The challenger predicts that UFC 235 will end in one of two ways, either he becomes champion or dies in the Octagon.
“I’m going to be a world champion, or I’m going to be the first guy to die in the octagon trying,” he said to MMA Junkie Radio. “I believe that, and I’m OK with that. I made peace with whatever I’ve got to lose, or whatever I’ve got to sacrifice to get there.”
Smith quickly earned himself a title shot in the division after racking up three straight wins over Rashad Evans, Mauricio Rua and Volkan Oezdemir.
Some feel that Smith was awarded a title shot too early by the UFC, but Smith says its no accident that things ended up the way they did.
“This isn’t an accident that I ended up here, and I’m not surprised,” Smith said. “I know that everyone’s pretending like I’m being gifted something, and that it was just up in the air and no one knew who it was going to be. I knew I was going to fight Jon Jones as soon as I got done beating Oezdemir.”
UFC 235 takes place on Saturday, March 2 from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada with Jon Jones and Anthony Smith potentially headlining. Fightful is providing live coverage of the event, with a post-show podcast to follow.
