Anthony Smith had bond set at $500,000 during his first court appearance Wednesday morning in Sarpy County, Nebraska, two days after he was arrested on three felony charges.
Smith also waived his preliminary hearing, which sends the case directly to district court for trial. As conditions of release, the 38-year-old cannot contact his wife, Mikhala Smith, and cannot leave Nebraska without permission. He remains in custody until the bond is posted.
The former UFC light heavyweight title challenger faces charges of attempted first-degree domestic assault, terroristic threats and first-degree false imprisonment. A criminal complaint filed in Sarpy County Court alleges the offenses took place on July 26, 2026. Smith is presumed innocent unless and until convicted.
WOWT reported that a warrant was issued Monday and that Smith later turned himself in. He was taken into custody in Gretna and booked into the Sarpy County Jail shortly before 9 p.m. that evening, as detailed in our initial report on the arrest.
What The Charges Carry
Attempted first-degree domestic assault is the most serious of the three counts. Chief Deputy Sarpy County Attorney John W. Reisz told TMZ Sports the charge carries a possible sentence of one to 50 years.
Terroristic threats and first-degree false imprisonment are Class 3A felonies in Nebraska. Each carries up to three years in prison, a period of post-release supervision and a fine of up to $10,000. Authorities have not publicly described the circumstances that led to the complaint.
Where Smith’s Career Stood
Smith turned professional in 2008 and competed for nearly 17 years, assembling a resume that included wins over Alexander Gustafsson, Mauricio Rua and Rashad Evans. He challenged Jon Jones for the light heavyweight title at UFC 235 in March 2019 and lost a unanimous decision.
He retired in April 2025 following a first-round knockout loss to Zhang Mingyang and moved to the UFC broadcast desk as an analyst. That retirement did not hold. Smith signed with Jorge Masvidal’s Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA and submitted Chase Sherman in his promotional debut earlier this year, advancing in the promotion’s $500,000 heavyweight tournament.
