UFC fans offer goodbye to a beloved star tonight, while Anthony Smith finally hung up the gloves after 59 professional fights.
The light-heavyweight competition came famous within a few centimeters of achieving a DQ victory on Jon Jones to end his legendary 205LB title rule in March 2019. However, he decided to fight after he had hit an illegal knee at a noble moment that gave him the respect of many fans.
From that moment on he had some exciting fights, but he never went back to the world title. Now, at the age of 36 and almost 60 fights later, he has decided to hang his gloves in UFC Kansas City.
Anthony Smith is retiring after UFC Kansas City Co-Main event
Anthony Smith received an emotional video primary before his collision with Mingyang Zhang in the Co-Main event of UFC Kansas City on Saturday evening. He received a huge welcome in the Achthoek of the fans in the city where he made his early career.
Smith was cut early on his forehead by Zhang and struggled through De Ronde and was eventually sent to the ground. The Chinese competition almost risked an illegal shot a la Jones, but remained composed when he insisted on the finish.
Eventually the blood became too much and Smith had to collapse for the pressure of his rival to lose his within the first stanza for the only time in his career. After the fact, he raised the middle finger to a member of the crowd before trying to get over the cage.
It seemed that he might have had a problem with a member of the broadcasting team or someone in a corner. But commentator Laura Sanko then confirmed that he had a problem with a fan who wore a white T-shirt in the front row.
Anthony Smith defeated several Hall of Fame legends during the UFC career
On route to his shot on the world title of Jon Jones in 2019, Anthony Smith had to overcome some serious challenges. He sent Rashad Evans retired in his home town of Chicago on UFC 225 with a huge knee in the first round.
Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
A month after the landing of his first victory in the new weight class, Smith was rewarded for his victory with a place in the main event of a European UFC fighting evening against another former champion in Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua in Hamburg, Germany.
Rua was ranked number 8 in the world at the time and was on a three-fight win streak before it was broken by Smith in less than 90 seconds.
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