UFC 235: 4 reasons why Anthony Smith has no chance against Jon Jones

#2 His run at 205lbs is a bit questionable

Anthony Smith's big wins at 205lbs came over fighters past their prime like Rashad Evans

While it’d be totally unfair to claim Anthony Smith hasn’t earned a title shot at Light-Heavyweight, it’s also a bit wrong to claim that he’s the kind of terrifying contender who’s been running through everyone, like Daniel Cormier prior to his 2015 title shot or even like Jones before he won the title back in 2011.

Smith has won three fights in a row at 205lbs, and that in itself is enough to net him a title shot in what’s arguably the UFC’s thinnest male division, but realistically – and I don’t mean to talk down the opposition that ‘Lionheart’ has faced – he’s beaten two former champions who are way past their prime, and a fighter in Volkan Oezdemir who simply wasn’t used to getting out of the first round.

Sure, the Oezdemir fight was impressive in the way Smith turned around some early adversity to win, and sure, Shogun Rua’s win over Tyson Pedro showed there’s life in the old dog yet, but prior to this three-fight run, Smith was stopped in vicious fashion by Thiago Santos at 185lbs. He’s just not a contender to really strike fear into someone like Jon Jones, essentially.