‘What a terrible stoppage’: Pros react to Anthony Smith getting bloody beatdown in retirement fight

Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC

Anthony Smith received one last reminder that the fight game is as harsh as it gets.

“Lionheart” entered Saturday’s UFC Kansas City co-main event knowing it would be the final fight of his 17-year career, but he was surely hoping for a better outcome as he was battered and bloodied by fast-rising light heavyweight contender Zhang Mingyang.

Zhang hurt Smith with an elbow in the opening round and then finished with ground-and-pound as Smith’s blood splashed the canvas.