Former UFC title challenger Anthony Smith's next fight confirmed

# Former UFC title challenger Anthony Smith's next fight confirmed

Smith will face Jordan Heiderman on October 2 in the Dominican Republic as he continues his pursuit of the Gamebred FC heavyweight Grand Prix title.

The 38-year-old made a successful start to life in bare-knuckle MMA earlier this year, submitting fellow UFC veteran Chase Sherman in the opening round of the tournament.

Now Smith will return for his second Gamebred appearance as he looks to move another step closer to winning the promotion's heavyweight tournament.

Watch Gamebred FC live on DAZN.

When is Anthony Smith's next fight?

Smith will face Heiderman on Friday, October 2 at Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA 12 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

The heavyweight contest will headline the event and forms part of Gamebred FC's ongoing heavyweight Grand Prix.

Smith entered the tournament in April when he faced Chase Sherman in his first fight since leaving the UFC.

Despite competing at light-heavyweight for much of his UFC career, Smith moved up to heavyweight for the tournament and made an immediate impact.

He secured a first-round rear-naked choke against Sherman to advance and will now attempt to make it two consecutive victories under the Gamebred banner.

Who is Jordan Heiderman?

Heiderman is an American heavyweight who will now attempt to eliminate one of the biggest names remaining in Gamebred's tournament.

He has previously competed in the Professional Fighters League and will face comfortably the most recognisable opponent of his career when he meets Smith.

The winner will continue their pursuit of the heavyweight Grand Prix crown, with Gamebred founder Masvidal previously announcing a $500,000 prize for the eventual tournament champion.

Why did Anthony Smith leave the UFC?

Smith's UFC career came to an end in 2025 following his fight against Zhang Mingyang.

"Lionheart" had announced that the bout would be the final appearance of his MMA career, bringing an end to a lengthy run with the UFC.

Smith joined the promotion in 2016 and went on to become one of the most recognisable names in the light-heavyweight division.

His biggest opportunity came at UFC 235 in 2019 when he challenged Jon Jones for the UFC light-heavyweight championship, losing by unanimous decision.

Smith also recorded notable UFC victories over former champions Rashad Evans and Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, as well as Alexander Gustafsson, Ryan Spann and Vitor Petrino.

His retirement from competition ultimately proved short-lived, with Smith returning to combat sports when he signed up for Gamebred FC's heavyweight tournament.

James Chance/Getty Images

What is Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA?

Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA is the combat sports promotion founded by former UFC star Jorge Masvidal.

Unlike traditional bare-knuckle boxing, Gamebred retains the wider MMA ruleset while removing gloves.

That means fighters can strike, kick, wrestle, score takedowns and attempt submissions, creating a different challenge from both conventional MMA and bare-knuckle boxing.

Smith demonstrated that difference perfectly on his Gamebred debut, using his grappling to submit Sherman rather than relying solely on striking.

The promotion's heavyweight Grand Prix brings together 16 fighters in a knockout tournament, with the eventual winner set to collect a $500,000 prize.

How to watch Anthony Smith vs Jordan Heiderman on DAZN

Anthony Smith vs Jordan Heiderman will headline Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA 12 on Friday, October 2.

Fans can watch the event live on DAZN as Smith attempts to continue his run through the Gamebred FC heavyweight Grand Prix.

Watch Gamebred FC live on DAZN.