Former UFC title challenger Anthony Smith’s difficult 2026 just grew a little worse.
While Smith awaits his day in court, his MMA career continues on. “Lionheart” retired from the UFC in 2025 on a string of losses but quickly jumped back into competition. He joined the Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA Heavyweight tournament and found success, battering ex-UFC scrapper Chase Sherman in the opening round of the tournament (watch here).
Unfortunately, the success would not continue. On Friday night (Oct. 2, 2026), Smith returned to action opposite Jordan Heiderman in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Smith was a considerable betting favorite against the 7-2 PFL veteran, but that’s now how the fight played out.
Heiderman was able to bully Smith on the canvas, using his size and strength advantage to wear down and beat up the veteran. The blood quickly began to flow, and though the referee gave him plenty of chances to improve his position, Smith was stopped in round two.
Check out the video highlights below:
After this loss, Smith has now lost four of his last five bouts. It’s unclear if he’ll fight again, though the answer to that question may depend on the eventual outcome of his current charges.