Anthony Smith Says His Manager Is in Talks over Jon Jones Fight

Anthony Smith has his mind set on a fight with Jon Jones, and he has said his manager, Jim Walter, is already in talks with the UFC to make it happen.

According to TMZ Sports, the 30-year-old said discussions have begun for him to take on Jones, who regained the UFC light heavyweight title by defeating Alexander Gustafsson on Saturday at UFC 232.

Per TMZ, Smith added he would fight Jones "any time, any place, anywhere." He continued: "I'll fight Jon this weekend if he wants to. I'm ready. I'm ready, and you know it. And I know it. I'm the only one that's gonna push you."

Jones was stripped of the UFC light heavyweight title for the third time in his career in September 2017 after testing positive for the steroid turinabol.

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His appearance over the weekend was his comeback fight, and he beat Swede Gustafsson by knockout in the third round in Inglewood, California.

Smith, who has put himself in the frame to face Jones by beating Rashad Evans, Mauricio Rua and Volkan Oezdemir in consecutive fights, said he'd "seen [Jon] look better" than in his defeat of Gustafsson.

Texan-born Smith is currently No. 3 in the UFC's light heavyweight rankings behind Gustafsson and Jones' long-term rival Daniel Cormier, who is the current champion of the heavyweight division.

He seems an obvious choice to be Jones' next opponent at 205 pounds, and Smith again called the 31-year-old out on social media after Saturday's fight:

Jones' recent UFC career has been laboured to say the least, as he has fought just once in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018. A clash with Smith would be an intriguing match-up, and there is clear enthusiasm from one side at least.