In 1191 Richard the Lionheart marched on Jerusalem in the 3rd Crusade. But Richard, with a depleted army chose to not attack Jerusalem, knowing if he took the city he would never be able to hold it against King Saladin’s army. He quickly turned to Jaffa and lost a battle there to King Saladin.
Let’s fast forward to 2012, Anthony “Lionheart” Smith is tearing through all competition and although he’s coming off a loss to the tough Roger Gracie, who has only lost to King Mo Lawl, and Tim Kennedy, Anthony gets his chance to fight at the highest level, in the UFC (due to the strikeforce acquisition by the UFC). Smith gets the opportunity to go to Brazil to face off against local favorite Antonio Braga Neto but ends up getting submitted via knee bar in the first round. Although he was knocking on the door he was denied, and shortly after cut by the UFC.
Anthony came back home, licked his wounds, and took a fight against UFC vet… “The Dentist” Josh Neer at Victory Fighting Championship 41. Anthony stepped into the cage against Neer and just covered up for three rounds before getting submitted by a rear naked choke in the third. After that fight Anthony was beaten down, and was ready to take some time away from MMA and get his mind right and take care of his family.
So back to the late 12th century Richard the Lionheart has regrouped and King Saladin sees the writing on the wall. Saladin negotiates to give Richard all the coastal cities while Saladin keeps Jerusalem. Although Richard’s armies occupied Jaffa for the rest of the 3rd crusade they never made a strong attempt to take the holy city, and Richard never even stepped foot in the Jerusalem.
After a few month’s off Anthony Smith has changed camps and has decided to take another fight, this time with Bellator FC against Victor Moreno. Anthony comes out and puts it all on the line breaking his hand midway through the fight, but manages to put Moreno away 1 minute into the second round. After another 4 months training at his new gym, Mick Doyle’s, Bellator came calling again, this time against the experinced Brian Green, 48 pro fights. For the first time in his professional career, 27 fights, he lets the fight go to the judges, and gets his hand raised by a unanimous decision.
But Anthony knows he wants to be a world champion, chasing his Jerusalem, and he’s going to do it at whatever it takes. Since then he is 3-0 capturing and defending the Caged Fury Fighting Championship middleweight belt from top prospect Tim WIlliams, who by the way was ranked #8 on our prospect list before loosing 2 straight to Anthony.
Next up Anthony will be Fighting in the main event at RFA right here in his home state of Nebraska. We all know Anthony “Lionheart” Smith is knocking on the door of the promised land, Will this be the fight that puts him over the top, and allows him to enter the city and move towards that gold? With Anthony “Lionheart” Smith be able to accomplish what Richard the Lionheart was not? Only time will tell, but you’d be a fool to not tune in and watch MMA Futures newest Grey Hat Anthony Smith compete on RFA 30.
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