- Anthony Smith is confident Alex Pereira wouldn’t last five minutes without getting submitted in the $50k grappling match challenge
- “Lionheart” has no problem facing “Poatan” in any type of martial art
Anthony Smith is certain Alex Pereira will tap in less than five minutes in his $50K grappling match challenge.
5 minutes is forever for Anthony
Speaking to his Believe You Me podcast with Michael Bisping, “Lionheart” reiterated that he is up for Pereira’s 5-minute grappling match challenge. According to Smith, there’s not a lot of people who could survive him in a dominant position on the back like what “Poatan” wanted. That said, Smith is confident that Pereira’s chances of not tapping within five minutes is very low.
“I’m in. I’ve accepted it like nine times… Is there a chance he gets away? Maybe. He’s pretty explosive like if referee blows the whistle and he explodes like maybe I don’t have quite as enough time to like really set the hooks tight and get to it but I think that’s unlikely but I’m willing to bet on myself for sure I’ll bet on myself every single time,” Smith said.
“I didn’t get to where I am today not taking challenges like that or betting on myself in opportunities like this but I’m willing to bet anybody, almost anybody, I can think of a handful of people in the world where like 100%, I probably couldn’t choke them in five minutes, that’s less than I can count on one hand, where I’m 100% like no probably not, but everybody else in the world, if you give me a dominant position like that, that’s my favorite in the world like, I’m probably going [to submit them] in five minutes. Five minutes is a lifetime with someone on your back,” he added.
“I would spend every penny on the most ridiculous thing… like a 18-foot tall dildo I’d put in my backyard with [Alex’s] name on it.”
Alex can pick any type of fight
Smith also noted that “the craziest thing” is that Pereira is the one who is always challenging him. For “Lionheart,” the reigning light heavyweight champ can pick whatever martial art he wants and he would still accept the challenge.
“I just don’t know that he would actually stand by that even just a regular grappling match, I just don’t think he would and the craziest thing is he’s the one who brings it up all the time. I’ve never once challenged Alex Pereira to a grappling match, not one time. Never. I’ve only ever accepted his offers he wanted to do a grappling match then he wanted to do one in the GI, now he wants me to take his back and wants to bet 50 grand that I can’t finish him in 5 minutes, those are all from him,” Smith explained.
“I see these people are always like, ‘Well, of course, he wants to do a grappling match, that’s the only thing you can beat him,’ I’m not the one bringing it up, I just agree to it. I would agree to do anything Alex Pereira wants to do. Pick and choose any martial art you want, the answer is yes, doesn’t matter,” he continued.
It could set Smith up for a title shot
When Bisping pointed out that this whole challenge thing could potentially catapult Smith to a title fight with the Brazilian, “Lionheart” enthusiastically acknowledged.
“That’s not a terrible spot to be in too,” Smith said.
Smith is coming off a stunning submission win over Vitor Petrino at UFC 301. Apart from that, “Lionheart” and Pereira has always had a rivalry and Smith believes he is the toughest opponent there is for “Poatan.” All told, a title fight between the two could make sense at this point.
Watch Smith’s full podcast episode below:
