MMA
Anthony Smith set to return Oct. 2 amid four felony charges
Published
2 months agoon
Smith is set to return to competition amidst his legal
troubles.
Smith is set to fight Jordan
Heiderman in the main event of
Gamebred Bare-Knuckle MMA 12 on Oct. 2 in the Dominican
Republic. The former
Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight was arrested
in Sarpy County, Nebraska, in July following an alleged altercation
with his wife. Smith is currently out on bail and faces four felony
charges.
Gamebred FC explains decision to book Anthony Smith against
Jordan Heiderman
Smith's wife came out in his support soon after the arrest.
Meanwhile, the former UFC title challenger recently issued a
statement, promising to tell his version of the story soon.
Gamebred FC also released a statement, explaining their stance.
While Gamebred FC isn't undermining the charges against Smith, they
consider him innocent until proven otherwise. Gamebred FC also
wants to allow Smith to continue to earn while he deals with his
legal issues.
“As we announce Anthony Smith's return to the Gamebred FC cage, I
want to speak directly about where our organization stands,â€
Gamebred FC president and COO Lex McMahon
wrote in the statement. “Anthony is facing serious allegations, and
like every person in this country, he is entitled to due process
and the presumption of innocence while his case moves through the
courts. He has pleaded not guilty and that process deserves to play
out fully and fairly on its own timeline, without a promotion, a
headline, or public opinion getting ahead of the facts. Anthony
also has a family to provide for and competing is how he does that.
Taking away his ability to earn a living before he has had his day
in court is not something Gamebred FC is willing to do to him or to
the people who depend on him. Jorge and I have known Anthony and
his family for years. What we have seen, up close and over time, is
a loving, devoted husband and father — nothing else. That doesn't
mean we are closing our eyes to what has been reported. It means
that we also know there is more to this story than has made it into
the headlines. And we believe Anthony deserves the chance to tell
it fully, in the appropriate setting, not through speculation. Our
support for Anthony going forward is not a statement on the
specifics of the case — those will be decided by the court, as they
should be. It is a statement about fairness, about due process, and
about standing by someone we know until we are given real reason
not to. We will have no further comment on the legal proceedings
and ask that Anthony and his family's privacy be respected as this
continues.â€
Smith (39-22) exited the UFC following a loss to Mingyang
Zhang last year. “Lionheart†has since knocked out Chase
Sherman in his bare-knuckle MMA debut at Gamebred FC this past
April.
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MMA
Arman Tsarukyan sets one condition for fighting Alexander Volkanovski
Published
2 hours agoon
November 3, 2026
Tsarukyan is open to fighting Alexander
Volkanovski, provided
Ultimate Fighting Championship gold is at stake.
Volkanovski (29-4) defended the featherweight title with a
technical knockout victory over Movsar
Evloev at
UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi before expressing interest in returning to
lightweight. With champion Justin
Gaethje uncertain about his future, Volkanovski offered to face
Tsarukyan (24-3) for the vacant title if Gaethje retires.
Arman Tsarukyan reminds Alexander Volkanovski how Islam
Makhachev rematch ended
Tsarukyan said the championship matters more to him than the
opponent.
“I'm ready for everyone,†Tsarukyan told Yavuz Saynomo. “For me, it
doesn't matter who I'm gonna fight; I just want to fight for the
title.â€
Volkanovski has expressed confidence that he can counter
Tsarukyan's wrestling and avoid being held down. Tsarukyan
responded by recalling the Australian's knockout loss to Islam
Makhachev.
“He said Islam Makhachev cannot knock him out, too,†Tsarukyan
added.
Volkanovski has twice challenged Makhachev for the lightweight
championship. He lost their first meeting by unanimous decision
before Makhachev finished their rematch with a head kick and
follow-up punches.
Tsarukyan remains confident that his next bout will be for the
title. If Gaethje retires, “The Batman†expects to compete for the
vacant belt.
“I have a title fight next,†Tsarukyan reiterated. “Either Justin
Gaethje. If he is retired, someone else.â€
MMA
Report: Jacqueline Cavalcanti vs. Michelle Montague postponed to UFC 335 on Dec. 12
Published
20 hours agoon
November 2, 2026
MMA
On To the Next One: Matches to make after controversial UFC Vegas 123 event
Published
21 hours agoon
November 2, 2026
UFC Vegas 123 went down this past Saturday at the Meta APEX. The Halloween-themed event ended in controversy following referee Dan Miragliotta's decision to stand up Renato Moicano and Tom Nolan with Moicano in a dominant position, thus leading to Nolan getting the finish the third round. Where does Nolan go from this victory where the headlines are solely about the referee?
On an all-new edition of On To the Next One, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Alexander K. Lee discuss what's next for Nolan after getting his biggest win, yet not getting the rub despite not doing anything wrong. Additionally, future matchups are discussed for Jacobe Smith following his impressive win over Randy Brown in the co-main event, Cody Durden after defeating Ode Osbourne in the featured bout, along with fellow main card winners Luana Santos and Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani, and more.
Plus, your matchmaking suggestions during the second half of the program.
Arman Tsarukyan sets one condition for fighting Alexander Volkanovski
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Arman Tsarukyan sets one condition for fighting Alexander Volkanovski
Naoya Inoue Receives Title Shot Opportunity in New Division After Champions Fifth Consecutive Stoppage
Terence Crawfords Interim Champion Eyes Canelo Showdown After Mbilli Victory
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