“I’m a little offended by that,” Smith said of Petrino’s desire to fight him. “Not in a negative way. I don’t think he’s a bad guy or anything, but it’s this new phenomenon where these young, up and coming guys, every time one of these 205ers fights, they call me and I don’t care . I’m not the wounded lion they think I am. I’ve been caught with my pants down maybe a few times, a little distracted, but I’m not that guy. I’m not finished. I’m not even close to being done, and I still have one goal in mind, and if taking out one of these young guys is what it takes to get me back on track, then that’s it. what we will do.
I tell him he’ll probably fight forever, or until someone makes the 75-year-old Nebraskan stop.
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“Yeah, probably,” he laughed before adding, “It’s so scary.” I would like, at some point, to be happy.
Guys like Smith aren’t built that way, and that’s why the UFC continues to pay him to put on a pair of four-ounce gloves and step into an octagon to fight. A) because he can, and B) because he’s still one of the best in the world.
