The past month has been a difficult one for UFC veteran Anthony Smith, whose family life came under intense scrutiny following his arrest in Nebraska. The former UFC light heavyweight title challenger was arrested in late July after an alleged altercation involving his wife, Mikhala Renee Newman, and was subsequently charged with multiple felonies.

Now, Smith has broken his silence for the first time since the incident, sharing a glimpse of his life after returning home to his wife and four daughters. The 38-year-old posted a photograph of himself with his family at their Nebraska home on Instagram, showing that he has reunited with them following his release from custody.

“Happy to be home with my household full of ‘whys’,” Smith wrote in the caption. “I’ll be able to tell my story someday soon. Until then…you guys just keep making it up as you go 😉

“Character is revealed in chaos.”

While Anthony Smith, who retired from the UFC last year, did not address the incident that led to his arrest or the arrest itself, this appears to be the very first time he has spoken up since the ordeal in late July.

According to the Sarpy County District Attorney’s Office, Anthony Smith was arrested following an alleged incident at a bar in Gretna, Nebraska. Prosecutors say he threatened to kill his wife if she refused to leave with him before forcing her into his car. Authorities claim she escaped during the drive, after which ‘Lionheart’ allegedly attempted to hit her with the vehicle several times. Fortunately, officials stated that she wasn’t physically hurt.

He was subsequently charged with domestic violence, attempting to cause serious bodily injury, terroristic threats, and false imprisonment.

Smith was released the next day after posting a $500,000 bond. The former UFC title challenger has reportedly pleaded not guilty to the charges against him. It is important to note that the allegations against him remain unresolved, and an arrest or criminal charge does not establish guilt.

Regardless, the UFC veteran’s return home and his Instagram post suggest that his family has welcomed him back home with open arms. Smith’s return home also comes after his wife publicly defended him on social media following the incident. Mikhala previously insisted that she was safe and attributed the situation to what she described as a mental health struggle.

“There’s not a lot I can say right now,” Smith’s wife said. “I love Anthony with every ounce of my being. He is a good man, a great dad, and an incredible husband who loves us endlessly. Anyone that knows him can attest to that. They made a mental health struggle into something it wasn’t. I am safe and always was safe. He would never hurt me. Ever. I called for help to protect him from himself.”

Subsequently, Smith’s manager also conveyed that the former title challenger should be entitled to the “presumption of innocence” and demanded privacy for his family.

With Anthony Smith now back with his family, his latest social media post suggests that he intends to eventually provide his side of the story. But while the 37-22 fighter remains relatively quiet about the legal proceedings, another UFC veteran has already stepped forward to defend him against the criticism surrounding his arrest.

Matt Brown defends Anthony Smith against critics following his Nebraska arrest   

When it comes to controversial topics, Matt Brown never shies away from voicing his opinions, and that remained true while addressing Anthony Smith’s very sensitive case. According to the 45-year-old, fans have been too hostile toward the UFC veteran following his arrest without knowing the full story, while also citing his good relationship with Smith. 

“This one does cut a little bit deeper than a lot of these other incidents that happen,” Brown said on The Fighter vs. The Writer podcast. “Anthony Smith is a respectable guy. I have a personal relationship with him. He’s always been a great guy to me, too. I’ll tell you what turned me off to this whole thing was the fan reaction when I read the comments.

“I thought Brendan Schaub had a great little rant on this. Talking about he knows he’s a good family guy, he’s met his kids and stuff before but the fan reaction really bugged me. These fans, I’ll say it as clear as I can: These mother—-s need to lay off Anthony Smith.”

After defending Anthony Smith from the constant attacks of critics, the former UFC welterweight fighter also realized that it was important to address that what ‘Lionheart’ did still demanded accountability. 

“That doesn’t mean I’m going to defend what happened,” Brown added. “We don’t know what happened. I’m not going to defend it because cops were called and his wife was certainly feeling something she shouldn’t have been feeling. It was not a good situation, so I’m not going to say there shouldn’t be accountability.”

That distinction is particularly important as Smith’s legal case continues. While his wife has publicly defended him and the former UFC fighter has now returned home, the allegations made by authorities still have to be resolved through the legal process.

For now, Anthony Smith appears to be focusing on his family while keeping the details of the incident to himself. His promise to eventually “tell my story” suggests that he intends to address the circumstances surrounding his arrest more fully once he is able to do so.