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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Nolan King and Ken Hathaway

Why did Anthony Smith take short-notice fight vs. Khalil Rountree? ‘I like doing crazy sh*t’

Anthony Smith Khalil Rountree UFC MMA Junkie

LAS VEGAS – Anthony Smith knows it seems crazy to some, which is precisely why he likes it so much.

Two weeks ago, Smith (37-18 MMA, 12-8 UFC) didn’t even have a fight on the books. Saturday, he steps into the UFC Fight Night 233 co-main bout opposite Khalil Rountree (12-5 MMA, 8-5 UFC). The event takes place at the UFC Apex.

“They wanted me to fight him in Austin, but there were like six days or something like that,” Smith told MMA Junkie and other reporters at a pre-fight news conference Wednesday. “It was really short notice. I said I would take the fight but I couldn’t make 205 that fast. So I asked for a catchweight.

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