Undefeated welterweight prospect Jacobe Smith had drawn an interesting match-up and considerable step up in his sophomore outing in the UFC, booked opposite Niko Price at UFC 317 on Saturday.
Price was something of a fan favorite, who had fought the likes of Robbie Lawler, Michel Pereira, Geoff Neal, Cowboy Cerrone, Vicente Luque and others in a UFC run dating back to 2016. In other words, a big fish for Smith in just his second UFC fight.]
Price came out with his usual kill-or-be-killed, forward-pressure style in round one, but the younger Smith was ready for it and landed a solid left hook that sent him stumbling back. Smith then picked up Price and slammed him down. Not giving Price an inch, Smith used his top pressure to batter his opponent relentlessly. Price finally scrambled his way back to the feet, and managed to land a few good shots. After a failed spinning back-fist by Price, Smith landed a stiff jab that stunned Price. He followed it up with a head kick, but Price was saved by the bell.
Being 10-0 with seven first-round finishes, it was going to be interesting to see how Smith fared in a second round against a battle-tested veteran like Price. The frantic pace of the opening round may have gotten to Smith, who was visibly more tired. A caught kick allowed Smith to take Price to the ground. Smith was able to hold top position for a considerable amount of time, but wasn’t dealing nearly as much damage as he was in the first round. Price momentarily got to his knees, but Smith forced a scramble that allowed him to take the back. He immediately sunk in the rear-naked choked and got the tap out of the exhausted Price.
Jacobe Smith kept his undefeated record intact, but not without adversity as Price proved to be a bigger test than Smith’s promotional debut.
Official Result: Jacobe Smith def. Niko Price by submission (rear-naked choke), Round 2, 4:03
