UFC CEO Dana White on Friday responded to the recent arrest and allegations against one of his former title challengers with an interesting take.
Former middleweight title challenger Anthony Smith was arrested earlier this week in Nebraska after an alleged altercation with his wife at a bar in Gretna, Neb. Smith, 38, was charged with three felonies: first-degree domestic assault, terroristic threats and first-degree false imprisonment. He was released on a $500,000 bond, ordered to stay away from his wife, and is scheduled to return to court Aug. 17.
The charges against him, according to the Sarpy County Attorney's Office, include some frightening details. Smith, it is alleged, threatened to kill his wife if she did not leave with him. Then, the charges say
he forced her into the vehicle. Additionally, investigators determined Smith tried multiple times to hit his wife with the vehicle after she escaped while he was driving, but was unsuccessful. Smith turned himself in, officials said, after a warrant was issued for his arrest.
Smith, to no surprise, has not commented publicly about the arrest or charges. He regularly works the UFC’s broadcast desk as an analyst on Paramount+ for pre- and post-fight UFC shows.
His former boss, White, on Friday told The Mac Life the allegations were a surprise to him, but also compared it to his own recent time in the headlines when he was caught on camera slapping his wife in Mexico.
"Well, he's one of those guys, too, you don't expect to see that happen. (From) personal experience, it can happen to anybody,” White said. "I don't know enough about it. I don't know enough of the details. I've been on the road this whole time, but I just hope it works out for him and his family and his kids."
Smith came out of MMA in April for Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA. He fought 25 times in the UFC with a 13-12 record, including a loss to Jon Jones for the light heavyweight title at UFC 235 in March 2019.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Dana White reacts to Anthony Smith's arrest: 'It can happen to anybody'
