UFC's Anthony Smith: Size not that important
Anthony Smith has a message for his fellow MMA fighters: stop cutting too much weight!
Ahead of his main event appearance in Hamburg this Saturday, Smith feels he’s reaping the rewards of fighting closer to his natural weight, and the American believes other fighters would be wise to follow suit.
“I hope the guys that are struggling to make their weight cuts look at this and say ‘man it’s not always about being the bigger fighter,’” he told Sportskeeda’s, Harry Kettle.
“I hope that other guys kinda look at what me and (Paul) Felder – and even (Donald Cerrone) Cowboy was doing well at 170 until he ran into a couple hammer, but that happens in this sport – but I hope the guys look at this and take a little bit of confidence that they can move up and do well.”
Weight cutting is seen as a way of gaining a size advantage on fight night, but Smith – formerly a middleweight who moved up a category following some brutal cuts to 185lbs. – believes that shedding too many pounds can severely affect a fighter's performance in the cage.
“Just imagine what the UFC would look like if nobody was cutting weight. Imagine the fights and the performances we would have if everybody was coming in at 100%”
Smith locks horns with Brazilian legend Shogun Rua in the main event this Saturday, but although the Nebraska native remains a long-time fan of his opponent, he says that admiration will be put to one side once the cage door closes.
“I have no problem saying that I’ve looked up to Shogun for my entire career. I idolized him, I want the things that he was able to accomplish but I have no problem taking him out.
“I don’t have any problems setting that aside and just doing what I have to do. If anything, Shogun deserves for me to go in there and try to take him out. He doesn’t deserve for someone to be a fanboy and look up to him while we’re in there.”
UFC Fight Night Hamburg takes place this Saturday, with the early prelims kicking off at 3:30 pm (BST).