Dustin Jacoby was hoping for a ranked opponent next time out but is happy to be facing Khalil Rountree next time out.
Jacoby scored a first-round KO win over Da Un Jung back at UFC Long Island in his first fight as a ranked light heavyweight. After the win, he wanted to face another ranked opponent but that won’t be the case as he will take on Rountree at UFC Vegas 63.
“I thought so too, but at the same time I had options, it’s not like they weren’t offering. If Khalil wanted to fight, it made sense to me and I liked that matchup,” Jacoby said on Just Scrap Radio on BJPENN.com. “A guy that we did ask for much higher-ranked than me respectfully declined which we kind of expected with me only being 14. I wanted to fight Oezdemir but he wanted to fight a little higher, I just wanted to keep doing what I was doing and taking the right matchups and move on with my career.”
Heading into the matchup against Rountree, Jacoby is well-aware that his opponent can be super dangerous at times. Yet, there are also some fights when Rountree doesn’t look like himself, but Jacoby knows he can’t worry about that.
“It’s funny, a lot of guys from the gym ask who I’m fighting and I say Khalil Rountree, and they are like wow, that guy is an animal or a savage or a badass,” Jacoby explained. “Yeah, that guy can be all of those things but he’s really up and down and I think he’s a little bit of a mental midget, and this camp or fight I’m not making it about him. Rather, making it about me and doing what I know I need to do to win and I’m extremely confident.”
Instead, Dustin Jacoby believes if Khalil Rountree shows up and doesn’t want to fight, it will be a quick night at the office for him. Yet, if the dangerous Rountree shows up, Jacoby is excited for the matchup as he believes it could be a very fun fight for the fans.
“I’m training for the best Khalil and if he’s not the best Khalil it’s going to be a quick night. It’s going to be over and I’m going to run through him, if he prepares accordingly and comes out with the proper mindset then it will be a great fight and a tough battle and poses some threats,” Jacoby said. “I hope he doesn’t drop the ball and if he comes out as the Khalil that doesn’t belong I’m going to expose him… I definitely see myself getting my hand raised and I really think I can break Khalil and I’m going to. I’m just bigger, faster, stronger and way more mentally determined and my mental game is stronger and that will be one of my biggest asset going into this fight.”
Ultimately, Jacoby has a ton of confidence that his striking will be too much and he will end up getting the stoppage win. If he does that, the Factory X product wants a top-10 ranked opponent next time out.
“I would really think so, I do what I am capable of and finish Khalil a top-10 opponent is next, probably early next year,” Jacoby concluded.
Do you think Dustin Jacoby will finish Khalil Rountree at UFC Vegas 63?