Dustin Jacoby can say he is a UFC fighter once again.
The 32-year-old was in the Las Vegas-based promotion in 2011 and 2012 and went 0-2. He then had a two-fight stint in Bellator, and just like the UFC, went 0-2. Jacoby then had a ton of success in Glory Kickboxing and week one of the Contender Series return, the veteran earned his way back into the promotion.
Although he got a contract, Jacoby believes he thought he could’ve been signed outright.
“I don’t know if I was surprised, I was a little disappointed. I thought I could’ve got a call with my experience, I’m definitely more than ready,” Jacoby said to MMANews. “But, at the same time it was an opportunity and I looked at it I had to do one final job interview per se, so be it. That is what I did and took care of business.”
Although Dustin Jacoby already has two fights inside the Octagon, he knows he is a completely different fighter and a much better one at that.
“It is night and day man. I won’t even go look at those fights because I know how bad I was, how green I was. What is funny, at the time I thought I was really good,” he explained. “Looking back on those fights compared to the guy that just fought Tuesday night it is night and day difference. There are levels to the game. This guy right now, this Jacoby would finish that Jacoby in real quick fashion.”
Now that Dustin Jacoby is back in the UFC, the big question is what division he will fight at. For now, he says he is comfortable at light heavyweight. But, for the right fight, he would consider dropping back down to middleweight.
The hope for Jacoby is once his eye heals from the fight he can get back in the Octagon and get his first UFC win.
“I think coming out of the gates, I’d much rather fight some strikers to get a little bit more comfortable in there,” Jacoby said. “If I go out against a top-level striker, we will bring the best out of each other and getting that Fight of the Night… My number one goal is to get my first UFC win.”
Dustin Jacoby also wants that return fight against Gokhan Saki as he believes it could be the Fight of the Night given their kickboxing background.
“There are a ton of good strikers and one name that pops into my mind in Gokhan Saki. He was a kickboxing superstar, he doesn’t have a lot of MMA fights… There is no doubt in my mind we would be throwing down until someone went down. I think that would be a great fight based off our kickboxing background,” Jacoby concluded.
Ultimately, Jacoby is just relieved to be back in the UFC. He knows he can be a mainstay on the roster for years to come.
