Jacobe Smith Issues Ominous Warning to Kevin Holland Over Alleged DM Insults

Undefeated UFC welterweight Jacobe Smith is tired of waiting on Kevin Holland and he has a warning for "Trailblazer" the next time they cross paths.

The two 170-pounders have been booked to fight twice already in 2026. They were first scheduled to square off on July 18 at UFC Oklahoma City before Holland withdrew due to an injury. The UFC promptly rebooked the highly anticipated matchup for UFC 332 on Oct. 3 in Salt Lake City, only for Holland to pull out a second time.

While Holland stays sidelined, the 13-0 Smith keeps winning. He has finished all four of his UFC opponents so far. This Saturday at UFC Fight Night 292, which is headlined by a lightweight bout between Renato Moicano and Tom Nolan, Smith takes a short-notice fight against veteran Randy Brown. Still, he is sending a sharp warning to Holland over a private online dispute.

Jacobe Smith Predicts Off-Cage Altercation With Kevin Holland

Speaking with Full Send MMA, "Cobe" revealed that Holland has been sending him provocative direct messages. While Smith did not share the exact contents of the texts, he made it clear that the online trash talk has turned personal.

"I'll never like him; I want that win on my record just to tell him I'm the big dog here," Smith said. "Put some respect on my name… I see us crossing paths outside of the cage and there being an altercation because of how he's in the DMs. And the sh*t that he be talking. He didn't do it face-to-face like that."

The frustration stems from the wasted effort. Holland pulled out of their initial July date on just nine days' notice. When Holland backed out of the October re-booking as well, late-replacement Bruce Whitehead stepped in, whom Smith dismantled in just 92 seconds.

Smith noted that preparing for Holland twice forced him through two consecutive training camps for nothing. He also questioned the legitimacy of Holland's injuries, highlighting that Holland claimed his foot was too hurt to fight at UFC 332 but then accepted a match against Uros Medic at UFC 334.

"Your foot's still hurt, but you're accepting fights with other dudes," Smith said after his win at UFC 332. "You better hope Uros Medic gets your ass out of there, because if you win, I'm coming for you."

This Saturday, Brown gives Smith a direct comparison to Holland. Holland beat Brown by unanimous decision back in April, meaning a dominant finish this weekend hands Smith the perfect argument to demand the fight he wants.

Smith meets Brown at UFC Vegas 123 on Saturday while Holland faces Uros Medic on Nov. 14 in New York. Both men have immediate business to settle, but Smith's focus remains locked on his elusive rival.