One-time UFC light heavyweight title challenger Anthony Smith hoped to face ex-champ Jan Blachowicz for his next bout. But with Blachowicz recently booked and the rest of the top-ranked fighters tied up, he’s at a loss to his next step.
So why not aim for the top?
Smith is one of the few fighters not on Alex Pereira’s Christmas list after his criticism kicked off a minor internet spat. If Pereira captures the vacant light heavyweight title by beating Jiri Prochazka, Smith could in theory follow Chito Vera, whose grudge with Sean O’Malley helped him leapfrog more deserving contenders.
“I obviously I hope so,” Smith said Wednesday on The MMA Hour when asked about a potential callout. “That would be ideal, but he doesn’t seem like he’s the type of guy that always has his next move planned. He seems a very in-the-moment kind of person.”
At the same time, Smith sees a fighter who plays a big part of cultivating his image, which may be a part of the real or perceived friction between them.
As a UFC analyst, Smith was complimentary of Pereira’s move to his division after losing the middleweight title to Israel Adesanya. He was also, in his mind, truthful about Pereira’s chances in his 205-pound debut against ex-champ Blachowicz, which set up Saturday’s UFC 295 co-headliner.
“I talked about his size,” Smith said. “He’s not anywhere close to the biggest [light heavyweight], and I was talking about his advantages and disadvantages of moving up a weight class. And this was before he fought.
“Then he fought, and I think everything I said was right. He didn’t look significantly larger than Jan. His power wasn’t as effective as it was at 185. He’s not the most powerful guy at 205, and that’s OK. He’s a special striker. He’s different in terms of his stand up game. He’s different than anybody. It’s special. His ground game is coming along great, but some of the advantages he had at 185, he doesn’t enjoy at 205. I don’t think that’s a negative to say – I think it’s a fact.”
That triggered a back-and-forth that Smith blames as much on bloggers as much as he does on Pereira. But the former GLORY champ also leaned into the conflict, which put Smith in an awkward position as a former opponent and friend of Pereira’s longtime coach and friend, ex-champ Glover Teixeira.
At a certain point, Smith threw up his hands and decided it wasn’t his problem to keep everyone happy.
“The best part about being fighters and me still competing is I can say whatever I want,” Smith said. “If you’re mad about it, then come do something about it. I’m not hard to find. I’ve never ran from him. Any time I’ve seen him backstage with Glover, I’ve always made it a point. Me and Glover are friends, and we’re very friendly. We don’t pass each other and fist bump. It’s hugs, how are you, how’s your family, how’s your wife?
“It’s a very friendly relationship with Glover. So I’m not going to avoid that because Pereira in his feelings. There’s a really simple solution to that.”
That depends, of course, on Pereira moving from saying bad things on the internet to actually taking a fight with Smith. And in that way, Smith isn’t so convinced that the ex-champ is really the stoic, emotionless killer he portrays.
“I think he’s trying,” Smith said. “I think he takes his job very serious. I don’t know that he’s acting, but I think he puts on his game face when he’s [at work]. It makes you think that it’s somewhat of an act, because he’s kind of funny, like on his social media, like you see clips of him with this weird statue thing. … He has a sense of humor and he and Glover are super playful. But then you see him at these fight events, and it’s this stoic serial killer. Like, no, you’re not. You’re kind of funny.”
Smith leans toward Pereira beating Prochazka when the ex-champs meet. He believes Pereira’s striking tools will carry the day against a “hittable” Prochazka. That’s certainly better for his cause, but he’s not waiting on pins and needles for Saturday’s outcome.
If Pereira wants to fight, wants to grapple, or even wants a slap fight, Smith is down to show the Brazilian his point on moving up in weight.
“His chin has seemed to be…mine’s held up better than his recently,” Smith said. “It has. At 205, it’s held up alright. He didn’t take any big shots, but it’s held up OK. … I would love anything. I’ll do it all.”
