Brutal KO Continues Dustin Jacoby’s Winning Ways
At UFC Vegas 107, Dustin Jacoby earned his second straight victory with a first-round knockout of Bruno Lopes. The budding winning streak comes on the heels of two consecutive losses and perhaps marks a turn of fortune for the Light Heavyweight veteran.
The fight began with both men circling and feeling each other out for a bit. Lopes feinted several level changes, signaling intent to take the fight to the ground. In retrospect that was a wise plan, though it didn’t have a chance to be realized. Jacoby momentarily buckled Lopes with a sharp jab about a minute into the fight, the first time he touched the Brazilian cleanly. He then rushed forward and pushed Lopes to the cage. Some dirty boxing followed in the clinch, as the American kept Lopes rocked with some short punches and elbows. When he was able to break the clinch, he went ballistic, throwing a frenetic barrage of punches that ended with Bruno Lopes crumpled to the canvas against the cage. The fight was stopped at 1:50 in the first round.
Bigger Tests Ahead
The furious finish at UFC Vegas 107 was a welcome sight from Dustin Jacoby, who began his UFC career 5-0-1 before hitting a skid at 1-4 in his last five bouts. The win establishes the beginning of a new streak after he knocked out Vitor Petrino in his previous outing. If he can maintain his momentum, he may be able to compete for a ranking shortly. He possesses excellent kickboxing and has undeniable potential. However, in the past, he’s faltered against higher-quality competition. He has lost in each of his contests with currently ranked Light Heavyweights, including Khalil Rountree, Dominick Reyes, and Alonzo Menifield.
Bruno Lopes, by contrast, faces an uncertain future. He went 1-1 on Dana White’s Contender Series before earning his UFC contract, and has now begun his stint in the big show similarly. Another loss could put his job in jeopardy, and he needs a sense of urgency whenever he returns to the octagon.
Featured image credits to Embed from Getty Images
