Jacobe Smith Defends Coach Cormier as Reyes Hands Out an 'F+'

Jacobe Smith walks into Saturday's UFC Vegas 123 co-main event with a perfect record, a short-notice opponent, and a bone to pick with the critics lining up against his coach. The 30-year-old is 4-0 in the UFC, with every one of those wins coming inside two rounds, and 11-2 overall as a pro. On less than two weeks' notice, he replaces the injured Carlos Leal to face welterweight veteran Randy Brown.

Before any of that, though, Smith wanted to talk about Daniel Cormier. The former two-division champ turned commentator took heat for his work at UFC 333, and nobody hit harder than Dominick Reyes, who slapped an 'F+' on DC's performance after knocking out Azamat Murzakanov in the first round. Smith, who trains under Cormier, pushed back on the pile-on.

Smith Goes to Bat for DC

In Smith's telling, the critics are mostly fighters stuck in rough patches, lashing out because their careers aren't where they want them to be. He said anyone who sat down with Cormier face to face would quickly figure out how genuine the guy is. Smith insists he sees it daily — in the gym, around Cormier's family, out in public when the attention gets overwhelming and DC handles it like a pro.

Smith knows the other side of the internet, too. He said the abuse comes with winning, and some of it goes well past fight predictions and into his family. His answer is to let it blow away in the wind and keep knocking people out. He hinted the worst of it is darker than most people would believe.

A Real Test at Welterweight

Brown is no tune-up. Saturday marks his 23rd walk to the octagon, and he's trying to snap a two-fight skid after dropping a decision to Kevin Holland at UFC 327 in April. Smith and Brown have trained together, and Smith made clear he respects the man even as he prepares to fight him. Facing a friend changes the feel of it, but not the plan.

That plan is simple: handle business, leave 14-0, and angle for a top-15 name. Smith framed this as the toughest test of his career so far and the next step toward a title shot. He intends to keep proving the doubters wrong while showing his fans exactly where he's headed. In a division this deep, a finish Saturday would make the case louder than any words.