Undefeated Jacobe Smith defends coach Cormier after Dominick Reyes' commentary attack

Jacobe Smith has come to the defence of his coach Daniel Cormier after Dominick Reyes publicly savaged the former two-division UFC champion’s colour commentary at UFC 333, with the undefeated welterweight set to face Randy Brown in the co-main event of UFC Vegas 123 on Saturday.

Reyes drew attention during his knockout win over Azamat Murzakanov at UFC 333 when he openly criticised Cormier’s commentary work, awarding it an ‘F+’ grade. The remarks sparked debate among fans, many of whom have had their own reservations about Cormier’s broadcast style. Smith, who trains daily alongside Cormier, was having none of it.

“They’re just dealing with a phase in their career where things ain’t going 100 percent like they want or they’re not getting the shine that they want,” Smith told MMA Fighting. “They get a little butt-hurt and get to running their mouth talking shit that they don’t really mean. I guarantee you, if they sat down face to face with them, they would understand how good of a guy he is.”

Smith painted a picture of Cormier as someone who handles the pressures of public life with a humility that belies his status. “He’s the most down-to-earth person,” Smith said. “People are going to have their opinions and talk their shit and I guess that’s just the world we live in.”

The 30-year-old knows something about dealing with critics himself. Now 4-0 inside the UFC — finishing all four opponents within two rounds — and 11-3 overall as a professional, Smith says online hostility is a constant he has learned to manage. “I’m out here knocking people out winning and they’re talking shit, telling me how bad I am. People are going to talk, you just got to let it be.”

Smith steps into Saturday’s co-main event on less than two weeks’ notice, replacing the injured Carlos Leal. His opponent, Randy Brown, is a seasoned veteran making his 23rd octagon appearance and looking to end a two-fight losing run after dropping a decision to Kevin Holland at UFC 327 in April.

The matchup carries an added layer of familiarity — Smith and Brown have trained together in the past — but Smith has made clear that personal respect will not blunt his ambition in one of the UFC’s most competitive divisions.