Anthony Smith is heading back to competition, and this time the storyline extends well beyond the cage.
Gamebred FC has confirmed that Smith, will return to action on October 2 in the Dominican Republic, headlining the next round of the promotion’s heavyweight tournament against Jordan Heiderman, a former PFL prospect. The booking comes at an unusual moment for the former UFC light heavyweight title challenger, who is currently out on bond and facing felony charges connected to an incident involving his wife.
Smith was arrested in July after what authorities describe as an altercation with his wife, Mikhala Renee Newman, whom he married in 2019. According to the Sarpy County Attorney’s Office in Nebraska, the confrontation began during an outing in Gretna and escalated once the two were in a vehicle together. Investigators allege Smith grabbed his wife and pushed her inside, and that he later attempted to strike her with the car as she tried to get clear, though she was able to avoid harm. He turned himself in once a warrant was issued.
A judge set his bond at $500,000 and ordered him to stay away from his wife as a condition of release. Smith has since appeared in Sarpy County court and pleaded not guilty to the charges against him, which include DV, te**oristic threats, and false imprisonment.
If convicted, he could face up to 20 years behind bars. His case is set to move forward on September 21, when he’s due back in court for an arraignment hearing.
Smith had actually stepped away from mixed martial arts last year following a loss to Mingyang Zhang at UFC Kansas City, only to resurface earlier this year at Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA 9. The October matchup with Heiderman marks his second appearance under the Gamebred banner and pushes him further into a heavyweight tournament bracket.
That attention hasn’t been kind. Once the Heiderman booking went public, plenty of fans pushed back on the idea of Gamebred FC handing Smith a marquee slot while his case is still active. The promotion responded with a statement from President Lex McMahon addressing the backlash directly.
“As we announced Anthony Smith’s return to the Gamebred FC cage, I want to speak directly about where our organization stands. Anthony is facing serious allegations, and like every person in this country, he is entitled to due process and the presumption of innocence while his case moves through the courts,” McMahon said.
“He has pleaded not guilty, and that process deserves to play out fully and fairly, on its own timeline, without a promotion, a headline, or public opinion getting ahead of the facts. Anthony also has a family to provide for, and competing is how he does that. Taking away his ability to earn a living before he has had his day in court is not something Gamebred FC is willing to do to him or to the people who depend on him…”
Smith himself has stayed mostly quiet since news of his arrest broke, but he recently posted a family photo to Instagram that served as his first public comment on the situation. “Happy to be home with my household full of ‘whys’. I’ll be able to tell my story someday soon. Until then…you guys just keep making it up as you go ;)” he wrote.
Reaction from his old promotion has been notably restrained. UFC CEO Dana White, asked about Smith’s arrest, kept his response short, saying only that he “didn’t expect” the news.
Smith remains free on bond ahead of his September 21 arraignment, with a possible 20-year sentence hanging over the case, even as he prepares to share the cage.
