The only thing Anthony Smith is focusing on right now is his final fight.
Of over a decade of Octagon and nearly 60 career fights, “Lion Heart” will finally throw away his gloves this weekend when the UFC returns to Kansas City for a loaded Fight Night card. In the evening’s main event, Ian Garry faces a fight against the nerd’s outstanding Carlos Award in a high-stakes welterweight clash.
But first, fans will see Smith wrap up his career with a co-main event when he meets 18-6 standout Mingyan Chan.
After dedicating his life to mixed martial arts for nearly 20 years, “Lion Heart” doesn’t know what’s coming next, but he will understand it all later. For now, he looks forward to winning this final battle and spending quality time with his family.
“My only real plan is to be honest with you guys, if I’m honest with you, I’ve made it my point to fight, put my gloves in the middle of the octagon, go to my afterparty with hundreds and hundreds of people who have really changed their schedules and come here for me,” Smith said Wednesday at UFC Kansas City Media Day. “We’re going to celebrate there. And then I’m not even going home. I’m heading straight to the farm where I grew up with my family.
“I’ve been kicking my kids out of school for a few days. I’m sitting in a rocking chair with my uncle Todd and my cousin and my family with a cold drink. We’re going to sit there and remember a bit of what this was at one point. It’s like my plan.
Anthony Smith is about to shut down his career at high notes
Smith lost three of his last four in the octagon, including consecutive defeats to Rome Drizze and Dominique Reyes.
He will face another tough test in “The City of Fountains” when he meets Zhang, a true knockout artist with 12 career KOs. The Mountain Lion, who won a contract on the road to the UFC Tournament in 2022, won an impressive first-round finish within the Octagon, winning Blendson Ribeiro and Ozzy Diaz.