Former title contender Dominick Reyes returns to action in the co-main event of UFC on ESPN 57. Isn't it too late for him to restart his career? Here is our Reyes vs Jacoby prediction.
Reyes vs Jacoby Prediction: Last Chance for Both Fighters
Two fighters with similar struggles in a fight that will hardly change their future. Let's take a closer look at the contestants.
Dominick Reyes Preview
Dominic made his UFC debut in 2017. His early days were unbelievable. He kicked it off with three consecutive victories in the opening round, even beating Jared Cannonier, who will be headlining the event this week.
Dominic didn’t stop there and continued to clean out the division. He beat Ovince Saint Preux, Volkan Oezdemir, and former middleweight champion Chris Weidman (KO, Round 1).
After this impressive win streak, he got a chance to fight for the belt against Jon Jones. Unlike many others, Dominick actually forced an equal fight on him, clearly winning the first two rounds. But, according to the judges, he lost the 3rd, 4th, and 5th rounds and suffered the first defeat in his career. Although according to many, Dominick won that fight.
Unfortunately, his tale ended with this fight. Reyes lost four fights in a row since he beat Weidman – against Jones, Blachowicz, Prochazka, and Spann.
Of course, three out of four are absolute monsters and legends of the sport. But something still changed in Reyes. He was in his prime, 29 years old, with enough time to try and reach a new title shot.
Yet again, his last fight was in November 2022 and we aren't sure why he accepted this one either. With all this in mind, it is hard to side with him for our Reyes vs Jacoby prediction.
But still, Dominick is a skilled boxer and has excellent footwork for a light heavyweight. He had one-punch knockout power once and it will be interesting to see him face another fighter who hates fighting on the ground.
Dustin Jacoby Preview
Dustin is a 36-year-old fighter from the USA with a professional record of 19-8-1. He is known as one of the most active fighters in the game.
He started his professional MMA career in 2010 but the interesting part is that he was fighting in Glory Kickboxing simultaneously. Jacoby actually entered the UFC twice. The first time was at the very beginning of his career when he was inexperienced and suffered two defeats before leaving.
He got a second chance to earn a place in the roster through Dana White's Contender Series 27. This time, Jacoby won 6 times and had one Draw in seven fights between 2020 and 2022. He was a promising prospect but as soon as he found himself among the elite fighters, he started losing.
His last four fights include three defeats and one win. He lost to Khalil Rountree, Azamat Murzakanov, and Alonzo Menifiend, and beat Kennedy Nzechukwu.
At this point in time, he is not even among the ranked fighters in the division but winning this fight will earn him Reyes' 15th place.
Our Dominick Reyes vs Dustin Jacoby Prediction: Hard-Fought Win for The Hanyak
This is a tough bout for a confident prediction. Reyes has more experience with elite fighters but Jacoby has fought several times more than Dominick overall. He has also been extremely active, fighting three to four times a year. And Reyes has made four appearances in five years.
It is fair to say that this will probably be the last time we see The Devastator if he loses. He needs to win here in order to impress Dana White and get more fights. But Jacoby is a tough guy to beat.
Overall, this will be an interesting fight and it could end with a knockout. We have made our pick but we urge you to be careful with your bets. This is not a high-stake-worthy fight.
Vlad is a former amateur MMA fighter. After a series of injuries, he found a different way to connect with the sport and its fanbase - through writing. He's been covering everything-UFC for over 5 years on various platforms and has been part of the team at NYFights since early 2022.
