With a new year of 2026, we are set to keep our eyes out for the UFC’s newest, brightest prospects and future champions. Currently 2-0 in the UFC after earning a second-round TKO victory on the Contender Series to kick off 2025, Jacobe Smith is set for his second full year in the UFC. Not having gone the distance since 2023, Smith has all the makings of a future UFC welterweight champion.
Jacobe Smith Has Fighting in His DNA
As with many of the most successful fighters of all time, it is embedded in their DNA.
“I grew up fighting my whole life before wrestling. I was fighting people much older, fifth and sixth grade fighting high schoolers! My brother [Lonnie Wilson] was a golden gloves boxer and my cousins wrestled growing up. I couldn’t get into sports due to bad asthma, but I had them at home keeping me ahead of the game!” Jacobe Smith told MMASucka. “Wrestling took me to another level and now that I can punch and be violent. Things can now get a bit more enticing!”
Embed from Getty Images
Family is also very important. For Jacobe Smith, it was his father.
“My dad is my biggest influence. He taught me how to handle situations as a man and protect what I love, not only physically but also mentally. This kept me ahead of the game big time,” he said.
Jacobe Smith Moving Up Ranks in Wrestling World
Traveling down the path of wrestling in high school, Jacobe Smith would complete his high school career with a record of 150-10 along with earning the 2013 state championship in his weight division. These accolades would earn him time at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M where he would continue his success on the mat earning two NJCAA National Championships.
In the 2016-2017 season, Jacobe Smith transferred to Oklahoma State where he was a perfect 15-0 in his redshirt season. He also competed in four tournaments that season, taking home the championship in all four.
2017-2018 would see more success, with Jacobe Smith earning All-American honors along with finishing third at the Big 12 Championships. 2018-2019 would Smith able to capture the Big 12 Championship title at the 174-pound weight division. Two years later, he would make his appearance in a professional MMA cage.
Jacobe Smith’s Jump to Professional MMA Ranks
With a successful wrestling career behind him, it was time to continue that competitive nature and see championship gold. Smith’s debut in the professional ranks would come in October 2021 where he would earn a first-round TKO under the XFN banner. After a few undefeated bouts in an XFN cage, Smith would continue his undefeated ways in Fury FC, earning a 6-0 record with three of those victories coming by way of first-round knockout.
Contender Series and Destruction of Welterweights Within the UFC
Sporting a dominant 7-0 record, it was time for Smith to make his appearance in a UFC Octagon. The first step in that process would come by way of the Contender Series in October 2024.
Facing a very dangerous foe, Jacobe Smith earned his contract with a ground-and-pound victory in the second round of the contest. Showing his dominance in all aspects of the game, Smith landed 76 percent of his significant strikes and landed seven of his eight takedown tries.
Now set for his official UFC debut, Smith would take on seasoned fighter Preston Parsons. Again, Smith would showcase his dominant striking, earning a first-round knockout just 1:13 into the contest at UFC Fight Night: Dern vs. Ribas 2 in January of last year. Continuing his hot streak, he’d face a seasoned UFC fighter in Niko Price at UFC 317 in June 2025. Smith would outpace the dangerous striker in the significant strike department 74-61 before locking in the rear-naked choke in the second round of the contest.
The Future for the Future Champion
Next up on the schedule for Jacobe Smith is Seok Hyeon Ko at UFC Fight Night: Strickland vs Hernandez on Feb. 21. Ko is currently 2-0 in the UFC as well after earning his own contract via Contender Series. If Jacobe Smith could face any opponent though, an Irishman pops up on the radar.
“I would fight McGregor in his prime because it would be a win win for me and my career financially! I see me winning by TKO; easy pickings,” he said.
With a fun, fantasy fight thought out of the way, all seriousness is on the upcoming bout with Ko. “February 21st for my next fight, you can expect another exciting performance! I’ll be showing everyone once again why I’m not fighting for me but a much bigger purpose… my family’s future,” he concluded.
