Anthony Smith is appreciative of people expressing their concern but he wants to make it clear that he’s no victim.
Smith took on Glover Teixeira in the main event of UFC Jacksonville on May 13. It was “Lionheart’s” first bout since June 2019. While Smith was the favorite going into the bout, Teixeira pulled off the win via fifth-round TKO.
Anthony Smith Refuses To Be A Victim
Fight fans and analysts expressed their dismay with Smith’s cornermen for not throwing in the towel. Smith later revealed he has a rule preventing his corner from stopping any of his fights. Speaking to Damon Martin of MMAFighting, “Lionheart” said that only he can be blamed for how the fight played out.
“I’m not a victim,” Smith told MMA Fighting on Wednesday. “That’s what I want people to know. I put myself in this position on purpose. That’s all I want people to know. It’s not that I don’t care that they were upset about it or that I don’t care that they care. I love it.
“I love the responses that I’ve gotten that it was hard to watch and that they love me and they want me to keep fighting. I love it. I appreciate it It’s humbling. I just don’t want it to be this narrative that I’m the victim because I’m not.”
Smith will have to go back to the drawing board to get over this latest setback. “Lionheart” was hoping to get back to light heavyweight title contention but a loss to the 40-year-old Teixeira is certainly a step backward.
With the loss, Smith has fallen to the sixth spot on the UFC light heavyweight rankings. He held the fourth position going into his bout with Teixeira. As for Teixeira, he jumped up to number five. He was in the eighth spot before fighting Smith.
