Media Anthony Smith tired of rising prospects calling him out, "I refuse to be the new Neil Magny"

[svmr_db]

Anthony Smith is tired of rising contenders trying to use him as a stepping stone.

Vitor Petrino (11-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) called out Smith (37-19 MMA, 12-9 UFC) after beating Tyson Pedro less than two weeks ago at UFC Fight Night 238. He got his wish, and will face the former title challenger at UFC 301 on May 4 in Rio.

Smith is bothered by undefeated Petrino’s callout. After spending years facing former champions and the division’s upper echelon, “Lionheart” has recently been fighting down the rankings. He vows to make fighters think twice before calling him out.

“I’m offended,” Smith said on MMA on SiriusXM’s MMA Today. “Why didn’t he call out someone higher ranked? Why didn’t he call out (Aleksandar) Rakic? As far as timelines go, Rakic is going to be fighting soon. That would be a little closer to your timeline, in terms of two guys that are fighting around the same time. Why didn’t you call out Rakic or Volkan Oezdemir? Why didn’t you call out any of those guys? Because you think you can beat me. You’re not sure about the other ones and that pisses me off.

“I’m not done. I’m not the old wounded lion that’s just pacing around waiting to be killed by the younger ones. That’s not me. I refuse to be the new Neil Magny. That’s three guys in a month and a half that have fought, won, and called me out. All unranked, all young guys. We’re going to dead this right in its tracks. Call me a gatekeeper. Call me whatever the hell you want to call me, but here’s the fact: I’ve been fighting inside the top 10 for a very long time and have been fighting in the rankings in two different weight classes for a very long time.”

Smith is no stranger to shutting down rising contenders. He spoiled Devin Clark’s first main event by submitting him, finished Jimmy Crute, and defeated Ryan Spann twice – and he plans on continuing to stake his claim as a top light heavyweight.

“If your favorite fighter isn’t already in the top 10, he won’t be until I’m gone,” Smith said. “F*cking like it or not, that’s just the life that we live in right now. I’ve got a career plan with where I’m headed and it starts with shutting these young guys up, and then we’ll go to the next one. …My plan, when this is all done, is to not have another young guy open his f*cking mouth with my name in it again.”

 

[Corrado Soprano]

Prospects are attacking his family by calling him out.

 

[Gabe]

Petrino did not look that good in his last fight it’s like he’s got insane athleticism but no skills.

 

[Pechan]

Lmao why he had to do Neil like that?

 

[svmr_db]

Lmao why he had to do Neil like that?

Neil at home catching strays out of the blue

 

[WokeWarrior]

As someone once wisely said
"There's alot of different ways to turn down a fight....."
and this is one of em

 

[Daewoo]

He might be the most Neil magny guy ever

 

[Dorkman]

Damn poor Neil just getting dissed unprovoked by a guy 2 weight classes bigger. Seems pretty rude

 

[fortheo]

Anthony smith is offended by everything.

 

[WaylonMercy5150]

Magny had a very impressive comeback him last fight. No need to throw shade. Win or lose, Anthony Smith vs. OSP is probably a decent fight to make next for him.

 

[Mike]

Haha not even the other fighters respect journeyman Magny. <45>

 

[Cat Biscuits]

He's lost nearly every meaningful fight since he shit the bed against Jones. He's a gatekeeper. He should be glad at this point that he's still even a gatekeeper.

 

[2004 account]

Pfff i refuse to be the new neil magny?


Mf you are the CURRENT ANTHONY SMITH LOLLL


Atleast Neil is leveling up, something i cant say about lionfart

 

[Neck&Neck]

Shots fired by Anthony Magny

 

[pick999]

He was never the same after jon fight

 

[rjmbrd]

Anthony smith is offended by everything.

He's hilarious if not simply annoying to listen to.

It also underlines how paper thin the 205lbs division is. He says the things he does because outside the top 10-15 at 205lbs, the average quality of opponent and roster depth is an embarrassment to the sport.

 

[WoozyFailGuy]

He's hilarious if not simply annoying to listen to.

It also underlines how paper thin the 205lbs division is. He says the things he does because outside the top 10-15 at 205lbs, you the average quality of opponent and roster depth is an embarrassment to the sport.

Which is crazy because you have a guy like Poatan making 185, a 20lb gap, Rumble Johnson a natural 205er was at WW, etc. It seems that the people that make 205 are guys that would cut from being a 230-240lb Heavyweight, which is why its so much more shallow a division. Rare to have an athletic individual who is huge and wants to get punched in the face for a living, most of them play team sports for the money.

Should have taken the DQ and made a few milli in the rematch before being this level of deluded jobber.

 

[BowserJr]

I've never felt as bad as I do for Neil Magny. Seems like such a good guy too

 

[MawrSeneca]

Smith has this strange idea that he's in this upper echelon of LHW/UFC. Fighting for a title and losing doesn't make you this guy who can turn down challengers. You're in this position because you've constantly been beaten by guys coming up. When he ran through Shogun and Rashad did he think to himself "Oh, wow Shogun and Rashad are fighting me because they respect me", no it's because UFC wanted to build your name off these legends. Smith isn't special, if you stay long enough you will be made to let younger fighters build their name off yours. That's the reality

 

[marvinparsons]

Magny has a way better resume than Anthony Smith. It isn't even close. And in a much tougher division.

I don't know how this guy got so much publicity and a job commentating.