Anthony Smith details why eventual Thiago Santos rematch is so important to him

Anthony Smith is focused on Wednesday’s UFC on ESPN+ 29 headliner with Glover Teixeira, but he can’t deny that a rematch with Thiago Santos also looms on his mind.

Smith (32-14 MMA, 8-4 UFC) fell short in his first UFC title opportunity against Jon Jones, but as he looks to continue building toward another shot at gold, he sees a second fight against Santos (21-7 MMA, 13-6 UFC) as a strong likelihood.

It’s an important one for Smith to get back, he said. Following his second-round TKO loss to “Marreta” in February 2018, Smith posted a photo of his beaten self on Twitter promising he was “just getting started.” That tweet still sits pinned atop his profile more than two years later, and Smith said it serves as a critical reminder.

Smith’s career has been a roller coaster featuring many trials and tribulations. The loss to Santos served as a crossroads moment for him, though. And similar to a defeat earlier in his career against Josh Neer, he said it’s necessary to get it back.

“When I got cut from the UFC back in 2013 my first fight outside of the UFC was Josh Neer,” Smith told reporters, including MMA Junkie, during Monday’s UFC on ESPN+ 29 virtual media day. “It was a catchweight of 175 in the main event of BFC in Ohio. Josh Neer finished me in the fourth round. I changed a whole lot of things (after). I focused on getting better, and I change my mindset. I won eight in a row to get back to the UFC, and on the eighth fight I finished Josh Neer in under a minute (in the rematch).

“That’s how my brain works. I’ll come back to that. I had the fight, and it went the way it went with Thiago, but I know that I’m better than that, and I know that I can beat him. I know that’s what the fans want to see. I’ll circle back to that. After that fight I changed a lot of things, and I got better, and I focused on a lot, and I changed my mindset, and we’ll circle back to that, and it’ll be my next Josh Neer moment.”

Given that Smith and Santos are two of the top-ranked contenders at light heavyweight, the possibility of a rematch seems strong. The stars still have to align, though, and it starts with Smith beating Teixeira this week.

If Smith wins, he would have back-to-back victories since losing his title fight to Jones at UFC 235 in March 2019. Santos, meanwhile, hasn’t competed since losing a title shot of his own
against Jones at UFC 239 in July.

Santos suffered a pair of serious knee injuries in the bout that required surgery. He’s nearing full health and a comeback, though, and if the timing works out, Smith would be happy to welcome the Brazilian back in their rematch.

“I guess to everyone else Thiago is the two-headed, fire-breathing dragon, but Thiago is like my mirror kind of,” Smith said. “I keep that tweet there because that was one of the lowest moments of my career. I’m better than that. There’s circumstances and sometimes things just don’t go your way. It just doesn’t. The cards fall in the other direction. But that’s absolutely a fight that I want, and that’s absolutely a fight that I don’t think anyone else is asking for.”

UFC on ESPN+ 29 takes place at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. The entire card streams on ESPN+.