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Anthony Smith plans to retire within the UFC.
Heading into his struggle towards Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 277, Smith was on the ultimate struggle of his contract with the group and was contemplating testing the free company waters. In the end, “Lionheart” handed on that, re-signing with the UFC just some days earlier than the occasion, and one of many principal causes for that was all of the outside-the-cage work he has with the corporate.
“I need to be a UFC fighter,” Smith informed Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour. “I’m not saying that I’m about to retire, however I’ve received extra time behind me than I’ve forward of me. I need to finish my profession as a UFC fighter, and I need to proceed overlaying the UFC as a broadcaster. I like working for ESPN. I like working for the UFC and doing the Combat Nights. Sooner or later I need to transition to calling these fights reside, and never being with the UFC interrupts that plan. That’s been the plan for a very long time now. So I’m completely happy we had been in a position to get it accomplished.
“There’s an intrinsic worth that carries on post-career for me that comes from staying with the UFC. Actually, it’s comfy. I do know everyone, I do know the employees, I do know everybody within the again. I’m very comfy. It was simply the numbers that we had to determine, and I’ve at all times stated in order for you more cash, you’ve received to convey extra worth, and I’ve accomplished that. So I’m completely happy. I’m completely happy financially, I’m pleased with the quantity of fights, I’m pleased with the phrases. I’m good.”
Smith has been with the UFC since 2016 (although he did have one struggle with the promotion in 2013) and joined the analyst desk in 2018. Since then, he has been a daily on UFC broadcasts, and whereas “Lionheart” admits he doubtless may have made extra on a per struggle foundation in free company, he’s planning on sticking with the UFC lengthy after his combating profession is completed.
“Realistically, the place am I going to earn more money, on the finish of the day? It’s not about proper now, it’s within the subsequent 15 years,” Smith stated. “Go from now to fifteen years. May I earn more money now, per struggle, for a brief time frame, someplace else? Probably. Possible. Very doubtless. However within the subsequent 15 years, once I’m not combating anymore and I’m doing broadcasting and we’re taking a look at analyst roles and all that stuff, I’m going to make far more cash staying with the UFC and persevering with my profession as an analyst and a broadcaster post-career. So I’m simply pondering long run. And to be truthful, I’m very, very pleased with the place I’m at.”
Smith famous that he’s tried to emulate the careers of some fellow fighters who made the transition to evaluation and commentary, like Daniel Cormier and his Michael Bisping, and stated that one of many large issues he’s observed and brought to coronary heart is the way in which to barter with the UFC.
“I don’t know what it’s about a variety of these different negotiations, and perhaps a few of this different stuff that occurs with different fighters, there wasn’t a variety of animosity,” Smith stated. “It was simply, on the time, we couldn’t come to phrases and we couldn’t agree on something. It wasn’t like, ‘You suck and I hate you!’ For probably the most half it was fairly chill. They got here to the desk, I got here to the desk, neither one in every of us may agree, so we simply backed away from the desk and we signed the struggle with Ankalaev and it by no means received introduced up. I didn’t convey it up and so they didn’t convey it up, and that was actually it. I work for the UFC, I work for ESPN, I see folks on a regular basis and the relationships had been tremendous. I’d see Mick Maynard and it’s like, ‘Hey, what’s up?’ and it’s a hug. I’d see Hunter [Campbell] and Dana [White] and it’s not a giant deal. We simply by no means introduced it up once more.
“I by no means go to the media and discuss my private contract stuff. I do know that individuals get mad about this, however I do imagine there’s one thing to be stated for that. I don’t go to the media and attempt to negotiate by way of the media. I don’t play that recreation the place I’m going to speak s*** and get indignant and hope that the media goes to assist me out, or that the followers are going to clamor for one thing after which rapidly Dana’s going to be like, ‘No, we’ve received to pay him.’ It simply doesn’t work like that. I’ve by no means seen it work. Perhaps I’m incorrect and I missed it however I’ve by no means seen it work, so I’ve by no means accomplished it.”
Smith’s technique paid off, and it couldn’t have come at a greater time. The No. 8-ranked gentle heavyweight within the MMA Fighting Global Rankings fractured his leg towards Ankalaev and can now doubtless be out of struggle motion till 2023. Thankfully, he’s received the analyst work to fall again on and the UFC is retaining him busy, with Smith working the following three reveals for the promotion.
“Thankfully I’ve the analyst stuff, so I’m working the following three occasions,” Smith stated. “No relaxation for the depraved. I’m going to San Diego, then I’m going to Salt Lake Metropolis, then we’ve received per week off, after which I’m going to Paris.”
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