Anthony Smith isn’t bothered by losing his headliner spot at an upcoming UFC Fight Night.
Smith (36-17 MMA, 11-7) originally was slated to headline his May 13 fight against Johnny Walker (20-7 MMA, 6-4 UFC) at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C., but the promotion opted to elevate the heavyweight bout between Jairzinho Rozenstruik and Jailton Almeida to a five-rounder, instead.
This marks the second-straight main event that Smith has lost out on after his March 11 fight with Jamahal Hill was scrapped when Hill got a vacant title fight against Glover Teixeira at UFC 283. But “Lionheart” said he’s unfazed.
“It’s not really so much me, because it doesn’t really bother me,” Smith said on the “Believe You Me” podcast. “But I know that a lot of people, because I lost the Jamahal Hill fight, and then the backup thing in Brazil happened, and then it was supposed to be March 25, and then they bumped it back to May 13 – so there’s been a bunch of stuff going on with this fight.
“It’s been moved around a bunch. I’m just getting blown up. They’re just like, ‘Is the fight not happening? Is there something wrong? Are you injured? Is Johnny hurt?’ And I’m very fortunate that people are coming to my defense, saying, ‘Oh, this is bullsh*t. Anthony should be the main.’ Listen guys: I don’t give a sh*t. It doesn’t matter to me at all.”
In fact, Smith sees perks in his fight with Walker being downgraded.
“The only difference is it’s three rounds vs. five, which to be honest is an easier fight,” Smith added. “So it’s 10 less minutes, potentially. I obviously can’t get into details, but the UFC is taking great care of me. I’m not upset. It doesn’t matter. I’m good. Johnny’s good. I signed the new contract changing it from five rounds to three, so we are 100 percent go. I am so dialed in, and I’m so focused. I could not give any sh*ts less – if it’s the first fight, the last fight, somewhere in the middle, I don’t care. I’m focused on me and that’s it.”
