Jacobe Smith fights Bruce Whitehead at UFC 332 in late addition

The UFC has added a welterweight bout to this Saturday's UFC 332 card in Salt Lake City, pairing undefeated Jacobe Smith with promotional newcomer Bruce Whitehead. The fight was made nine days before the event.

Smith enters at 12-0 and is 3-0 inside the octagon. He earned his UFC contract on Dana White's Contender Series in 2024 and most recently knocked out Josiah Harrell in the first round at UFC Houston. The 30-year-old American trains out of Fortis MMA and fights from a southpaw stance. He stands five-foot-ten (178 cm) with a 72-inch (183 cm) reach.

Smith's numbers reflect an aggressive, well-rounded approach. He lands 6.89 significant strikes per minute at 67 percent accuracy, a rare combination of volume and precision. He also averages 7.78 takedowns per 15 minutes and 0.7 submission attempts, giving him a grappling threat to pair with his striking.

Whitehead arrives at 8-2 and will make his UFC debut. He has competed only for Texas-based Fury FC, where he is coming off a 48-second TKO of Ali Abouzalam on Sept. 20. That means he takes the biggest step of his career on short notice, less than two weeks after his last outing.

Why it matters

• Smith gets a chance to extend his unbeaten run to 13-0 and stack a fourth straight octagon win.
• Whitehead has a debut opportunity against a fighter who has finished his most recent UFC opponent.
• The matchup pits a fast-finishing regional standout against a heavy-output, takedown-heavy southpaw.

Smith's mix of striking output and wrestling volume will test a newcomer who has so far built his résumé outside the UFC. Whitehead's quick stoppage in his last fight shows he can end things early, and he will look to bring that danger to a much larger stage.