UFC fighter Anthony Smith has been reflecting on his career and future in the sport following a knockout loss to Khalil Rountree in December, admitting he’s questioning whether he still wants to fight and if he needs to make changes to his approach and style.
Anthony Smith’s latest defeat was a hard pill to swallow. The “Lionheart” found himself at the wrong end of a spectacular knockout in UFC Vegas 83 last December. He’d taken a bout on short notice against Khalil Rountree.
Rountree, a knockout specialist, floored Smith early in the third round. Smith couldn’t recover from the powerful punch, marking his third loss in four matches.
Smith opened up about his loss on the “Believe You Me” podcast. He confessed to a lot of self-reflection post-defeat.
Smith said, “For anyone listening, if you’ve texted me or reached out and I haven’t responded, it’s not you, it’s me.” He admitted to being in a “weird place” and needing to unplug. He’s thrown himself into family life.
Smith was a last-minute replacement for Azamat Murzakanov, who had to withdraw due to pneumonia. Smith, who was around 236 pounds at the time, had about ten days to cut down to the 205-pound limit.
Preparation for Rountree also involved finding a southpaw training partner quickly. Smith ended up with veteran Chris Curtis, who he praised for mirroring Rountree’s skills. However, Smith struggled with Curtis’s left hand, a problem that would prove pivotal on fight night.
Smith said, “I think it’s probably just a time thing.” He believes he could have figured it out with a full training camp. But he wasn’t seeing the left hand, and had to change the game plan ten days in.
Smith admitted to being caught off guard by Rountree’s speed. He knew Rountree was fast, but the reality was shocking. Smith said, “I was seeing things, but my body just wasn’t reacting fast enough because I haven’t been in camp. That’s no excuse, that’s my fault, I put myself in that position and I knew that was a possibility.”
Smith credited Rountree for keeping the fight technical. He wished he could have wrestled more, but short-notice meant limited cardio.
Now in his 16th year of professional fighting, Smith is contemplating his future. He doesn’t want to be forced out. He’s questioning his motivations for continuing.
Smith said, “Am I doing this because it’s all I know? Because I don’t need the money. I don’t need to take unnecessary damage. I don’t need to get knocked out for no reason. The money is nice and the paychecks are cool and the adrenaline rush that you get from being in there is awesome, but am I just doing this because I don’t know anything else?”
Smith concluded that he still enjoys fighting. He believes he needs to make some changes, not just in his game and style. He’s considering focusing less on the end goal and more on the challenge at hand.