Anthony Smith stopped in second round at Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA amid felony charges

Anthony Smith’s comeback fight ended in a second-round TKO defeat to Jordan Heiderman in the main event of Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA in the Dominican Republic on Friday night, with the referee halting the $500,000 tournament bout at the 2:17 mark.

Heiderman, a PFL veteran, took Smith down and landed an unrelenting barrage of punches that left the official with no choice but to wave off the contest. It was Smith’s second appearance with the Gamebred promotion, following a stoppage win over Chase Sherman in April.

The bout marked Smith’s first competitive outing since a felony arrest in July stemming from a domestic incident involving his wife in Nebraska. Smith faces four felony charges: an attempt of a class 1/1A/1B/1C/1D felony — classified as a class 2 felony — terroristic threats, and two counts of first-degree false imprisonment. He pleaded not guilty to all charges on August 17.

Smith and his wife have both stated publicly that the circumstances surrounding the arrest may not reflect the full picture. A court granted Smith permission to travel to the Dominican Republic to compete at the event during his most recent hearing.

The former UFC light heavyweight title challenger had built a lengthy career inside the Octagon before his departure from the promotion, and his move into bareknuckle competition had initially shown promise with the April win. Friday’s result, however, represents a significant setback as he navigates both his fighting career and the ongoing legal proceedings.