Anthony Smith disagrees with Daniel Cormier’s notion that only a heavyweight can potentially beat Jon Jones.
Speaking on Sirius XM’s Fight Nation, former UFC light heavyweight title challenger Smith (32-14 MMA, 8-4 UFC) said he didn’t feel like he was competing against an unbeatable fighter when he faced Jones (25-1 MMA, 19-1 UFC) at UFC 235.
Smith lost the fight via unanimous decision, where Jones was able to control the fight in the clinch, throwing a vast array of strikes to the legs, body, and head.
But despite losing to Jones, Smith doesn’t think Jones is invincible.
“I think a heavyweight would have a much easier time,” Smith said. “I like Daniel, I work with Daniel, I disagree with Daniel. Like. I hear him talk about Jon Jones like that all the time; I didn’t see that. Like, I didn’t feel like that when I was in there with Jon Jones. Obviously I had my own issues, … but I don’t feel like that. I didn’t feel like I was in there with a dude that was unbeatable, and when I hear ‘DC’ talk sometimes, I get the feeling as if he’s talking about someone who’s unbeatable.”
Cormier fought Jones twice, losing the first outing via unanimous decision, and the rematch at UFC 214 via head-kick knockout, that was later ruled a no contest due to Jones failing a drug test.
Smith, however, thinks Cormier was winning that fight, prior to getting finished in the third round, which is why he’s confused at some of Cormier’s comments.
“Especially a man who was winning the second fight and just got clipped and put down,” Smith said. “I think all judges had ‘DC’ up. He was winning every minute of every round up to the point he got kicked, so I always feel really uncomfortable when I hear ‘DC’ talk like that. One, because I don’t see that when I seen him fight him the second time. I seen a guy that was definitely beatable, and I didn’t feel like that when I was in there with Jon Jones.
“Would some more size absolutely help? For sure. If I was bigger and a couple inches taller and had a few more inches of reach on me, absolutely that’s easier to do for sure. Also, if you’re a heavyweight and a big power striker, maybe you can get away with putting Jon Jones out without having to be better than him for an entire fight. That’s how I look at it.”
Smith would rebound from his loss to Jones, with a “Performance of the Night” submission finish over Alexander Gustafsson. He returns to action on April 25, when he takes on Glover Teixeira in the main event of UFC Lincoln.
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