Dustin Jacoby expecting a “battle” against Alonzo Menifield at UFC 296, believes stars are aligning for rematch against Alex Pereira

Dustin Jacoby will be getting a chance to end 2023 on a high note.

Jacoby snapped his two-fight losing streak back in August with a first-round TKO over Kennedy Nzechukwu. After the win, Jacoby was hoping to fight one more time this year, and when he got the call to face Alonzo Menifield at UFC 296 he jumped at the chance.

“Yeah, man. It’s an opportunity I couldn’t turn down. I was already going to be there with my teammate Brandon Royval fighting for the flyweight world title, so when they asked if I wanted to be part of the card I said absolutely. It was hard to say no to that one,” Jacoby said on Just Scrap Radio on BJPENN.com.

Although Jacoby is excited to fight one more time this year, he is also ecstatic to fight someone ranked ahead of him which Menifield is. He also believes it’s a fan-friendly fight between two strikers.

“Anytime you can get a guy ranked above you, that is what you are after,” Jacoby explained. “That’s why I couldn’t say no, I like the matchup, I’m excited about the matchup and it’s an opportunity to get one step closer to the pinnacle of the sport and the champ Alex Pereira… He’s a bull and he’s a tough out and in the top-15 for a reason. I’m excited to go out there and give him an L on his record. He’s a guy who says he’s a striker and I’m looking forward to getting in there and mixing it up with him.”

Heading into his UFC 296 scrap, Dustin Jacoby knows he has the reach advantage over Alonzo Menifield and is the more technical striker. However, he is aware that Menifield may try and wrestle him. But, even if he does, Jacoby has full confidence he will get his hand raised.

“I think it’s going to be a battle. He’s very explosive, he may try and take me down and that may be a football tackle. Or, we stand up, I think I’m a better striker, I’m longer, I’m physically longer. He’s physically bigger, it’s the old bull vs. matador matchup and we will have to see what the matador has up his sleeve,” Jacoby said.

Should Jacoby get his hand raised at UFC 296, he believes it could set him up to have a big fight next time out. He also believes that given the fact he fought Alex Pereira in Glory kickboxing, the story is there for the two to rematch in MMA.

“I think it really boosts me. If I go out there and have an exciting performance and really showcase and make a statement, there is a story there with Pereira… I have a huge opportunity to go out there and showcase my skills and prove that I am closer than ever to my ultimate dream in this sport. Alex Pereira just won the light heavyweight championship, I fought Alex Pereira in March of 2014, how cool would that be to get a big win here and get the opportunity to stand across from the octagon 10 years later? I think that’s super cool and I got my eyes on the prize,” Jacoby concluded.