Anthony Smith is unsure of his next move following a loss to Aleksandar Rakic in the UFC on ESPN+ 33 main event.
At UFC on ESPN+ 33, Anthony Smith looked to bounce back from a brutal loss to Glover Teixeira earlier this year when he took on Aleksandar Rakic in the main event. Unfortunately for Smith, he would exit the UFC APEX with a second consecutive loss instead. Ever the reflective individual, Smith is already contemplating what the outcomes of his two most recent bouts tell him about his future, specifically which weight class is best suited for him.
“I’ve never been one of the guys that’s out here pining and calling for more weight classes, but in these last couple of fights that’s kind of where my brain goes,” Smith said on the UFC on ESPN+ 33 post-fight show. “I’m just too big for 185, and you start getting into these bigger, stronger, taller, longer guys. They’re just so strong. … I think I got some big decisions to make in my career and figure out where we go from here. It’s super frustrating to lose to a guy you feel you can beat.”
Prior to moving up to the light heavyweight division in 2018, Anthony Smith had only competed in the middleweight division for the entire decade span prior. Smith had mixed results at 185 in the UFC but was able to earn a light heavyweight title shot and even pick up a victory over light heavyweight legend Alexander Gustafsson. Smith’s career resurgence found at light heavyweight seems to be over on the heels of back-to-back losses, but a return to middleweight requires sacrifices that he is unsure he’s willing to make.
“I don’t know. (One hundred and eighty-five pounds) is still really tough,” Smith said. “It’s a total lifestyle change, and that’s year-round. It’s not like one of those things where I can get into camp and change my diet and cut down. It’s a complete lifestyle change. I guess that’s one of the options. I guess the other option is to take some time off and get bigger. I don’t know. I’ve got some things to decide on.”
What do you think Anthony Smith should do next after losing two consecutive fights at light heavyweight?
