Jacobe Smith and Josiah Harrell meet on the main card of UFC Fight Night 267 on Saturday at Toyota Center in Houston. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom.
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Last event’s results: 5-1
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UFC main cards, 2026: 11-5
Jacobe Smith vs. Josiah Harrell UFC Fight Night 267 preview
The undefeated Smith (11-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) enters his third UFC bout, following a successful debut year in 2025. The Dana White’s Contender Series veteran won his debut by knocking out Preston Parsons in the first round last January. His sophomore appearance was a second-round submission of Niko Price in June.
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Harrell (11-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) also brings an unblemished record to the octagon for his promotional debut. Through 11 professional fights, Harrell has finished 10 of them, winning six by knockout or TKO, and four by submission.
Jacobe Smith vs. Josiah Harrell UFC Fight Night 267 expert pick, prediction
Filling out the main card is an impromptu matchup between undefeated welterweight prospects, Jacobe Smith and Josiah Harrell.
Smith, who was initially slated to face Seok Hyeon Ko, is now paired up with another southpaw on short notice. Luckily for Harrell, the Ohio native appeared to be in shape and champing at the bit for a fight before he got the call.
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It’s hard to pick against Smith considering his prestigious wrestling pedigree and the fact that he made my prospects to watch list circa 2023. Still, I also believe that Harrell is a live underdog should he prove the ability to survive Smith’s initial storms.
For as much potential as Smith appears to possess, I worry about the former OSU Cowboy’s ability to control his pace considering his hardwired instincts and urgency to crash space.
Both fighters still have a lot of questions to answer on this level, but I’ll semi-reluctantly side with Smith’s superior wrestling and athleticism to win out the day. That said, I still believe that Harrell is the value side from a betting perspective, given his scrambling ability and dogged nature.
Jacobe Smith vs. Josiah Harrell UFC Fight Night 267 odds
The oddsmakers and the public favor the OSU alum, listing Smith -325 and Harrell +250 via FanDuel.
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Jacobe Smith vs. Josiah Harrell UFC Fight Night 267 start time, how to watch
Smith and Harrell are expected to walk to the cage at approximately 8:40 p.m. ET. The fight streams live on Paramount+.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC Houston: Jacobe Smith vs. Josiah Harrell prediction, start time
