Image: Octopi Media.

Reigning SMX champion Jett Lawerence has been forced out of the 2026 Monster Energy SMX World Championship post-season, the Honda HRC Progressive rider due to undergo additional ankle surgery.

The three-time 450SMX title-winner has been unbeaten in since SuperMotocross’ inception in 2023, but has been ruled out for 2026 in favor of addressing his ongoing injury.

“I’ve made the decision with my team to sit out the SMX series to get my ankle back to 100 percent for the longevity of my career,” Lawrence explained. “I suffered through the summer and did everything I could to win the outdoor championship, but my ankle hasn’t felt right since the start of the season, and it’s even worse now after Ironman.

“I want to do everything I can to get back to being me. The most important thing is that I get back to being pain-free as I work towards next year. I appreciate the patience of my team, family and fans as I do everything I can to make that happen!”

After finishing second in the Pro Motocross standings with four overall victories to his credit, Lawrence is scheduled to undergo surgery next Wednesday, September 9, at the Steadman Clinic in Vail, Colorado.

“We’re sorry that Jett won’t be able to go for his fourth-consecutive SMX championship, but the entire team supports him in this decision,” Brandon Wilson, manager of Racing and Experiential at American Honda, commented.

“Although it would be great to see him battle for another SMX title, he has a long career ahead of him, and we’re in full support of doing what’s necessary to get back as close to 100 percent as possible. In the meantime, we look forward to taking on the SMX playoffs with Hunter, Jo [Shimoda] and Chance [Hymas], all of whom should be very competitive.”