Prospect in the Spotlight (Feb 23-24): Jacobe Smith

Introduction

Saturday, February 24th, American welterweight prospect Jacobe Smith will be in action for Fury FC, where he will be looking continue his undefeated ways against Jared McLoughlin. He will be looking for another win, as Jones looks to inch closer to a contract with the UFC. He represents Fortis MMA, a respected camp in MMA. Let’s take a closer look at this prospect as this week’s “Prospect Spotlight.”

Strengths

Wrestling/Top Game/Athleticism: Jones has a very strong wrestling background, given that he wrestled collegiately at Oklahoma St. That school is a powerhouse for amateur wrestlers, which explains why Jones is so talented in the cage with his wrestling and top-grappling. He’s very strong and explosive, which allows him to blast his opponents with takedowns and hold them down. He stays busy on the mat, more so with vicious ground-and-pound than fishing for submissions. In fact, he has zero submission wins, but five by TKO with hammering ground strikes. His meat-and-potatoes wrestling, in unison with his mutilating ground strikes, make him especially dangerous in the cage.

Needs Improvement

Needs Step Up in Competition/Question Marks: Thus far, Jones has yet to really take on a noteworthy fighter. While his opponents combined fight total is at 108 fights, their combined records are 48-60 and two of those fighters account for a big portion of that with 13-9 and 12-11. While those fighters provide experience, none of them represent a guy that is major-league caliber, which leaves us with some question marks regarding Jones, specifically in terms of his extended on-the-feet prowess and if he does eventually have to fight off his back on the mat.

Outlook

UFC Midcarder-to-Top25: Smith has a bright future in this sport. Not only does he have that great aforementioned amateur wrestling background, but he has a top camp in the sport in his corner guiding him as he’s an up-and-coming fighter. He’s 28 years old right now, so he’s about in his athletic prime for MMA. He’s also had seven pro fights, so this guy seems to be a win or two away from getting a call from the big leagues. My guess would be if he bests McLoughlin in the Fury FC cage, he gets a call for the Contender Series this year. He could also be on layaway as a fighter that could get the call to the UFC if one of their many late-notice opportunities come up.