Jacobe Smith showed why he’s a prospect to watch in the welterweight division with a brutal knockout of Preston Parsons in his UFC Fight Night 249 debut. Stepping in on just eight days’ notice, Dana White’s Contender Series signee Smith (10-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) wasted little time finding the chin of Parsons (11-6 MMA, 2-4 UFC) with a vicious cross that led to the knockout at the 1:13 mark of Round 1 on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Check out the replay of Smith’s highlight-reel win below (via X ): WHAT A DEBUT FOR JACOBE SMITH #UFCVEGAS101 pic.twitter.com/532TNCoGJQ — ESPN MMA (@espnmma) January 11, 2025 After the fight, the 28-year-old, who trains under Sayif Saud out of Fortis MMA in Dallas, made his intentions known that he is eager to make his rise at 170 pounds as quickly as possible