Anthony Smith struggled with grief over the loss of his close friend and coach Scott Morton, which affected his mental state and performance at UFC 310, leading him to question his career and contemplate retirement.
Anthony Smith didn’t seem like himself at UFC 310. It was a tough night, and not just because of the fight.
After losing to Dominick Reyes, Smith opened up about his performance. He had recently lost Scott Morton—a close friend, coach, and training partner—who passed away from a heart attack at only 47. Grief weighed heavily on him as he prepared for the fight.
“I handle things really well,” Smith shared on his Sirius XM show. “I’m a f*cking gangster, but this one is tough. Never struggled like this before.”
As soon as he arrived at the arena, Smith knew something was off. Morton had always been his safety net, a calming presence in his corner. Without him, the difference was palpable.
Inside the octagon against Reyes, Smith admits he got caught up in the moment. Mistakes happened. He doesn’t think Reyes was necessarily better, but doubts crept in about his own career.
“I got impatient,” Smith confessed. “Wanted something to f*cking happen. Forced it. Nothing was happening.”
The realization hit hard—maybe he wasn’t as good anymore. Maybe neither of them were.
After the emotional loss, Smith hinted UFC 310 might be his last fight. Retirement wasn’t off the table, but he needed time to reflect.
Recognizing Reyes’ tactics early on didn’t help either. His reactions fell short of positive outcomes.
“The left hand wasn’t as fast as expected,” Smith noted. “Overpredicted how good he’d be on his feet.”
In the end, he found himself on the ground under a barrage from Reyes until the referee stepped in late in round two. Dejected yet accepting.
Despite everything, fighting offered an escape from grief’s heavy burden. A chance to feel something different.
Theo Von once said if you damage yourself, it’s better than letting the world do it to you. Smith resonated with that sentiment deeply.
Could he compete again? Maybe. But only under perfect conditions—timing, opponent, situation.
“I hadn’t thought about retirement before this fight,” Smith admitted. One last fight could offer closure—a final sendoff for those who supported him.
“Win, lose or draw,” he mused, “one final flight would be cool.”