Dustin Jacoby (photo via UFC / YouTube)

By FCF Staff

It may have taken Dustin Jacoby over eight years to do it, but the veteran fighter says he always knew he’d work his way back onto the UFC roster.

Jacoby signed with the UFC back in 2011, after going 6-0 to begin his pro-MMA career. But, after incurring back-to-back losses, Jacoby was let go in 2012.

Since then, the now 32-year-old has competed for organizations like Bellator, WSOF and Titan FC, as well as GLORY Kickboxing.

Due to some of his recent successes, Jacoby was invited to compete on the latest Dana White Contender Series card. The Colorado fighter outscored Ty Flores  for the decision win, and White awarded him a UFC contract afterward.

While speaking with the media after the card, Jacoby said he never lost faith that he’d be back in the UFC, at some point (quotes via MMA Junkie).

“That never crossed my mind,” Jacoby said. “I’m a grinder. I go get what’s mine. I show up and work hard. Even in 2018, I had back-to-back breaks in my arm. I had to take some time off because I wasn’t getting through practices. Every day, it was hurting. I didn’t want to be that guy. I’m not that guy. So I took a little time off, but I knew I’d be back.”

“…It’s still a big goal of mine to get that first, official UFC win,” Jacoby also reported. “I’ve always been a guy that I’ll fight any fight. I fight whoever they give me. I’ve never said no to a fight. I’ve always accepted. But I would like to – I don’t know, if there’s a few strikers out there that want to throw down, put on a show for the fans? Whatever they want to do with me.”

With his win this week, Jacoby’s MMA record now stands at 12-5.