Jacobe Smith (jacobe smith) brutal first-round KO halts Josiah Harrell’s unbeaten run in Houston
jacobe smith completed a dramatic turnaround on the main card of UFC Fight Night 267 at the Toyota Center in Houston, scoring a violent first-round knockout of promotional newcomer Josiah Harrell. The finish snaps Harrell’s unbeaten streak and cements Smith’s rise as an undefeated welterweight prospect.
Jacobe Smith finishes Josiah Harrell in the opening round at Toyota Center
On the night in Houston, Jacobe Smith ended the bout with a brutal first-round knockout, moving his record to 12-0 overall and 3-0 in the UFC. The stoppage came after Smith seized top control and rained down blows that rendered Josiah Harrell unable to continue, marking the first loss of Harrell’s professional MMA career.
Smith’s striking and top control interrupted Harrell’s takedown game
Smith controlled the fight from the opening bell, landing solid right hands while repeatedly thwarting Harrell’s takedown attempts. One takedown attempt allowed Smith to roll through and secure top position, where he unloaded the blows that finished the fight.
Harrell’s UFC debut, LFA background and finishing rate
Harrell entered the night undefeated at 11-0 and was making his UFC debut after a third-round win over Bekmyrza Dosmatov in LFA last month. Through 11 professional fights he had finished 10 opponents—six by knockout or TKO and four by submission—before suffering his first career defeat in Houston.
Pre-fight build: short-notice switch, OSU ties and analyst picks
The matchup was an impromptu main-card pairing: Smith had originally been slated to face Seok Hyeon Ko but was switched to another southpaw on short notice. Smith entered that night as an undefeated prospect at 11-0 MMA and 2-0 in the UFC, preparing to make his third UFC start after a successful debut year in 2025. An analyst, Dan Tom, had pointed to Smith’s prestigious wrestling pedigree and noted Smith had been on a prospects-to-watch list circa 2023.
Pre-fight concerns, odds and expected timeline
Before the fight, the analyst flagged concerns about Smith’s ability to control his pace, citing hardwired instincts and an urgency to crash space, while still leaning semi-reluctantly toward Smith’s superior wrestling and athleticism to prevail. The analyst also saw Harrell as a live underdog with value because of his scrambling ability and dogged nature. Oddsmakers favored the OSU alum, listing Smith -325 and Harrell +250, and the fighters were expected to walk to the cage at approximately 8: 40 p. m. ET.
Aftermath: Smith’s call-out and what changed for both men
Following the knockout, Smith used his post-fight interview to call out Kevin Holland. For Harrell, the defeat ends an 11-fight winning streak that included a high finishing rate and a momentum-building LFA win the month prior. For jacobe smith, the night reinforced his unbeaten record and extended his undefeated run in the UFC to three straight wins after earlier finishes of Preston Parsons and Niko Price.
