UFC Houston’s Josiah Harrell will make his Octagon debut on Saturday
After a phenomenal 11-fight winning streak on the regional stage, Harrell will look to make his mark on the biggest stage in mixed martial arts when he puts on the UFC gloves for the first time at UFC Houston. Aside from a draw in his amateur debut, Grove City Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Academy has remained impeccable in his martial arts stint.
Harrell, last seen in action in Prior Lake, MN, at Mystic Lake Casino on LFA 224, had a lot to prove in his co-main event bout against Kyrgyz destroyer Bekmyrza Dosmatov. Undefeated in over three years entering UFC Houston, Dosmatov had previously won his last eight fights in a row, including three second-round finishes. With a strong wrestling foundation and great striking game, the Central Asian was seen as a heavy favorite against his American opponent.
The sports books echoed the same sentiment, with some websites mentioning Harrell as much as possible +260 underdog to his opponent. For much of their confrontation, Dosmatov dominated the pace with his superior wrestling, taking Harrell down at will and pelting him with ground-and-pound. Although it looked like his first defeat was inevitable, ‘Muscle Hamster’ overcame an incredible comeback by spinning Dosmatov onto the canvas and bombarding him with fierce attacks that forced the Kyrgyz corner to call for a stoppage of the match.
Harrell demonstrated his heart and technical ability after being thoroughly tested and delivered a great comeback performance. As he climbs to an incredible 11-0 record, he won’t be preparing to step into the cage as a bona fide UFC welterweight in his upcoming bout at UFC Houston with the equally talented Jacobe Smith.
UFC Houston’s Jacobe Smith has yet to lose since joining the promotion in 2025
Smith is also impeccable as an athlete at a comparable 11-0 and has a nearly 100 percent finish rate ahead of UFC Houston, stopping all but two of his past opponents. Training at the venerable Fortis MMA gym, “Cobe” first came to prominence in late 2024 as a young name competing on the Contender Series, scoring a stunning second-round knockout to earn his UFC contract.
By recording two excursions to the Octagon last year, Smith has elevated himself into a UFC welterweight to watch, picking up two wins over Preston Parsons and Niko Price. His partnership with the latter earned him the distinction of being only the second man to defeat Price in his nearly 30-match career, making it the first time “The Hybrid” has been submitted since 2017.
Originally scheduled to battle it out with Seok Hyeon Ko at UFC Houston before the South Korean had to withdraw due to a rib injury, Smith will now lock the horns with Harrell in what will surely go down in history as a Fight of the Night contender. With a total of 19 finishes in both their time as martial artists, the two men will battle to answer the question of who is the next big UFC welterweight prospect.
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