Undefeated UFC Star Batters Unconscious Opponent for Sickening KO at UFC Houston

Welterweight fighter Jacobe Smith added to his undefeated record with an absolutely sickening finish during the main card of UFC Houston.

Taking place at the Toyota Center in Houston, TX, UFC Houston features a pivotal middleweight main event between the division’s former titleholder Sean Strickland and Anthony Hernandez, who enters the night riding an eight-fight win streak that earned him a #4 ranking at 185 lbs.

The card offered plenty of other intriguing matchups during the lead up to Strickland vs. Hernandez, including a clash between undefeated welterweights Smith and Josiah Harrell.

Jacobe Smith Scores Disgusting Knockout At UFC Houston

Originally scheduled to make his UFC debut against future UFC Welterweight Champion Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 290 before he was forced out of the bout with a serious medical issue, Harrell finally returned to action last year and scored three-straight wins with two stoppages.

Another finish at LFA 224 in January was enough for Harrell to earn a call for UFC Houston, where he replaced Seok Hyeon Ko in a matchup with Smith. Also boasting an 11-0 record, Smith joined the UFC off of Dana White’s Contender Series in 2024 and went on to stop the first two UFC opponents that he faced last year.

“Cobe” was a sizeable favorite coming into the fight with the Harrell, and Smith ended up handing the UFC debutant his first loss in absolutely brutal fashion when he put him in a mounted crucifix in the opening round and absolutely unloaded with punches.

HIS PUNCHES HAVE SERIOUS POWER 👊

Jacobe Smith puts the #UFCHouston crowd on their feet after that KO!

[ LIVE on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/qJfUnS7ocB
— UFC (@ufc) February 22, 2026

Harrell looked to clearly be out after the initial barrage of strikes, but it took an alarming amount of time for the referee to push Smith off of “Muscle Hamster” and call an end to the fight. Speaking with Michael Bisping immediately after his violent win, Smith issued a callout of UFC fan favorite Kevin Holland, who was in attendance at UFC Houston but is already scheduled to fight Randy Brown at UFC 327 on April 11.

As shocking as the late stoppage may have been, Smith’s victory breathed some much-needed life into a UFC Houston card that was light on finishes up to that point. Eight out of the night’s previous nine fights had all gone the distance, with the only other finish coming courtesy of a rear naked choke from Joselyne Edwards during her women’s bantamweight bout with Nora Cornolle.