LAS VEGAS – Jacobe Smith beat Preston Parsons with a first-round knockout Saturday on the preliminary card at UFC Fight Night 249 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
Take a look inside the fight with Smith, a highly touted wrestling standout who needed just 73 seconds to win his UFC debut – but was denied a post-fight bonus.
Jacobe Smith def. Preston Parsons
Result: Jacobe Smith def. Preston Parsons via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 1:13
Updated records: Smith (10-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC), Parsons (11-6 MMA, 2-4 UFC)
Key stats: Smith has eight of his 10 wins by knockout, including four straight.
Smith on the fight’s key moment
“This basically went according to plan. The game plan for me was to throw straight. My right hand was going to put him out. The right hand touched him and shocked him, and I noticed that he wasn’t out. But I noticed he wasn’t responding the same way as earlier in the fight that the good right hand landed, so I followed up with a hook and it was all she wrote.”
Smith on adjusting
“Absolutely. I got touched up That’s a part of the game, but it was a beautiful struggle in there tonight. I felt like I was forcing stuff a little bit early on and I could have relaxed a little bit more early. But as soon as I got touched, I gave him a right at the same time he was landing a jab. It put me in a sense to where you need to relax, because if I do want to explode and lose all my energy, then it’s going to turn into a wrestling match and I don’t want to just lay on top of him. I want to get out of here, put some hands on him, explode on him with these kicks, using my hands – the whole arsenal.”
Smith on getting Fortis MMA, Oklahoma State wrestlers to UFC
“Pull up to Fortis. Come watch us train. We’re the best gym in the world for a reason. These dots aren’t connecting on their own. There’s something going on in there. (Kyle Crutchmer) is one of my main partners. I’m throwing it out there: He whooped my ass more so than I whoop his. He’s a big guy outside of (camp) when we aren’t down in weight. That’s my skills coach, outside of Fortis. That’s my brother. We’ve got Geoff Neal in there. All these dudes are dogs and be can be just like me (in the UFC). Don’t look past any of the welterweights, nor my dude Nick Piccininni. We’re on the come-up. Cowboy Nation: Let’s ride.”
To hear more from Smith, check out the video of the full post-fight interview above.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 249.
