UFC: Dana White ‘shocked’ Anthony Smith’s corner didn’t throw in the towel – ‘it was tough to watch’

UFC president Dana White has said he was “shocked” Anthony Smith’s corner allowed him to continue into the fifth round of his surprising TKO loss to Glover Teixeira at UFC Fight Night in Florida on Wednesday.

Former light heavyweight contender Smith, who was knocked down at will by Teixeira and dominated with ground-and-pound throughout rounds three to five, could be heard telling his team on his stool after the fourth round in an empty VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena that his teeth were falling out.

“I was shocked that [Smith] came out for the fifth. I didn’t think he would come out. I thought his corner would have stopped it,” White said at the post-event press conference in Jacksonville.

“I’m no doctor but I would be shocked if he doesn’t have a broken orbital, because every time he got punched, he reacted. At one point – you know I’ve got monitors in front of me – and … Teixeira's punching him in the face, and he reached out and handed something to the ref and the ref put it in his pocket.

“I said, ‘What the f***, he just gave something to the ref and the ref put it in his pocket, what could he possibly be giving to the ref?' He was giving up his teeth and the ref was putting them in his pocket, it was crazy. When he went back to his corner all he was saying was, ‘My teeth are falling out’. I didn’t think he was coming out for the fifth.”

Smith’s corner, which includes fellow UFC fighter James Krause, were subject to scrutiny from several fight analysts for not throwing in the towel to protect their fighter.

“I do [think Smith’s corner should have stepped in],” White said. “The ref could have stopped that in the fourth, too. You know us sitting on the outside, it was a little tough to watch. [Daniel] Cormier was flipping out [on the ESPN broadcast].

“I thought Teixeira looked great. He was in the best shape I’ve seen him in a long time, physically, and obviously he kept going and going and going for five rounds,” added White, who awarded the Brazilian one of two performance-of-the-night bonuses.