Former UFC title challenger Anthony Smith‘s hard 2026 just got a little worse.
While Smith awaits his day in court, his MMA career continues. “Lionheart” quit the UFC in 2025 losing streak, but quickly jumped back into the competition. He joined Gamebred Bareknuckle’s MMA heavyweight tournament and found success by beating the former UFC scrapper. Chase Sherman in the opening round of the tournament (see here).
Unfortunately, the success did not continue. On Friday night (Oct. 2, 2026), Smith returned the favor Jordan Heiderman in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Smith was a sizeable betting favorite against the 7-2 PFL veteran, but this is how the fight went.
Heiderman was able to bully Smith to the canvas, using his size and strength advantage to wear down and pound the veteran. Blood began to flow quickly and although the referee gave him plenty of opportunities to improve his position, Smith was stopped in the second round.
Check out the video highlights below:
Since that loss, Smith has now lost four of his last five matches. It’s unclear if he will fight again, though the answer to that question may depend on the outcome of his current charges.
