Preview: UFC 317 Prelims

Welterweights

Jacobe Smith (10-0, 1-0 UFC) vs. Niko Price (16-8, 8-8 UFC)

ODDS: Smith (-1800), Price (+1000)

Smith, a highly touted welterweight prospect, is back in action as he looks to continue living up to the hype. A former collegiate wrestling standout, Smith made his professional debut in 2021 and has had the type of rise where most of the questions center around his ceiling. As expected, Smith can lean on his wrestling as needed—and has shown the ability to do so for three rounds—but most of the time, things don’t even get that far. Smith has proven himself as a reliable knockout threat who can get off to a hot start, as he did against Preston Parsons in his January UFC debut. There are still some things for Smith to work out, as his wrestling game can be a bit static at times in terms of offense and there’s no clear indication of how well he does in a firefight. It will be interesting to see how he fares when he gets tested. Price hopes to be the man to do so, and “The Hybrid” is certainly dangerous enough to cause some damage, even if he’s in the middle of a rough stretch. Coming to the UFC in 2016, Price was messy technically but showed some rare natural power due to his long build, catching opponents at unorthodox angles for some brutal knockouts. His 2018 win over Randy Brown, which saw Price score a knockout with repeated hammerfists while laying on his back, still seems like something that defies the laws of physics. Price has gotten the occasional win since then, but that Brown victory might be the last time he beat someone truly in their prime. When he has caught opponents, it has usually been at the beginning or in the middle of a late-career slide. Add in some injuries that have limited Price to an inactive schedule, and he has less momentum than ever. With that said, one shot from Price could test the prospect’s chin like it has never been tested, but Smith figures to blow through the holes in veteran’s defense, whether it’s through striking or wrestling. The pick is Smith via second-round stoppage.


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