Jon Jones' former rival reveals veteran asked to be punched in the face during UFC 310 fight

Dominick reyes wins Anthony Smith No. UFC 310. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram/UFC

O UFC 310, held last Saturday (7), was marked by an unusual and emotional moment during the fight between Anthony Smith e Dominick reyes in the light heavyweight division (up to 93 kg). Visibly shaken by the loss of his friend and coach, Scott Morton, the 'Lionheart' surprised the audience with a request during the first round: he challenged his opponent to hit him hard in the face.

Reyes, who won with a knockout in the second round, did not hesitate to talk about the moment his opponent lowered his hands and made the request. According to him, in a press conference, Smith said he wanted to 'feel something' and did not care about the result.

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“When I entered the octagon, I could tell Anthony was emotional. He was there, fighting for a friend, and he said he didn’t care about winning, he just wanted to feel something. At one point, he dropped his hands and asked me to hit him in the face,” recalled the winner after the fight.

The fight was not only a physical challenge for both fighters, but also an emotional challenge. Dominick reyes, realizing the fragility of Anthony Smith, knew he needed to stay focused and take advantage of any opening. After Smith's call, he went on the offensive, resulting in a TKO after a barrage of elbows in the second round.

Retirement from UFC?

Smith's gesture of removing his gloves immediately after the fight ended sparked speculation about his retirement. Visibly frustrated and emotional, the veteran made an ambiguous statement about the future of his career.

“I don’t mind the fight. I don’t know how many more times I can do this. I thought I could keep going, but today I couldn’t. I need to reflect… maybe this was the last one,” he said.

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