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Welcome to The Weekly Takedown, Sports Illustrated’s in-depth look at MMA. Every week, this column offers insight and information on the most noteworthy stories in the fight world.
Anthony Smith sat on live television last Saturday night during the UFC 282 post-show, processing the news that he would no longer fight Jamahal Hill in a main event bout in March, as president Dana White announced Hill will instead challenge Glover Teixeira for the vacant light heavyweight title next month at UFC 283.
It is another misfortune in a terrible series of haunting breaks.
Last September, Smith defeated Ryan Spann for his third straight victory, and he was right on the cusp of where he wanted to be as a light heavyweight title contender.
“After the Spann fight, I was running downhill,” says Smith (36-17). “At least I thought I was.”
Then came the unraveling.
Following that fight against Spann, Smith needed knee surgery. There were serious complications, resulting in a staph infection. As soon as he recovered physically, he wasted no time in preparing for a fight against Magomed Ankalaev. And that is when his spirits were crushed, hurting his soul in a way he never experienced in the cage.
Smith lost his mother this past spring, and he is still grieving.
“Not only was she one of my biggest supporters, she was my best friend,” says Smith. “My mom raised me. She’s the one who fed me this dream and made me believe in it. She’s the one. It’s still really tough without her.”
When Smith returned to the Octagon over the summer, he looked competitive against Ankalaev–until he broke his ankle, then lost by TKO.
“My coaches were telling me to take time off, but I needed to fight,” says Smith. “I can’t say, ‘I can’t do it.’ I can’t say, ‘I can’t do it.’ It’s hard to even speak those words. After the illegal knee from Jon Jones [in 2019], it wasn’t an option for me to speak those words. I couldn’t speak those words when I was preparing for the Ankalaev fight. Maybe I should have. But I couldn’t bring myself to do it.
“So I battled through the training camp. The fight against Ankalaev started OK, and we were fairly closely matched. Then I felt the bones in my ankle clicking. All I could think was, ‘Here we go again.’”
As Smith lamented both the loss and the broken bone, he quickly learned that he was also dealing with a blood clot in his leg.
Only months removed from doctors restricting physical activity of any sort, Smith recently stopped taking a pair of daily stomach injections, which was his reality while he was on oral blood thinners. He somehow emerged above that abyss and prepared for an upcoming showdown against Hill.
That fight was supposed to be his shot to thrust himself back into the title picture. Yet, as distressing as it was to learn their fight was off, it is not going to break Smith’s spirit. He refuses to allow setbacks, even if seemingly overwhelming, to stand in the way of his path.
“I came from nothing,” says Smith. “I’m a high school dropout, someone who wasn’t going to amount to anything. Some people thought I’d end up in prison. I had zero life skills and abilities. I was never good at anything in my life. Until this. This is my shot.
“A win over Jamahal Hill would have put me right back in the title hunt. Then it all went away. That’s why I was angry. I want big fights. I don’t care what I have to do, I’m going to be world champion or die trying.”
Now 53 fights into his professional career, Smith’s most important bout is his next one. And it could be as soon as next month at UFC 283.
Smith will weigh in as the backup for the Hill-Teixeira title bout in January (“If something happens, I’ll be ready to step in,” he says). He will also be training with Hill, offering uniquely distinct insight on Teixeira, who defeated him in the fifth round of their grueling bout in May 2020.
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“Jamahal asked, so I’m going to help,” says Smith. “We’ve always been friendly. I have a unique insight on Glover. Jamahal and me, we’re very much cut from the same cloth–we’re two dads trying to change our kids’ lives. We have a lot in common. And you never know, we’ll probably fight each other down the line.”
If Smith does not fill in at UFC 283, he will return to the cage in March, likely against another opponent in the top 10. Until then, he is ready to overcome any obstacle blocking the way. Similar to the manner in which he responded in real-time on the air this past Saturday with poise and grace, Smith will continue to display a courage, grit, and fighting spirit that truly symbolizes the sport.
“No one thought I was ever going to make anything of my life,” says Smith. “Now I have this belief, this delusional belief, in myself. I believe that I can do this. I know I need to be the complete package to do it. I have to continue to see my therapist. I need to continue to be home with my wife and kids. I need to be my absolute best. And I believe I can do it.
“Even if it is just for a day, my goal is clear to me. I want to go from high school dropout to becoming the best in the world. I’m not going to stop until I do.”
Cannonier-Strickland Will Help Define Title Picture
There is an entirely different landscape with Alex Pereira as middleweight champion. Israel Adesanya had long controlled the division, but his loss to Pereira last month at UFC 281 opened a whole new world of possibilities. And it significantly impacted Jared Cannonier.
Cannonier (15-6) headlines Saturday’s UFC Fight Night against Sean Strickland. Currently ranked third in the division, Cannonier has won five of his past seven bouts. The only two losses were suffered against Adesanya and Robert Whittaker. Adesanya will get his rematch against Pereira, and Whittaker is currently scheduled to fight Paulo Costa in February at UFC 284, which will have title implications. If Whittaker and Cannonier both win their fights, they should be paired against one another to determine the next top contender for the belt.
Strickland (25-4) had won six in a row, but he lost his momentum in July when Pereira knocked him out. Sitting at seventh in the division, Strickland desperately needs this win. While a loss won’t necessarily drop him out of the top 10, it will make him a nonfactor in the title scene.
Cannonier would benefit tremendously from a knockout win. It would certainly elevate him to the top of the contender list, especially if Pereira remains champ. His style would present constant headaches for Pereira, who simply could not bully Cannonier around the cage as he did in the later rounds to Adesanya. Cannonier struggled against the elusive Adesanya, and that is a matchup that will constantly be a problem for him. But if Pereira is able to defeat Adesanya again and hold on to the strap, then the title is within reach for Canonnier.
The Pick ‘Em Section:
UFC Fight Night middleweight bout: Jared Cannonier vs. Sean Strickland
Pick: Jared Cannonier
UFC Fight Night lightweight bout: Damir Ismagulov vs. Arman Tsarukyan
Pick: Arman Tsarukyan
UFC Fight Night flyweight bout: Alessandro Costa vs. Amir Albazi
Pick: Amir Albazi
UFC Fight Night featherweight title bout: Julia Erosa vs. Alex Caceres
Pick: Alex Caceres
UFC Fight Night lightweight title bout: Bobby Green vs. Drew Dober
Pick: Bobby Green
Last week: 1-4
2022 record: 142-80
