The longtime UFC veteran and former light heavyweight title challenger will end his retirement to compete within the 16-man Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA tournament, a format designed to mix MMA’s full range of grappling and submissions, just with bare knuckles. For Smith, it’s a pointy pivot: from the intense lights of the Octagon to a bracket built for fast finishes, heavy damage, and little margin for error.
Anthony Smith will end retirement to compete within the 16-man Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA tournament.
Smith meets Chase Sherman, and other matchups include:
▪️Guto Inocente vs. Mohammed Usman
▪️Alexandr Romanov vs. Nikolay Kovalenko
▪️Bruno Cappelozza vs. Todd Duffee pic.twitter.com/K1uwFgIXLt— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) February 16, 2026
Smith’s opening project is a heavyweight-leaning collision in spirit if not on paper, as he’s set to satisfy Chase Sherman. Sherman, best known for his rugged approach and willingness to trade, represents the sort of opponent who can turn a tournament fight right into a brawl before the primary clinch exchange even settles. That threat matters more in bareknuckle MMA than in standard rules: one clean connection can force a scramble, a cut can change the pace, and a compromised hand can limit shot selection immediately.
Chase Sherman gets this show back on target with a brutal hellbow KO over Carl Seumanutafa. Rattling. #GamebredBareknuckle pic.twitter.com/bMYEhMr7dn
— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) November 11, 2023
The matchup also creates an interesting tactical query. Smith’s best path historically has been layered: pressure into clinch work, opportunistic takedowns, and a submission game that punishes opponents who get careless in transitions. In a tournament setting, efficiency is the whole lot. If Smith can avoid early damage and force grappling exchanges, his experience managing chaos may play up. But when Sherman keeps it at boxing range and forces Smith into prolonged exchanges, the risk-reward math becomes brutal in a rule set that encourages clean, fight-altering punches.
Beyond Smith vs. Sherman, the bracket offers a combination of known names and stylistic contrasts that feel specifically curated for a “anything can occur” tournament.
Guto Inocente vs. Mohammed Usman is a classic striker-versus-athlete setup on paper, with Inocente’s kickboxing pedigree meeting Usman’s power and physicality. Alexandr Romanov vs. Nikolay Kovalenko hints at a clinch-and-control grind if Romanov gets his hands connected, but bareknuckle exchanges can flip a “secure” wrestling plan right into a damage race quickly. Bruno Cappelozza vs. Todd Duffee carries immediate volatility: each have the sort of heavyweight power that may erase game plans, especially in a format where defensive reactions get punished faster.
For Smith, the storyline is straightforward and compelling: a respected veteran, supposedly finished, selecting another run in a tournament built to check durability, adaptability, and nerve. If he strings together wins, it won’t just be a comeback—it’ll be reinvention under essentially the most unforgiving conditions the game can offer.