UFC:s snabbt klättrande lätt-tungviktare Anthony Smith känner att han troligtvis är den enda i viktklassen som den forne mästaren Jon Jones behöver oroa sig för. Jones är just nu bokad för en returmatch mot Alexander Gustafsson, som äger rum i Las Vegas under UFC 232, den 29 december.
Det här hade Smith att säga via ’MMAFighting’:
It is really bizarre what’s going on with the division right now, but I think that it’s starting to clear up. Regardless of how you feel about Jon Jones and all the stuff that’s going on with him, the division is moving again. The title’s back in rotation and we’re starting to move around a little now, which is a good thing, regardless of how anybody feels about Jon. And I’ll never talk about Jon’s personal life — I will absolutely talk about his steroid use, but as far as his personal life, it is what it is. That’s on him.
Smith känner att en seger mot Volkan Oezdemir under nattens gala kommer att öppna upp för en match mellan honom och Jones i början på 2019.
I think it’s absolute bullsh-t. But what do you do about it? What do we do about it? Nothing. The competitor in me is happy that he’s back, because I 100 percent mean this and I feel it in my soul: I can beat Jon Jones. I have the ability, I have the skill, and I’m probably the only legitimate threat to him right now. And I mean that. That’s not just a sound bite — I 100 percent believe that I can beat Jon Jones. With him getting a long suspension, that kinda looks a little bit different and there’s always going to be those questions. Say I beat Volkan and then I get a title shot against Alexander Gustafsson and I beat him, you’re always going to get the Jon Jones question. I don’t want any questions.
Smith möter Oezdemir under Fight Night 138 i NewBrunswick, natten till söndagen.
Tror ni att Smith kan bli en utmaning för Jones i framtiden?
