Anthony Smith is an experienced MMA fighter who competes in the light-heavyweight division of the world’s largest mixed martial arts promotion, the UFC. Born on July 26, 1988, in Corpus Christi, Texas, USA, Smith has been competing in professional MMA since 2008 and has a good record of 36-18. He has been regularly fighting under the UFC banner since 2016 and has fought with many legends of the sport.
Anthony Smith’s ethnic background is a blend of African American and Caucasian heritage. Smith is also a devoted Christian. Before he signed with the UFC in 2016, Smith worked as a concrete finisher.
During this time, the light-heavyweight fighter used to participate in local promotions around the mid-western United States. He managed to build a good record of 13-7 before he was signed by Strikeforce FC. Since the promotion was bought by UFC later, Smith made his UFC debut in 2013, where he lost against Antonio Braga Neto by submission.
The UFC released him after this fight, but another top MMA promotion, Bellator, picked him up in 2014, and he competed in two bouts there and secured comfortable victories in both. In 2016, Smith made his UFC return against Leonardo Guimaraes, which he won by unanimous decision. The light-heavyweight fighter made a name for himself in the promotion after some promising performances.
After three consecutive victories in 2018, Anthony Smith was booked for the biggest fight of his career. He was up against one of the greatest fighters of all time, Jon Jones, for the UFC light-heavyweight title. Smith lost the fight by a unanimous decision.
At the age of 35, Anthony Smith still stands strong as a top lightweight contender and continues to deliver top-notch performances inside the octagon.
Anthony Smith’s family and childhood
Anthony Smith was raised in Nebraska by his mother, Dixie Tonacchio, and his grandfather, as his father was absent. Growing up, things were not easy for the MMA veteran as his dad left him and his family, and the absence of a father figure understandably takes a toll on a child’s upbringing. A report by Current Affairs.org suggests that his father was an alcoholic and a drug addict.
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However, his mother, Dixie, left no stone unturned to give Smith and his brother a good life. On May 7th, 2022, Anthony Smith unfortunately lost his mother. Through an Instagram post, Smith openly shared his genuine emotions of affection and sorrow for his late mother.
‘Lionheart’ currently lives with his wife and three daughters. He got married to Mikhala Renee Newman on September 20, 2019. Mikhala, a graduate from Lutheran Liberal Arts University in Fremont, is not very active on social media but regularly appears on her husband’s posts.
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Anthony and Mikhala have been fortunate to welcome three lovely daughters into their lives. Their eldest, Ariah, was born in November 2011, followed by Avaya in 2014, and the youngest, Adley Joy, arrived on June 14, 2017. Smith, a great MMA fighter, is often in the limelight because of his profession, but he likes to keep things private when it comes to his wife and daughters.