Anthony Smith pleads not guilty following arrest on multiple felony charges; next court date set for September

Anthony Smith, the former UFC light heavyweight contender, has entered a not guilty plea following his arrest on multiple felony charges stemming from a domestic incident in Nebraska in July 2026. The arraignment hearing originally scheduled for August 17 has been cancelled, with Smith now required to appear in court for a status update on September 21 at 1:30 p.m. local time.

Smith faces four felony charges in connection with the alleged incident: one count of attempting a class 1/1A/1B/1C/1D felony (classified as a class 2 felony), one count of terroristic threats, and two counts of first-degree false imprisonment (both class 3A felonies). According to the Sarpy County District Attorney's Office, the allegations stem from an altercation on July 26 at a bar in Gretna, Nebraska, where Smith allegedly threatened to kill his wife if she did not leave with him. Prosecutors claim he grabbed and pushed her into his vehicle, and later made repeated threats demanding she re-enter the vehicle after she escaped. Investigators further allege that Smith attempted multiple times to use the vehicle to strike her as she tried to evade him, though she was able to avoid physical contact.

Class 2 felonies carry a sentence range of one to 50 years in prison, while class 3A felonies are punishable by up to three years in prison with no minimum. Smith was released on $500,000 bond following a bond hearing. While Smith has not publicly addressed the charges, his wife, Mikhala Renee Newman, posted on social media characterizing the situation as a mental health struggle and emphasizing that she was always safe and that Smith would never harm her. The case will proceed toward its next hearing in September.