"I didn't think he was going to ask" - Anthony Smith set to help fighter he was recently booked against train for title fight at UFC 283
Anthony Smith, who was previously scheduled to face Jamahal Hill in a marquee light heavyweight matchup in March, will now assist his compatriot to prepare for his upcoming title bout at UFC 283.
However, Smith wasn't expecting Hill to seek his help as he now gears up to take on former titleholder Glover Teixeira at the upcoming pay-per-view event in January. 'Lionheart' told ESPN MMA:
"He [Hill] called me this Sunday as soon as the fight was over. His manager asked me on Saturday if I would be willing to [assist Hill] and I didn't actually think Jamahal was going to ask. He did! We've talked several times over the week."
Watch Anthony Smith discuss Jamahal Hill in the video below:
Anthony Smith, who is a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, could have some valuable pointers for Jamahal Hill in his upcoming title matchup, especially when it comes to dealing with the grappling of Teixeira.
Smith shared the octagon with Glover Teixeira back in 2020. 'Lionheart' put up a tough fight against the Brazilian for four rounds before suffering a TKO defeat early in the final round.
Glover Teixeira is known for his strong grappling abilities and is expected to use it to his advantage when he takes on Hill at UFC 283. 'Sweat Dreams', on the other hand, is more of a stand-up fighter with some serious knockout power in his hands.
Anthony Smith believes Jan Blachowicz won the UFC 282 headliner against Magomed Ankalaev
Anthony Smith is of the opinion that former light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz should've been declared the victor in his title showdown against Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 282.
During his recent appearance on The MMA Hour, Smith was asked who he thought won the main event after it ended in a controversial draw at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Here's what 'Lionheart' said:
"Jan Blachowicz, in my opinion."
Smith believes that the fight shouldn't have been declared a draw and explained that he had Blachowicz winning the first three rounds. 'Lionheart' added that he personally scored it 3-2 in favor of the Polish fighter.
Watch Smith's full interview with The MMA Hour in the video below: