Anthony Smith slams door on MMA retirement following UFC Charlotte loss: ‘I’m not going out like that’

Despite speculation that his mixed martial arts career was currently in limbo off the back of last weekend’s one-sided unanimous decision loss to Johnny Walker, one-time light heavyweight title challenger, Anthony Smith has denied he is contemplating walking away from the UFC, and the sport as a whole.

Smith, who co-headlined UFC Charlotte in his return from an ankle injury suffered against Magomed Ankalaev back in July of last year, suffered a rather comprehensive unanimous judging loss to Brazilian contender, Walker, slipping to his second consecutive defeat and out of the top-5 rankings at 205lbs.

Appearing eager to remove his gloves inside the Octagon following his disappointing loss to Straight Blast Gym staple, Walker, Nebraska native, Smith was touted as set to weigh up his future in the sport by UFC president, Dana White.

“Anthony (Smith) – I thought he was gonna retire too,” Dana White said. “I think after the fight, he told some in the back that he wants to think about it [retirement]. But I don’t know. He always comes to fight – he got busted up, he got hurt, and, you know, he did was he does, he toughs it out. Looked like that fight was a couple leg kicks away from being over. And if Johnny Walker would have put the pressure on him, he probably would have got the finish.”

Anthony Smith addresses his immediate fighting future

However, according to the light heavyweight contender, extra tight hand wraps led him to his attempt to de-glove at UFC Charlotte, not an impending retirement announcement.

“My hand wraps were really tight,” Anthony Smith said on his Sirius XM show. “No, come on, I’m not going out like that.” 

“If I ever retire, it’ll be one of two ways,” Anthony Smith explained. “I’ll fade into obscurity and you guys will go, ‘Damn, I haven’t seen Anthony in a while,’ or it will be being drug out of there kicking and screaming.”