"Don't need to shake hands and hug" - Daniel Cormier weighs in on the post-fight altercation between Anthony Smith and Ryan Spann at UFC Fight Night
Daniel Cormier showed support for Anthony Smith after his post-fight altercation with Ryan Spann at UFC Vegas 37.
DC suggested that Smith was right, as Spann had purportedly engaged in a lot of pre-fight trash talk against 'Lionheart.' Cormier tweeted the following:
“I have no problem with the way Anthony Smith just acted when you talk all that sh** and you get beat the way Ryan Spann just got beat we don’t need to shake hands and hug Anthony is an OG and do not play. Really was an easy night for @lionheartasmith great job!!!#UFCVegas37”
I have no problem with the way Anthony Smith just acted when you talk all that shit and you get beat the way Ryan Spann just got beat we don’t need to shake hands and hug Anthony is an OG and do not play. Really was an easy night for @lionheartasmith great job!!!#UFCVegas37
Anthony Smith and Ryan Spann faced off in the main event of UFC Vegas 37. The matchup was considered pivotal for both fighters' careers.
'Lionheart' aimed to continue working his way back to a shot at the UFC light heavyweight title. Meanwhile, Spann looked to secure a marquee win over a veteran like Smith. A victory against 'Lionheart' would've helped propel him into the division's upper echelons.
The fight witnessed Anthony Smith put on a spectacular performance in both the striking and grappling realms. 'Lionheart' hurt Spann with sharp combinations on the feet but was careful not to overextend himself and risk getting caught. Spann, to his credit, tried his best to swing back at Smith despite being dazed.
Anthony Smith eventually caught Ryan Spann with a thunderous right hand. Smith then proceeded to take Spann's back in a grappling exchange and locked in a rear-naked choke. Spann tapped and 'Lionheart' won the bout in the very first round.
Smith then sounded off on Spann and his opponent responded with words of his own. The referee, security personnel and both fighters' cornerpersons quickly separated the light heavyweights to de-escalate the situation.
Watch the altercation in the video below:
Tensions were high initially, but @lionheartasmith and @Superman_Spann shook hands after their #UFCVegas37 fight 🤝 https://t.co/4xEw8Qc1qF
Anthony Smith seeks to avenge his loss to Aleksandar Rakic
Anthony Smith is now on a three-fight win streak after his first-round submission stoppage against Ryan Spann. After impressively besting Spann, Smith called out Aleksandar Rakic for a rematch. Rakic responded by hinting that they could face off this December.
Their first fight saw Aleksandar Rakic beat Anthony Smith via unanimous decision at UFC Fight Night: Smith vs. Rakic in August 2020. Should the duo fight again later this year, the winner of their rematch could compete for the title in 2022.