What may also surprise opponents is that despite not being one of the bigger competitors at 205 pounds, Jacoby can more than hold his own when it comes to speed and strength.
“These guys got me by 20 pounds every single time we step in there, but frame wise, I can compete, and I think I’m quicker than it appears and I definitely think I’m stronger,” he said. “(Against Petrino), we tied up and he tried taking me down early in that first round. I made him pay for it. I shucked him off and hit him with a couple quick shots and I knew that set the tone for the whole fight. I knew right then and there that he thought to himself, ‘Holy s**t, we’re in a fight.’ And I think I surprise these guys with my speed and my strength. It’s the same with this matchup with Bruno Lopes. He’s not a great wrestler, but he is a great grappler and the guy’s 14-1. So he obviously is dangerous, and he finds a way to get it done. But I think that he’s going to realize that I’m harder to take down than what it may seem, even though if you go look at all my fights, it’s not like guys have been able to take me down. Ion Cutelaba did for one round. I got up every single time. I think he set a light heavyweight record for eight takedowns in the first round, but I was never held there. I got up each and every time and that really makes them work.”
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That work is just fine with the Coloradan, who has been doing this professionally since 2010, and even fought at a high level in kickboxing for several years. And despite the ups and downs of the fight game, he’s managed to stay positive through it all. That’s rare.
“A superpower of mine is being able to easily forget and to forgive and to move on,” he said. “I guess I don’t forget (Laughs), but to forgive and just be lighthearted, enjoy the process, and be able to keep a good attitude. That’s one thing that I can control. I’ve always been told from a young age that I can control my attitude and I can control how I react to situations and control what I can control. A lot of things are out of my control. What I can control is everything I do between now and May 31st, and that’s getting prepared properly, showing up in great shape like I do every single time and staying on top of my diet, staying on top of my workouts, my recovery, and just staying positive through it all.”
