Anthony Smith next fight: When is 'Lionheart' returning to the octagon?

Anthony Smith is reportedly scheduled to make his long-awaited return to the octagon in the coming months. Smith's most recent fight witnessed him suffer an ankle injury and lose via second-round TKO to Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 277 in July 2022. 'Lionheart' hasn't competed in an MMA bout ever since.

Additionally, Smith's hiatus was extended as his scheduled comeback matchup was canceled. The former UFC light heavyweight title challenger was booked to fight Jamahal Hill at UFC Fight Night 221 on March 11, 2023.

However, the UFC later canceled the fight as Jamahal Hill was rebooked to face Glover Teixeira for the vacant UFC light heavyweight title at UFC 283 on January 21, 2023. Furthermore, Anthony Smith was roped in as the backup/replacement fighter for the Hill-Teixeira fight.

'Lionheart' weighed in at 206.5 lbs at the UFC 283 weigh-ins, missing the title fight weight limit by 1.5 lbs. Regardless, his services weren't required that night, as the Hill-Teixeira matchup went ahead as planned. Jamahal Hill defeated Glover Teixeira via a unanimous decision at UFC 283 and captured the vacant UFC light heavyweight title.

In the ensuing days, reports suggested that Smith's return fight would see him face Johnny Walker at UFC Fight Night 224 on May 13, 2023. The Instagram account MMA Ideas first reported that verbal agreements were in place for the Smith-Walker matchup, with the location and venue yet to be finalized, and other news outlets have proceeded to confirm the same.

Presently, it's believed that 'Lionheart' will fight Johnny Walker in a five-round light heavyweight bout that'll headline the UFC Fight Night 224 event on May 13, 2023. The consensus is that the No.5-ranked UFC light heavyweight could enter the title picture by beating Walker, the No.7-ranked contender in the weight class.

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Jamahal Hill on potentially defending his UFC title against Anthony Smith

Jamahal Hill had notably brought in Anthony Smith as a training partner to help prepare for the Glover Teixeira matchup. Following his title win at UFC 283, 'Sweet Dreams' later addressed the possibility of defending the title against Smith. In an interview with MMA Junkie, Hill was all praise for 'Lionheart.'

Addressing the fact that Anthony Smith missed weight at UFC 283, Jamahal Hill argued that 'Lionheart' still deserves a title shot, even if it's against him. Hill cited Smith's veteran status and indicated that he has consistently put away up-and-coming contenders, making him deserving of a title shot:

"Nothing would be happier for my brother to get a chance at gold, even if it is against me. He’s been around for a long time. He’s been working. He had the hiccup where he broke his ankle, something that was out of his control."

Watch Hill's assessment below: