Jacobe Smith has arrived in style.
At Dana White’s Contender Series 74 on Tuesday, Smith (9-0) dominated opponent Christien Savoie (10-2-1) for as long as their fight lasted until a TKO stoppage at 2:55 of Round 2. The welterweight bout kicked off the card at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
A former Oklahoma State University wrestling standout, Smith showed off elite takedowns, slams, and wrestling abilities, while expertly mixing in violent ground-and-pound.
In Round 1, Smith sliced open Savoie, though as the commentary booth pointed out, the cut was in the back of the head. Referee Mark Smith did not recognize a foul, so the action continued. Savoie was smothered and damaged more as the round progressed, but made it until the bell.
Savoie appeared exhausted on the stool but seemed to gain a second wind when the two began trading strikes in Round 2. However, Smith shot for a takedown and easily slammed Savoie down again – for the final time. Smith accumulated damage output and after some warning from Mark Smith, the fight was called off.
Total domination by Jacobe Smith #DWCS is LIVE NOW on ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/KsHBRrKM0G
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) October 2, 2024
Smith, 28, was an All-American at OSU in 2018. Following the conclusion of his wrestling career, Smith went under the wing of former UFC champion Daniel Cormier and began training at American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) in San Jose, Calif.
After a few pro fights, Smith moved to Dallas to train at Fortis MMA under coach Sayif Saud.
The up-to-the-minute DWCS 74 results include:
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for DWCS 74.
