Anthony Smith is frustrated with emerging fighters using him as a stepping stone.
Vitor Petrino (11-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) suffered a loss to Smith (37-19 MMA, 12-9 UFC) following his victory over Tyson Pedro at UFC Fight Night 238 less than two weeks ago. They are set to face off at UFC 301 in Rio on May 4th.
Smith is displeased with Petrino calling him out. Having competed against former champions and high-ranked contenders for years, “Lionheart” finds it disrespectful to be challenged by fighters below his current level. He has made a commitment to deter fighters from targeting him in the future.
“I’m irritated,” expressed Smith in an interview on SiriusXM MMA today. “Why didn’t he challenge someone higher in the rankings? Why not (Aleksandar) Rakic? Rakic has a fight coming up, so the timing would’ve been better. Why pick on me instead of Rakic or Volkan Oezdemir? It’s because you believe you can beat me. Your ignorance about the sport frustrates me.”
Smith refuses to be seen as an aging fighter being preyed on by younger competitors. He aims to avoid becoming the next Neil Magny, who is often seen as a gatekeeper in the division. Smith has a history of fighting within the top 10 of his weight classes and is determined to maintain his status as a top light heavyweight contender.
“I’ve shut down promising fighters before. I defeated Devin Clark, finished Jimmy Crute, and beat Ryan Spann twice. I will continue to prove myself as a top light heavyweight,” asserted Smith.
“If your favorite fighter isn’t in the top 10 now, they won’t be until I’m no longer around,” Smith added. “This is the reality we live in. My strategy involves silencing young fighters first before moving on to the next phase of my career. When I’m done, I will ensure no one else dares to use my name recklessly.”
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