Anthony Smith says taking Ryan Spann rematch shows he’s like Donald Cerrone by fighting “anybody, anytime, anyplace”

Anthony Smith said he wanted to be a bigger Donald Cerrone and he feels like he’s showing that.

Smith is set to rematch Ryan Spann in the co-main event of UFC Singapore on Saturday. The two fought back in September of 2021 with Smith winning by first-round submission. Since then, Smith has lost back-to-back fights to Magomed Anklaaev and Johnny Walker.

Even though Anthony Smith already has a win over Ryan Spann, he says he had no hesitation in taking the fight. Instead, he says he wants to be like Cerrone who fights anywhere, anyplace, anytime which is what he’s doing here.

“I’ve just been, I’ve just always had the mindset that if you wanna be the champion you’ve gotta be able to beat everybody, and I haven’t done that up to this point, I’ve had some hiccups,” Anthony Smith said to ESPN. “Listen man, here’s my biggest mistake: I’ve always said that I wanted to be like the bigger version of Donald Cerrone. Like I’ll fight anybody, anytime, anyplace. I’ve lived up to that. I’ll take all comers, I’ll fight lower-ranked guys, I’ll fight higher-ranked guys, I’ll fight on short notice.

“I’ll fight across the world, it doesn’t matter. What I didn’t take into account is maybe I’ve absorbed some of the inconsistencies that Donald Cerrone’s seen at times, where I think sometimes I show up and I can beat anybody in the world and sometimes I’m not as consistent,” Smith continued. “So, that’s really my issue man. I don’t really care who the opponent is, I’m just worried about trying to be as consistent as possible. I’m on right now. I can be on for two and three in a row. But, for whatever reason, I don’t know if I get distracted or take my eye off the ball or whatever. Then I turn into some stinkers every once in a while. It sucks.”

If Anthony Smith can beat and finish Ryan Spann again, he knows it puts him back in a good position to make his way back up the ranks. However, he says he won’t be afraid to take whoever the UFC gives him.