Light heavyweight veteran ends rivalry with Alex Poatan after exchanging provocations

The unusual rivalry between Anthony Smith e Alex Poatán, apparently, has come to an end. The light heavyweight veteran (up to 93kg) revealed behind the scenes of his meeting with the champion in the week of UFC 303 and made a point of removing any animosity, highlighting the respect they both have for each other.

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“Alex and I have this really cool relationship. I think it's really cool what we have. We're very competitive in general, but when we're in person, I thought it was cool how we showed a lot of respect for each other. Because it's not weird in person. It's unfair of me to talk about him as a fighter and then we get all angry about nonsense. I think it would be unfair of me not to say, on the other hand, like in social situations or when we're in person, he's super respectful,” Smith said.

The provocations between Poatan and Smith began after the American claimed that the former middleweight champion would not be as successful in the light heavyweight division. The pupil of Glover Teixeira He didn't handle the criticism well and accused 'Coração de Leão' of feeling jealous for never having won the Ultimate belt. The rivalry continued to be fueled by both for a few more weeks, including a grappling challenge. Apparently, the animosity between the two athletes has finally come to an end.