Former UFC Light-Heavyweight Title challenger Anthony Smith has opened up on emotional trauma overshadowing his fight at UFC 310 this weekend. Smith tragically lost lifelong friend and coach Scott Morton last month, stating ‘I don’t want to be here’ regarding clash with Dominick Reyes this weekend.
Anthony Smith Opens Up On Emotional Trauma Of Losing Coach & Lifelong Friend
As if fighting on the main card of a UFC pay-per-view event isn’t tough enough, Anthony Smith is carrying even more weight on his shoulders this weekend. The former UFC Light-Heavyweight Title challenger faces Dominick Reyes at UFC 310, and has opened up on his state of mind ahead of the contest.
Smith tragically lost his coach and lifelong friend Scott Morton last month, with he and his team still very much still grieving their loss.
Now, ‘Lionheart’ finds himself in almost a ‘must-win’ situation ahead of UFC 310 clash with the ever-dangerous Dominick Reyes. Both Reyes and Smith challenged Jon Jones for UFC gold a few years ago, and now the pair will do battle against each other on the UFC 310 main card.
However, winning is admittedly and understandably the further thing from Anthony Smith’s mind right now. Saturday night will be the first time in Smith’s career that Scott Morton won’t be by his side as he makes the walk to the octagon.
The pair have been inseparable during Smith’s entire UFC career, and his battle on Saturday at UFC 310 will be the only time Morton won’t have been by his side. Ahead of his return to the octagon following defeat to Roman Dolidze at UFC 303, Smith has been brutally honest about his mindset and the emotional trauma of his loss.
Anthony Smith: ‘Something Has To Be Destroyed’
During a fight week interview with ESPN, Anthony Smith opened up on his mindset and where he is at ahead of UFC 310 fight against Dominick Reyes. “To be honest, I don’t want to be here,” Smith said.
“Sometimes, this whole fight week thing is a big f***ing circus, it’s not real. The basis of everything is the actual fight, all this other dog and pony show, it makes it something that it’s not. Where I’m at personally, I just don’t give a s*** about the circus show.
“Something has to be destroyed, whether it’s him or me. Something has to break. I think I have a f***ed up mindset when things aren’t going my way, something has to break.
“Started training with Scotty when I was 17, 18, and our connection was tight right away. I’ve never lived as an adult without him, I don’t know what the future is like and how I stay here, without him,” Smith revealed in emotional interview.
Smith wasn’t too far away from a title shot at Alex Pereira not so long ago, but has since fallen out of the title picture at 205-pounds. Saturday’s fight with Reyes at UFC 310 could well be his last, with Smith looking to pay tribute to lifelong friend and coach Scott Morton, putting on just one more signature display.
The 36-year-old goes in as the betting underdog with the best UFC betting sites in the UK against Dominick Reyes. However, Anthony Smith has proven people wrong time and time again throughout his career, and could well do the same one last time this weekend.
Be sure to claim the various UFC betting offers and free bet deals available on the SportsCasting site ahead of UFC 310.
