Bisping Predicted Smith Would Return
After Dominick Reyes stopped Anthony Smith by strikes at 4:46 of Round 2 on December 7, 2024, Smith said the loss was probably the end of his career, but that he wanted time to think. Michael Bisping, Smith’s podcast co-host, predicted that Smith would return.
Bisping said Smith could use the loss as motivation and return after reviewing the performance. A report on Bisping’s post-fight comments summarizes his view. The official scorecards list Reyes’ second-round TKO at 4:46.
Smith did fight again. On April 26, 2025, he faced Zhang Mingyang in what he had announced would be his final bout, and Zhang won by TKO at 4:03 of Round 1. The official Kansas City scorecards record the result.
The difference between returning and extending a career
Bisping’s prediction proved correct in the limited sense that Smith made another UFC appearance after the Reyes defeat. The Kansas City booking, however, was presented as a farewell rather than the start of an extended comeback. Those are separate points when assessing the original discussion: returning for one more contest did not mean Smith had abandoned his plans to finish competing.
The UFC’s farewell profile placed that final appearance within a substantial light heavyweight career. Smith had challenged Jon Jones for the championship in 2019 and earned victories over former champions Rashad Evans and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua. His record also included wins over Volkan Oezdemir and Alexander Gustafsson.
That history explains why his possible retirement attracted discussion from a fellow fighter and podcast colleague. The Reyes loss prompted immediate uncertainty, while the later Zhang bout gave Smith a defined final assignment inside the Octagon. The embedded reaction remains tied to December 2024, before that farewell matchup and its result were known.
