Chael Sonnen bizarrely claims "naive" Anthony Smith doesn't know if he outclassed UFC 301 opponent Vitor Petrino

Chael Sonnen has made a seemingly strange claim about Anthony Smith after his most recent fight.

America's Smith is fresh off a first-round submission (guillotine choke) win over Brazil's Vitor Petrino at UFC 301 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The fight lasted for just two minutes, and its result surprised many.

Smith was coming off a third-round TKO defeat against Khalil Rountree (Dec. 2023). Meanwhile, Petrino held an 11-0 MMA (4-0 UFC) undefeated record heading into UFC 301. Ergo, the oddsmakers had 'Lionheart' as a massive underdog.

Taking to his YouTube channel, MMA fighter-turned-analyst Chael Sonnen addressed the 35-year-old 'Lionheart's' victory over the 26-year-old Petrino in Brazil. Sonnen implied that Smith's unwavering self-belief has helped him through the ups and downs in his career.

Sonnen alluded to the time 'Lionheart' challenged for UFC gold, fighting then-UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones at UFC 235 (March 2019).

'Bones' dominated the fight but landed an illegal knee to Smith's head while the latter was on the mat. 'Lionheart' chose to continue and eventually lost the matchup via unanimous decision. Many feel that Smith could've won the UFC title if he'd told the referee he couldn't continue due to the illegal knee.

Chael Sonnen echoed similar sentiments and opined that Anthony Smith is naive, adding that his naivete is a blessing. He seemed to suggest that 'Lionheart' is also unbeknownst to how dominant he was against Petrino. 'The Bad Guy' stated:

"I don't think he got a fluke tonight. How? He won every aspect of the fight. He went out and out-punched the guy, he out-kicked the guy, and he out-grappled the guy. And he did it all within two minutes. But I don't think he knows."

Sonnen added:

"It's a very interesting thing, man. It's a blessing. Being naive is a blessing. What you don't know is a blessing. You cannot tell the 'Lionheart' story without starting with self-belief. And it was, quite frankly, inspirational."

Check out Sonnen's comments below (3:33):

---

Anthony Smith fires back at Alex Pereira after dominant win over Vitor Petrino at UFC 301

No. 10-ranked UFC light heavyweight, Anthony Smith, has repeatedly opined that current UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira lacks grappling skills and isn't a well-rounded MMA fighter.

'Poatan' and Smith have previously traded barbs. On Connect Cast, Pereira threw down the gauntlet for a grappling match with Smith, suggesting the winner get $50,000. Pereira claimed he'd let Smith start the match on his back with hooks in.

Anthony Smith's next opponent and comeback date haven't been officially announced. Meanwhile, Pereira has hinted that he'd like to defend his belt in a rematch against Jiri Prochazka.

Regardless, during the UFC 301 post-fight press conference, Smith jabbed at 'Poatan' and accepted his grappling challenge. 'Lionheart' said:

"I'll take his money ... If I start on his back, I'll choke the sh** out of him. 100%."

Watch Smith's assessment below (7:30):