Former UFC fighter Anthony Smith was arrested on Monday, July 27, in Nebraska and faces three felony charges.
Smith, 38, was arrested in Sarpy County, Nebraska on charges of first degree domestic violence assault causing serious bodily injury, terrorist threats, and first degree false imprisonment, according to a report by MMA Junkie, part of the USA TODAY Network.
Sarpy County officials told MMA Junkie Smith has a bond set for Wednesday, July 29.
Smith made his professional debut in 2008 and had a nearly 17-year career in mixed martial arts. During his time in the octagon, he earned victories over fighters such as Alexander Gustafsson, Mauricio Rua and Rashad Evans.
Smith challenged for the UFC light heavyweight championship against Jon Jones at
UFC 235 in March 2019, ultimately losing by unanimous decision.
Following his UFC title shot, Smith went on to fight against Zhang Mingyang at UFC Fight Night in 2025, where he suffered a knockout loss. Shortly after, Smith announced his retirement from professional MMA.
However, he briefly returned to the combat sports scene, making a short stint in Jorge Masvidal’s Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA.
Since stepping away from active competition, Smith has transitioned into a role as an analyst for UFC broadcasts.
Contributing: Nolan King, MMA Junkie.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Former UFC fighter Anthony Smith arrested on felony charges in Nebraska
