Brendan Schaub Says No UFC Fighters Are Sticking Up For Leslie Smith
Project Spearhead interim president Leslie Smith recently revealed the UFC paid her the show money and win bonus from a canceled bout that was supposed to happen at UFC Fight Night Atlantic City. In Smith’s opinion, since that money was paid, it means that she is no longer a part of the organization.
Retired former UFC fighter Brendan Schaub hasn’t seen a lot of fighters stick up for Smith and he believes that she cannot be the only fighter who wants change in the UFC.
“All of this is smoke and mirrors until the fighters want it,” Schaub said on Below The Belt. “Leslie Smith can’t be the only one that wants it. You need all of them to want it. Until you all decide that you want things to change, you cannot complain, because you’re part of the problem. Leslie Smith is not part of the problem. Leslie Smith now doesn’t have a job because she wasn’t part of the problem. She wanted to go against the grain. You see any other fighters sticking up for her? Have you seen one tweet from a major superstar in the UFC? Nothing, right? Not one f-cking word. … Why do you think that is?”
There are other UFC fighters on the roster who are a part of Project Spearhead, as Kajan Johnson and Al Iaquinta serve on the interim board.
Schaub would like to see Project Spearhead succeed, but he knows some big names UFC fighters are going to have to be a part of it for everything to be accomplished.
“That Project Spearhead, I hope it’s the one that breaks through and all the fighters get behind,” Schaub said. “Can you imagine if Conor (McGregor), Khabib (Nurmagomedov), Kevin Lee, [Daniel Cormier], [Demetrious Johnson], (Cris) Cyborg, Holly Holm, Rose (Namajunas) did this, imagine how many waves this would make? The problem is it’s Leslie Smith doing it, as sad as that is to say. I’m with her, and I’m down for the cause, and I hope it works out.”
Smith is considering taking legal action against the UFC and Project Spearhead is still moving forward without her in the UFC.
