TAMPA, Fla. – Dustin Jacoby’s proper hand has made him an additional $50,000 a 12 months every of the previous three years.
Because of that fist, Jacoby put away Da Woon Jung in 2022 and picked up a post-fight bonus. He took out Kennedy Nzechukwu within the first spherical in 2023 for one more $50K. And this previous Saturday, Jacoby (20-9-1 MMA, 8-6-1 UFC) knocked out Vitor Petrino (11-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC) within the third spherical at UFC on ESPN 63.
This time, the bonus that got here at Amalie Area in Tampa, Fla., was of main significance as a result of it got here on the heels of a two-fight skid to former mild heavyweight title challenger Dominick Reyes and Alonzo Menifield. The win over Nzechukwu got here after back-to-back losses to Azamat Murzakanov and up to date title challenger Khalil Rountree.
The bonus Jacoby picked up this time was within the wake of some uncommon displeasure from the Tampa followers, who had been susceptible to matches of booing throughout Jacoby’s struggle – together with a hardcore spherical of panning of the struggle simply earlier than Jacoby’s highlight-reel end.
“We put in plenty of work, and one thing we preached the entire time was persistence,” Jacoby mentioned throughout his post-fight information convention. “I’m the kind of fighter, I hate sitting again. I need to be thrilling. I may hear the followers booing, nevertheless it was all a part of the sport plan. I liked how I fought that first (spherical). My coaches liked how I fought that first spherical. And the second spherical was the identical method. I used to be actually making an attempt to bait it out of him, making an attempt to get him to throw exhausting and catch him.
“After the second spherical, coach informed me, ‘I like what you’re doing – simply received to choose it up a bit of bit. Now we’ve received to choose it up. I can see it being 1-1, and also you don’t need this going to the judges’ determination.’ So within the third spherical, I knew I simply needed to pull the set off in some unspecified time in the future. I used to be simply ready for that second, and I discovered it completely. I couldn’t be happier.”
Sadly for Jacoby, one thing huge like a win over Petrino additionally provides a reminder of the forms of fights he’s misplaced lately that might simply have gone the opposite method. Particularly, his break up determination loss to Rountree a bit of greater than two years in the past is one that also stings.
Jacoby thinks he gained that struggle, and had yet another choose agreed on yet another spherical, he would’ve had a 10-fight unbeaten streak, would’ve been 6-0-1 in his second UFC stint, and who is aware of – he would possibly’ve been on a unique path.
Rountree gained two extra fights after he beat Jacoby and received a title shot at UFC 307 in opposition to champ Alex Pereira. May Jacoby have been there, as a substitute, if that struggle had gone his method? Possibly. However even a rematch at this level looks like an train in futility since at the least Jacoby is aware of what he felt within the cage.
“It doesn’t actually matter to me. On the finish of day, I don’t actually lose sleep over it,” Jacoby informed MMA Junkie. “The Rountree struggle, I’m nonetheless actually, actually, actually bitter about that – and it’s nothing towards him. He’s an awesome fighter, nice competitor, nice warrior. It simply took plenty of wind out of the sail. It ruined (and) killed plenty of momentum, and I simply really consider (I gained that struggle). I appeared that man within the eyes after the struggle – we checked out one another. We each knew, and I used to be simply shocked as may very well be when (he received the choice).
“However that’s greater than two years in the past, and I’ve simply received to concentrate on what’s subsequent. I’m the one which went by these fires. Everyone can speak from the surface, however I used to be the one contained in the octagon. I do know what I felt, and I do know I’m among the finest with what I carry to the desk.”
Try Jacoby’s full post-fight interview above.
Gallery
Dustin Jacoby def. Vitor Petrino at UFC Tampa: Greatest images
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