Jacobe Smith lived up to the hype and sent a message to the entire welterweight division with a memorable UFC debut on Saturday night.
The blue-chip prospect improved to 10-0 in mixed martial arts at the professional level with a highlight knockout of Preston Parsons on the preliminary card of the first Fight Night event of the year and it took him only 73 seconds to end the bout.
“Throw straight, throw easy, don’t throw hard, and just have fun,” Smith said following his win before putting current 170-pound champion Belal Muhammad on notice. “This is my house. Thank you Dana White for the opportunity but this is my house. Belal, knock knock.”
Smith was one of several Dana White’s Contender Series alumni who competed Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas in the first event in nearly a full month.
The soon-to-be 29-year-old has an excellent foundational wrestling base, trains with the respected Fortis MMA team, and is quickly becoming known for the power he possesses in his hands.
Smith patiently set up a left hook at the end of a combination that put Parsons away and Smith said afterwards he plans on “keeping everything smart, keeping everything by the books and thanking God, keeping that healing energy around,” as he continues to improve.
Speaking of knockout power, Smith’s fellow Season 8 Contender Series graduate Marco Tulio added to his highlight reel with a first-round technical knockout of Ihor Potieria.
Tulio walloped Potieria with a punishing combination that started on the feet and ended on the mat to improve to 13-1.
Potieria, who is 2-6 in his UFC career, had been impacted by multiple fouls including a damaging low blow earlier in the round.
Fatima Kline looked solid in her return to 115 pounds, putting away Victoria Dudakova with a late second-round TKO after losing as a pro for the first time last July when she faced Jasmine Jasudavicius at 125 pounds.
Felipe Bunes picked up the first submission win of 2025 with a nifty armbar of Jose Johnson in the featured preliminary bout.
Bunes attacked Johnson’s right arm from multiple angles following a frenetic scramble and eventually secured the tap.
Nurullo Aliev improved to 10-0 as a pro as he returned to action for the first time in roughly 23 months, winning a unanimous decision over Joe Solecki.
Thiago Moises, Ernesta Kareckaite and Bruno Lopes also picked up wins in the prelims. Official results from the preliminary card can be viewed HERE.
A five-round strawweight rematch between Mackenzie Dern and Amanda Ribas was featured in the main event.
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