UFC: Anthony Smith Fights Off Home Intruder
On Sunday night, what seemed like an ordinary night at home in Nebraska, turned into the ‘one of the toughest fights I’ve had in my whole life’ for UFC light heavyweight contender Anthony Smith
At approximately 4am, Smith and his wife were woken up when Luke Haberman broke into their house. Speaking to ESPN‘s Ariel Helwani (as transcribed by MMA Junkie), ‘Lionheart’ described the ordeal.
“I didn’t know what he had,” Smith said. “Typically people don’t break into your house in the middle of the night for any good reasons. I’m expecting that I’m gonna hear a gunshot or he’s gonna stab me. Like he’s got something. I figure I’ve got about two minutes before whatever he’s got takes me out.”
Smith exerted himself robustly to fend off the home invader. Living at home with his wife, three kids, and mother-in-law, it was a live or die situation for the former UFC light heavyweight title challenger. Despite his size advantage, being a professional fighter and being handed a knife by his mother-in-law during the struggle, the intruder continued to keep fighting until the police reached the house, in around five or six minutes from being called by Anthony’s wife.
“No normal human is able to fight like that,” Smith said. “I’m by no means the baddest dude on the planet. But he’s a regular Joe, and I had a hard time dealing with him. And he took everything that I gave him – every punch, every knee, every elbow. He took every single one of them and kept fighting me.”
According to ESPN, members of the Douglas County Sheriff’s Department in Nebraska arrested Haberman for first-degree criminal trespassing.
After the intense adrenaline onslaught had concluded, Smith was admittedly highly emotional about the situation. But in the end, he was just thankful that his family was safe.
“I’m not lying when I said it was one of the toughest fights I’ve had in my whole life,” Smith said. “I went into that fight ready to die. Nobody smart breaks into a house in the middle of the night unarmed. … When they break in at night, it’s to hurt people.”
After the incident, UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, responded on Twitter, saying that he was glad Smith is safe and well.
Anthony Smith is scheduled to fight Glover Teixera in a main-event bout on April 25th in Lincoln. However, because of the coronavirus pandemic, the event is likely to take place in a secret location, thought to be the Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino in Lemoore, California. Earlier this week, UFC president Dana White stated that the next four scheduled events, beginning with UFC 249: Tony Ferguson vs Justin Gaethje on April 18th, will go ahead at the secret location.
UPDATE:
It has since been revealed that Luke Haberman is a former standout high school wrestler from Nebraska.
This video has also emerged online of Haberman trying to get into one of Smith’s neighbours’ house, moments before entering his house.
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