Preview: UFC on ESPN 30 Prelims

Light Heavyweights

NR | Dustin Jacoby (14-5-1, 2-2-1 UFC) vs. NR | Darren Stewart (12-7, 5-6 UFC)

ODDS: Jacoby (-170), Stewart (+150)

Jacoby’s second UFC stint is certainly going much better than the first. Of course, Jacoby’s first tenure in the UFC was about as forgettable as it gets: Over 2011 and 2012, Jacoby lost two early prelims that were just three months apart before being shown the door. From there, Jacoby had the occasional mixed martial arts fight but mostly fell backwards into a kickboxing career until his spot on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2020, which saw “The Hanyak’ earn a one-sided win and a UFC contract as a result. Jacoby is still obviously at his best as a striker from range, but he has also been finding more of a rhythm over the course of his three fights since his Octagon return. After struggling with some pressure from Maxim Grishin in February, it was a positive sign to see him survive early trouble against the much more potent Ion Cutelaba before staging a comeback and earning a draw. Still undefeated in his return, Jacoby looks to continue that streak against England’s Stewart, who takes his second straight fight up at light heavyweight. Stewart has been a hard fighter to peg. “The Dentist” came into the UFC very much a bully in search of a quick finish, which led to some disappointing performances when opponents could survive against him early in his UFC career. Stewart is past the point of entirely imploding against a fighter who can stick around, but the last few years have seen him vacillate between exciting fights and tedious outings with mixed results throughout. Stewart’s best performances tend to hinge on his feeling that he can physically bully his opponent, and it is unclear whether that will happen here. While Jacoby has not proven much as a defensive wrestler, he will have the much larger physical frame and could scare off Stewart with his striking power. While this is a coinflip on paper, it may wind up one-sided in practice. If Stewart can settle into a groove and feel a physical advantage early, his pressure could give Jacoby problems. However, any early success from Jacoby could in turn stop Stewart from fighting with an effective approach. The pick is Jacoby via decision, likely a narrow one.

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