Anthony Smith (38-19) wasn’t supposed to win at UFC 301. He was supposed to be a doormat for Vitor Petrino (11-1), who came into the fight undefeated. After all, it was the journeyman fighter’s destiny… supposedly.
However, Smith had other plans, shocking the world with a first-round submission. “Lionheart’s” intelligence and instinct got him a nice victory over a tough opponent, giving fans some nice action. By the way, Smith was 1-3 in his last four entering Saturday. It feels good to get it off the back.
The result was so shocking that even Bruce Buffer announced the wrong winner for the fight. The Omaha native proves that experience does matter in fights. That’s especially true in contrast to a fighter like Petrino, who is still getting his feet wet in the UFC.
How Did Anthony Smith Win?
With just over three minutes in the first round, Vitor Petrino picked up Anthony Smith. The intent was to induce serious damage to the veteran fighter, setting up a ground-and-pound. However, Smith caught the Brazilian fighter in a guillotine choke mid-hold. After that, Petrino was tapping out.
The fight proves Smith’s MMA experience valuable, with years of fighting coming in handy. Entering Saturday on a slide, “Lionheart” had to do something. He responded in kind, pulling off an incredible maneuver to shock the world.
As for Petrino, this is a learning experience for him. The Brazilian should learn to not go for the kill immediately against a seasoned veteran. Still, this was Petrino’s sixth UFC fight. Therefore, he has plenty of time to right the ship in the light heavyweight division.
What’s Next For Petrino?
With Vitor Petrino losing to Anthony Smith, it proves he’s still a little raw in the UFC sphere. Therefore, he needs some work in the light heavyweight division. That means he’ll have to face off in the lower cards, potentially fighting in preliminary fights.
Still, it shouldn’t be seen as a demotion of sorts. Instead, it’s necessary experience for an up-and-coming heavyweight. Once Petrino gets himself out there and builds off his fights, he’ll be back in the light heavyweight fold.
As for Smith, he’ll take a victory over a solid opponent any day. Entering the fight, he needed a spark to get his confidence back. That’s exactly what he got, nabbing yet another first-round victory. The Omaha native proves there ain’t no school like the old school.
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