- TJ Dillashaw criticized Anthony Smith over his performance against Roman Dolidze at UFC 303
- The former 135-pound champ thinks “Lionheart” doesn’t have what it takes to be a UFC champ
TJ Dillashaw is not convinced that Anthony Smith’s nickname fits his courage as a fighter and believes “Lionheart” will never be a UFC champion.
Smith is a quitter
Speaking on Rampage Jackson’s JAXXON Podcast, Dillashaw did not filter his comments about Smith’s latest defeat and chances of becoming a light heavyweight champion. For the former UFC bantamweight champion, Smith is a complete opposite of his nickname “Lionheart” as he clearly quit during his decision loss to Roman Dolidze at UFC 303.
“Dude, he’s not good enough. OK, so he gives up. Did he give himself that name or what? He gives up in there,” Dillashaw said of Smith.
“The second round (vs. Dolidze), he doesn’t even try to f**king stand up,” he continued. “Roman’s on his back; he doesn’t even try to stand up. I don’t give a sh*t. I’m fighting until I die, dog. I’m fighting with one arm, I’m doing whatever I can.”
“With all due respect, he’ll never be a champion,” he concluded.
Smith’s case for earning a title shot
Due to his apparent feud with Alex Pereira, Smith was viewed as a potential title contender. Indeed, “Lionheart” seemed to be proving that he is worthy of a crack at the reigning champ, following his sensational submission win over Vitor Petrino at UFC 301.
However, Smith’s case for earning a title shot now appears to be unlikely after his lackluster performance against Dolidze. As it stands, Smith has dropped to No. 11 in the official light heavyweight UFC rankings.
Watch the full podcast episode below:
