Fighter vs. Writer: Anthony Smith previews key storylines at UFC 280, reveals complications after leg surgery

Ahead of UFC 280 in Abu Dhabi, UFC light heavyweight Anthony Smith joins The Fighter vs. The Writer to break down the biggest storylines heading into what should be a monumental pay-per-view in 2022.

Smith gives his thoughts on the main event, which sees Charles Oliveira clash with Islam Makhachev to determine a new UFC lightweight champion. Makhachev has looked unbeatable during his current win streak, but are people overlooking the dominance Oliveira has shown while taking out the best fighters in the world at 155 pounds?

Smith also explains why he believes Sean O’Malley ended up with the best possible fight to jump the line and potentially earn a title shot while facing former bantamweight champion Petr Yan.

The breakdown also includes analysis for the co-main event between Aljamain Sterling and T.J. Dillashaw as well as Beneil Dariush vs. Mateusz Gamrot and Belal Muhammad vs. Sean Brady.

In addition to making picks and predictions for UFC 280, Smith also gives an update on his current health after undergoing surgery on a broken leg following his most recent fight against Magomed Ankalaev. Smith reveals he’s been dealing with some difficulties in the wake of his surgery and when he’s hoping to return to action.

All this and more on the latest episode of The Fighter vs. The Writer!

Audio-only versions of the podcast can be found below, on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher.