Anthony Smith says Dominick Reyes was ‘not that good’ however ‘then it hit me … possibly I’m not both anymore’

Anthony Smith wasn’t himself at UFC 310.

For the primary time since struggling a loss to Dominick Reyes this previous Saturday night time, the one-time title challenger addressed his efficiency, which got here weeks after he misplaced shut buddy, coach, and coaching companion Scott Morton, who died after struggling a coronary heart assault at simply 47 years previous. Besieged by grief within the days main as much as the struggle, Smith acknowledged that he knew he wasn’t in a great head area to compete earlier than he ever set foot within the octagon.

“I deal with issues very well,” Smith stated throughout his Sirius XM radio present. “I’m a f*cking gangster and I simply energy via it however this one is hard. I’ve by no means struggled like this earlier than.

“When I acquired to the struggle, I knew instantly it was f*cked. I knew instantly. As quickly as I acquired to the world.”

Smith known as Morton “a security blanket,” somebody he might all the time rely on to be there for him throughout the most effective and worst moments all through his profession. Smith revealed that in arguably his hardest fights, he would all the time look over to his nook and discover Morton there staring again to offer him calm and charm beneath hearth.

That wasn’t current when he fought Reyes at UFC 310 and Smith felt the distinction.

Inside the octagon, Smith admits that he actually acquired caught up within the second and in the end made errors that value him within the struggle in opposition to Reyes. Skill for talent, Smith nonetheless doesn’t consider that Reyes was essentially the higher fighter, however his efficiency that night time additionally left the 36-year-old veteran questioning the place he was at in his profession.

“I acquired impatient,” Smith stated. “I simply needed one thing to f*cking occur. I simply compelled it. I simply acquired impatient. Nothing was taking place. He wasn’t participating. I noticed the whole lot.

“That was the worst half, too, I used to be in there and I used to be like godd*mn, you’re not that good. And then it hit me like f*ck, possibly I’m not both. Maybe I’m not both anymore.”

Following the emotional loss, Smith stated his look at UFC 310 is “in all probability” the ultimate struggle of his profession however he wasn’t going to announce his retirement with out placing extra thought into it.

Perhaps the hardest half concerning the loss was Smith recognizing precisely what Reyes was doing after they have been buying and selling photographs early within the struggle however his response didn’t result in a optimistic outcome.

“The left hand wasn’t almost as quick as I anticipated it to be,” Smith stated. “I believe I overpredicted how good he was going to be on his ft. He landed a shot right here or there after which in some unspecified time in the future the place I used to be like f*cking hit me or one thing. I have to f*cking really feel one thing. Give me one thing right here.”

In the top, Smith discovered himself on the bottom consuming a barrage of punches from Reyes with the referee lastly stepping in to cease the struggle late within the second spherical. Smith didn’t object however he was understandably dejected by his efficiency.

Given the whole lot he had gone via, Smith in all probability shouldn’t have been there however then once more, he says combating at the least lastly made him really feel one thing apart from the super loss that also weighs heavy on his coronary heart.

“Theo Von, who everybody is aware of clearly, had this factor that he stated one time,” Smith defined. “He stated at the least if I injury myself, then I’m the one doing it and never letting the world do it. That’s sort of how I felt. I wanted to really feel one thing apart from what I’ve been feeling.”

As far as probably competing once more, Smith says there’s a likelihood he returns for one more struggle however solely beneath the best situations.

“There’s a circumstance that in all probability exists the place I’d do yet another,” Smith stated. “I believe that’s in all probability the reply. It must be the right state of affairs, timing, opponent and state of affairs.

“I hadn’t even considered [retirement] earlier than this struggle. But having the chance to have all of the people who supported me, give them the chance to return one final time and expertise struggle week realizing it’s the final time. Being capable of inform everybody in that course of what they meant to me over all these years. Like one closing flight. Win, lose or draw, who offers a f*ck however one closing sendoff can be cool I believe.”