Athletes
Dustin Jacoby | Always Glass Half-Full
Light Heavyweight Dustin Jacoby Remains Full of Positivity And Optimism Knowing A Big Win or Two Gets Him Right Back In The Mix Of The Division
We all know people who will find the one cloud in a sunny sky. Dustin Jacoby is the guy who will find the glint of sunshine in a sea of clouds. He’s that positive. Think glass half-full with the potential to go full-full, and it’s a refreshing attitude in an increasingly negative world, so if you think he sweats the small stuff, like a two-fight losing streak, you don’t know “The Hanyak.”
“I'm to the point where a loss to Dominick Reyes doesn't get me down,” Jacoby said. “People look at that and are like, ‘Aan, you got knocked out by 2024 Dominick Reyes; that guy's terrible.’ That guy is still one of the best guys in the division. And the three losses he had in a row were against the best guys in the division. So I'm a glass half-full-type guy, full of optimism, full of belief. And I still believe in myself and what I bring to the table. And I know I'm just a big win or two away from being right back in the mix with the top of the division.”
UFC 310 REWIND: Main Card Results | Prelim Results | Official Scorecards
A seven-fight unbeaten run from 2020 to 2022 had him in the light heavyweight rankings and moving fast. But a split decision loss to Khalil Rountree Jr. in late-2022 kicked off a 1-4 run that included back-to-back losses to Alonzo Menifield and Reyes in his last two. It happens, especially when two 205-pounders are swinging four-ounce gloved hammers at each other. Young fighters often don’t deal well with the reality that one mistake can be an early night, but the older you get, the more you understand just how the sport works. Sometimes you’re the hammer; others, you’re the nail. Jacoby, who is 36 years old and approaching his 30th pro fight, gets it.
“It's the only attitude you can have,” he said. “I've been counted out so many times throughout my career, and so many different times I had people telling me to walk away or to find something else to do. And every time I've contemplated that, something great in my career has always happened next. And that's the glory, that's the greatness of ‘keep swinging.’ I tell guys all the time, ‘Keep swinging, man. Never give up.’ You just got to keep swinging. Keep putting yourself in positions to succeed. That's what I do over and over again. It's called opportunity and I love seeking it and I love taking advantage of it.”
UFC TAMPA FULL FIGHTS: Covington vs Masvidal | Buckley vs Thompson
Jacoby’s next opportunity arrives on Saturday, when the Coloradan travels to Tampa to face off with Brazilian prospect Vitor Petrino. Jacoby knows he’s the veteran force tasked with holding off the up and comer trying to get back in the win column after a recent loss to Anthony Smith, but he has no intention of playing gatekeeper or steppingstone.
“You're only as good as your last fight,” he said. “And you go in there and win in exciting, dominating fashion, you're right back in the mix. And I think that's where I'm at. I'm right there in the middle. They're trying to see which of these up-and-comers is ready to take that next step. And it's my job to make sure Vitor Petrino doesn't step on me and make a name off me. I got to keep him back in his place and I got to maintain that. I'm still searching for the fights at the top of the division.”
I would say that Jacoby sounds good leading up to this pivotal bout, but he always sounds good in the time leading up to a fight. It’s that positivity thing. But after making the walk at least three times a year for the last three, getting only his second bout of 2024 this weekend has made him a little more excited about returning to active duty, both in the gym and the Octagon.
“I tell you what, man, I missed the camaraderie with the guys,” Jacoby said. “What I'm going to miss the most, especially when I'm done with the sport, is just being at the gym every day and seeing everybody - the laughing, the jokes, the energy. That's what I miss the most when I step away, just the guys and the locker room atmosphere.”
UFC Fight Night: Covington vs Buckley took place live from Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida on December 14, 2024. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!
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