Former UFC light heavyweight title challenger Anthony Smith is behind bars in Nebraska after being arrested Monday evening and booked into a local county jail shortly before 9 pm local time. He is 38 years old.
According to arrest records confirmed by TMZ Sports, Smith faces three felony charges including terroristic threats, first-degree false imprisonment, and domestic violence causing serious bodily injury.
The circumstances leading up to the arrest have not been disclosed.
The Charges and What They Carry
The domestic violence charge is the most serious of the three and carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison if he is found guilty.
The terroristic threats and false imprisonment charges each carry up to three years. Smith has not yet appeared before a judge, and bond has not been set at the time of writing.
Where Anthony Smith’s Career Stood
Anthony Smith left the UFC following a loss to Mingyang Zhang in April 2025 after years as one of the most respected fighters at both middleweight and light heavyweight.
He challenged Jon Jones for the UFC light heavyweight title at UFC 235 in 2019. His retirement did not last long. Earlier this year, he competed for Jorge Masvidal’s Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA promotion and won by first-round stoppage.
The UFC desk analyst has not made a public statement regarding the arrest. The UFC has not released a comment. The case is in its earliest stages, and no conviction exists. Smith is presumed innocent until proven otherwise.
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