A surprising short-notice welterweight bout has been added to UFC 332, which takes place next Saturday night.
As first reported by MMAMania.com, welterweight prospect Jacobe Smith will return to the Octagon to face UFC newcomer Bruce Whitehead in a surprising booking that has MMA fans scratching their heads.
Heavy’s Marcel Dorff further confirmed that Smith vs. Whitehead will take place at UFC 332 and will be contested at 170 lbs.
Jacobe Smith is a Top Welterweight Prospect
Smith is an undefeated 30-year-old prospect who has won 10 of his 12 career victories by stoppage.
He is a Fury FC veteran who was signed to the UFC after winning by TKO on Dana White’s Contender Series in October 2024. Since then, Smith is 3-0 in the UFC with stoppage wins over Preston Parsons, Niko Price, and Josiah Harrell.
Smith was supposed to fight Kevin Holland at UFC Oklahoma City in July, but the fight fizzled out, and Holland was later rebooked to fight Uros Medic at UFC 334.
While Holland will be taking on a top welterweight fighter in Medic, Smith has to settle for a UFC newcomer in Whitehead in a fight that doesn’t make a ton of sense other than Smith wanting to stay busy.
Either way, Smith will get the chance to get more experience and earn another paycheck and perhaps a bonus.
Bruce Whitehead Makes UFC Debut
Whitehead is a 29-year-old fighter with an 8-2 MMA record, with five of his wins coming by stoppage. He has been fighting exclusively for Fury FC, which is one of the top feeder leagues for the UFC these days.
Whitehead has won his last two fights in a row and four of his last five fights, including a knockout loss to current UFC fighter Victor Valenzuela.
He most recently competed at Fury FC 124 on September 20 and knocked his opponent out in just 48 seconds, so he has some momentum heading into this fight against Smith.
That being said, look for Smith to be an absolutely massive favorite in this fight, perhaps even as close to the -1000 range, which is around what he was at when he beat Price last year.
Surprising Short-Notice Welterweight Bout Added to UFC 332