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Anthony Smith will face Zhang Mingyang in his retirement bout at UFC Kansas City this weekend. In anticipation of this event, the American fighter has stated that he has found peace with his decision to retire and has fully embraced it.
Smith has had a challenging few years in the UFC. He is 1-3 in his four fights. In a recent interview with Mike Bohn from MMA Junkie, the UFC veteran shared that the passing of his friend and coach, Scott Morton, has greatly affected his mindset in training.
'Lionheart' mentioned that this loss ultimately played a role in his decision to retire, saying:
"I’ve accepted it... Scottie dying changed it for me. I’m actually having a fairly fun week, but this isn’t something I want to get used to, having fights with that missing piece in our crew. Even the night times are a little bit different. "
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He added:
"Instead of sitting around listening to him snore while he falls asleep randomly, we’re now telling jokes about it. It’s just different. It feels different, so I don’t feel like I’m leaving something that I’ve had for a long time, because this is totally different."
Check out Anthony Smith's comments below:
Morton, who had been Smith's coach for over fifteen years, passed away on Nov. 13, 2024.
Anthony Smith is eager to test Zhang Mingyang at UFC Kansas City
Zhang Mingyang made his UFC debut in February 2024. He has fought twice in the UFC, winning both bouts by first-round knockout.
In a recent interview on The Ariel Helwani Show, Anthony Smith expressed his eagerness to put Mingyang in a position where he has never been tested, saying:
"You have to put someone pretty tough in front of [Mingyang] because you won't really find out where his level is and what kind of fighter he is and who he is as a person until you can get someone to push him past where he's comfortable."
Check out Anthony Smith's comments below (26:10):
