Dustin Jacoby knows how to get stuff done. And ‘The Hanyak’ proved that in his UFC Vegas 113 fight. The FactoryX Muay Thai team member secured a second-round stoppage win over Julius Walker. However, he has earned more than just a win—he earned respect and, more importantly, backing from UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira. 

Well, Pereira was intently watching Jacoby, who ‘Poatan’ defeated at GLORY 14: Zagreb on March 8, 2014, via first-round knockout, as the Walker fight was unfolding. And when the American light heavyweight finally got his hand raised, the Brazilian kickboxer didn’t miss a beat in supporting Jacoby’s request during the post-fight interview.

What does Dustin Jacoby want & what did Alex Pereira say? 

Following his win, Dustin Jacoby asked for the one thing that has become gold in the MMA world—a spot at the UFC White House card, scheduled for June 14th. “I would love nothing more than to get an opportunity to fight at the White House in June,” Jacoby said. “I know everybody’s going to want to be on that card, but that’s three big knockouts in a row.”

‘The Hanyak’ has indeed been on a two-fight knockout streak before entering the cage tonight. He defeated Vitor Petrino and Bruno Lopes, as he bounced back from his back-to-back losses to Alonzo Menifield and Dominick Reyes. Yet, securing a spot on the card might be difficult for the light heavyweight since most of the UFC wants their names on the list. 

Not to mention, President Donald Trump has claimed that there will be “eight to nine” title fights on the card. And without a title, Jacoby is already at a disadvantage. But that didn’t matter to ‘Poatan,’ who took to X to praise and back his former rival. “Incredible work, Dustin Jacoby,” Alex Pereira wrote on Instagram. “Put some respect on his name and place him in the rankings!”

Neither Jacoby nor Walker is in UFC’s light heavyweight rankings, but with three back-to-back knockouts, it’s not out of the realm of possibility. Regardless, Pereira added, “Nostalgia from the Glory days – would love to see him in the rankings to show the evolution that has occurred in a different sport! Chama.

Pereira himself has been making a case for a fight against Jon Jones on the UFC White House card. However, Jones recently announced his full and final retirement from the sport, leaving Pereira’s spot on the White House card in the air. Nonetheless, Pereira’s backing for Jacoby appears to have prompted a response from Julius Walker.

Julius Walker reflects on Pereira’s backing for Jacoby?

Walker was just two fights into his UFC career when he accepted the challenge to face Jacoby at UFC Vegas 113 on Saturday night. His debut in the promotion didn’t prove to be a happy one, as he suffered a split decision loss to Alonzo Menifield in February last year. 

However, he managed to bounce back with a decision win over Rafael Cerqueira in August. This brought him to the opposite corner of Jacoby. Despite his best efforts, Jacoby got the best of him. And in the aftermath, when he discovered Pereira’s praise for his opponent, he wasn’t mad. 

“Haha so Alex Pereira watched me get fucked up tonight,” he wrote on X.

That being said, Dustin Jacoby may have backing from Alex Pereira, but it might take a lot more to secure a spot on the UFC White House card. Do you think he will get it?