Poatan's former rival explains his emotion after receiving praise from the Brazilian.

Poatan celebrates his UFC victory. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram/UFC

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Dustin Jacoby's career took a turn for the better after being praised by Alex Poatan . It all started when the Brazilian approved of the American's knockout at UFC Vegas 113 and argued that his former rival should be ranked in the division. Coincidence or not, the kickboxer appeared in 14th place in the most recent update and commented on the impact that the champion's recognition had on him.

In an interview with Ariel Helwani, Jacoby stated that he approaches each performance in the octagon as a way to honor his own history and that of the opponents who have crossed his path. According to the light heavyweight (up to 83,9kg), he fights so that those who defeated him know that they overcame a high-level competitor, just as he wants the rivals who lost to him to understand that they were not beaten by just any athlete.

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“Every time I step into the octagon… I fight for all my former opponents. I want those guys I beat to know they didn’t lose to just anyone, and I want the guys who beat me to know they didn’t beat just any fighter,” said the light heavyweight.

The American also highlighted that he sees his victories as significant achievements for those who manage to surpass him. Proud of his own journey, Jacoby revealed that he often draws inspiration from names like Alex Poatan when he competes and assured that the praise he received from the Brazilian had a special meaning in his career.

“If you beat me, you’ll have done something good, man. You’ll have accomplished a great feat… I’m proud of every fight, man. When I fight, I think of guys like Alex Pereira. Receiving praise from him… it meant everything to me,” concluded Dustin Jacoby.

Watch Alex Poatan's reaction to Dustin Jacoby's knockout at UFC Vegas 113.

 

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A post shared by Alex “Poatan” Pereira (@alexpoatanpereira)

Alex Poatan has already knocked out Dustin Jacoby outside of the UFC.

Alex Poatan and Dustin Jacoby are old acquaintances in combat sports. The Brazilian and the American were part of the elite of world kickboxing and even faced each other at Glory 14 in 2014. On that occasion, Poatan came out on top, winning by knockout in the first round.

After the fight, Jacoby highlighted the knockout power of the Pataxó fighter, describing him as the strongest he had ever faced in his career.

March 8, 2014

Glory 14: Zagreb

Middleweight Contender Tournament, Semi-Finals

Alex makes his debut in GLORY with an 11-1 record.

KOs Dustin Jacoby with a left hook in Round 1 pic.twitter.com/O2CQD7eva7

— Ocelot MMA (@OcelotMMA) March 3, 2025

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