Jacobe Smith didn’t need long to make his point at UFC 332.
The former Cowboy stopped Bruce Whitehead with a first-round TKO on Saturday night, and it was just the latest fast finish in Smith’s UFC run. Through four fights in the promotion, none of them have gone the distance.
Smith is now 13-0 overall in MMA and 4-0 inside the UFC. Of those four UFC victories, only one has reached the second round. The other three ended in the opening frame.
After the fight, Smith climbed into the octagon with Joe Rogan and made it clear he feels ready for the next step. “This is incredible,” Smith told Joe Rogan in the octagon after Saturday’s fight.
“I know I’m gifted. I know I got great opportunities, surrounded with my family, my team, Ranger MMA, DC’s fighting academy.
They doing something special with me. Give me one month, and I will be ready for anybody in this division, word to mother.
Let’s go.”
Smith, who is from Muskogee, built his wrestling resume long before the UFC spotlight arrived. He was a two-time junior college national champ at NEO before moving on to Oklahoma State.
His run with the Cowboys was loaded with wins. He went 15-0 while redshirting in his first year there in 2016-17, then picked up Big 12 titles in each of the next two seasons.
Smith finished eighth at the NCAA Tournament at 174 pounds after going 22-8 in the 2017-18 season. As a senior, he went 28-5 and placed seventh at nationals.
He entered MMA in 2021 and has kept climbing ever since.
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Oregon State Fueled A Sideline Meltdown Colorado State Couldn't Hide
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The adjustment did little to change the evenings direction, as Colorado State still gave up 56 points. Tyson Summers left the sideline after being relieved of his duties and is no longer with the football program, a sign of just how badly things had broken down for the Rams. For Oregon State, it was the kind of game that exposed a defense in free fall and left the Beavers with plenty to build on, even if the bigger story in the box score was what happened on the other side. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon States Passing Attack Just Sent A Loud Early Message
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Jesse Legree was just as important, stretching the field and finishing with three touchdown catches as Oregon State kept finding ways to attack through the air. His latest big night also continued a remarkable run of production, giving the Beavers another proof point that this passing game is more than just hot for one week and may be building into something much bigger. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon States Fast Start Helped Spark A Stunning Colorado State Meltdown
Oregon States fast start against Colorado State did more than put points on the board. It helped turn an already rough afternoon into a jarring sideline situation for the Rams, whose defensive coordinator Tyson Summers was gone by the break in a loss that quickly tilted out of control. For the Beavers, the early pressure and tempo were part of a result that rippled well beyond the final score.
Colorado State is now 2-3, and the fallout has already reached the coaching staff. Jim Mora Jr. has since confirmed that Summers is no longer with the program and that Kenny McClendon has taken over the defensive coordinator role, with San Diego State up next. For Oregon State, it was the kind of game that can expose more than one opponent problem at once. [Read more 🡒]