UFC’s Anthony Smith Believes He’ll Be A World Champion Or Die Trying

For Anthony Smith, there is no in-between when it comes to success inside the Octagon.

Smith is expected to be next in line for a shot at the UFC light heavyweight gold. If all goes according to plan, then Smith will challenge champion Jon Jones at UFC 235 on March 2. Smith has been on a tear since moving up to the light heavyweight division, and his submission victory over Volkan Oezdemir sealed the deal for this title opportunity.

Being a UFC champion means more to Smith than simply putting hardware on a mantle. During a recent appearance on MMAJunkie Radio, Smith talked about a very strong belief of his:

“It sounds cliche, it sounds lame but I’m not letting anything stop me. I’m not, I’ve said it to you guys as far back as sh*t who knows, 2015? 2014 maybe with the whole Strikeforce thing. Maybe before that. Like, I’m gonna be a world champion or I’m gonna die trying. I believe that 100 percent, I’m gonna be a world champion or I’m gonna be the first guy to die in the Octagon trying. And I believe that and I’m okay with that. I’ve made peace with whatever I gotta lose and whatever I gotta sacrifice. I made peace with it and I’m good with it.”

Jones is coming off a one-sided thrashing over Alexander Gustafsson in their rematch at UFC 232. While Jones is a heavy favorite early going into the bout, we’ve seen upsets occur inside the Octagon. The question remains, can Smith shock the world at UFC 235?