21 Finale.
FINAL THOUGHTS
10-8 round for Smith.
Thanks for reading, enjoy the fights, and see y’all on Monday.
EXIT POLL
Poll
Who wins this weekend?
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