“Lionheart” isn’t done yet.
It has been a little over a month since former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight title challenger Anthony Smith got brutally stopped by Dominick Reyes at UFC 310 inside the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada (watch highlights).
Before and after the fight, Smith was in tears because his longtime coach died prior to his fight, and it absolutely showed in his performance and demeanor.
“Lionheart” told Joe Rogan during his post-fight interview that he was most likely done, and then UFC CEO Dana White agreed with him in the post-fight press conference that Smith should retire.
But after a vacation to Puerto Rico to clear his head, Smith has changed his mind and wants one more fight to go out on – win or lose.
“In that moment, I almost did retire right then, but what I did not want to do is make a decision based on emotions,” Smith said recently on his new podcast. “While I was in Puerto Rico, I was diving with a stranger, which is a little bit uncomfortable, so you’re super hyper-focused. I was 70 feet underwater, looking at this incredible scenery all around me, and I was able to let in something small like, ‘Okay bitch, you’re down here, the world is shut out, what are you going to do?’ And that is when I decided- while I was diving.”
“It was the only time where I was able to shut the entire world out and focus on this one thing and let in this little ‘what are you going to do with your life? What’s your plan?” Smith added. My first thought was, ‘I can’t go out like that.’ Like, I’m crying on my walkout and then getting into the Octagon, and I’m balling, and I can’t look at my kids because I’m too upset. Letting someone punch me in the face because I just wanted to feel something other than grief.”
“I can’t retire like that,” Smith concluded. “I’m not even saying I need a win. I just need some circumstances that are a little bit more favorable – that would be nice. If I can just get a training camp where no one dies, that would be cool…Go in and give it my all for 7-8 weeks, get into the best shape I can, go have a fun fight, and then we get the hell out of here.”
It is unknown if the UFC will allow Smith to have one last hurrah, as UFC veteran Clay Guida—who fought on the same card and finished—just got released from the promotion.
Nevertheless, Smith, 36, is riding a two-fight losing streak and has lost five out of his last seven fights.
I mean, he’s gotta fight his evil twin brother for his final fight, right?
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