Anthony Smith sums up thoughts on Jon Jones: 'I just want to fight him and I think he cheats'

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones hasn’t been too impressed by surging contender Anthony Smith. Smith, however, has not been afraid to clap back at the former champion at defend himself when necessary.

Smith’s latest comments about Jon Jones occurred shortly after the UFC’s 25th anniversary show in Denver, Colorado, where he assured that contrary to the former champ’s recent remarks, he is ready for a title shot.

”Man, people have been saying that s**t about me forever,” he told reporters at a post-event scrum (transcript via MMAMania). “I wasn’t ready for [Volkan] Oezdemir, I wasn’t ready for ‘Shogun’ [Rua]. When are people going to … maybe I’m just good? I don’t know when people might entertain that, but I might just be good.”

”I think that Jon is in a weird place now,” he continued. I’ve won three fights in five months. Jon Jones has won three fights in five years. Like, what more do I have to do, you know? I’m busting my ass, I’m in great entertaining fights, three finishes. Part of me is like ‘What are you even talking about? You don’t even really fight.’ Until just now, Jon Jones wasn’t even eligible!”

While Anthony Smith and Jon Jones are clearly at odds with one another, Smith says his goal isn’t to build up a grudge match with the former champ.

”I’m not one of those guys trying to build animosity with Jon,” he said. “I don’t give a s**t about Jon Jones, it’s about the title for me. But likely, he’s going to be the one who has it, I would guess. So he’s the one that people ask questions about.”

”I think the things that bother Jon is when people ask me do I think he cheats? Yeah, I do. It’s failed drug tests, how can you argue with that. He’s been suspended twice for PEDs. I’m not the only one talking about Jon Jones so it’s like I don’t know what his deal is but I don’t give a s**t.”

”I’m not out here to start s**t with anybody and I don’t have a problem with Jon Jones, I don’t know Jon Jones. But I can only speak to what we all know. I’ve never talked about him personally, and that’s the route people go a lot with Jon. They want to talk about his personal life and all the trouble he’s been in. Again, I don’t give a s**t about that either, I just want to fight him and I think he cheats. Like, that’s it.”

Do you think Anthony Smith could be the man to take out Jon Jones?

This article first appeared on BJPENN.COM on 11/12/2018.

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Anthony Smith sums up thoughts on Jon Jones: ‘I just want to fight him and I think he cheats’