Josiah Hall is stepping up on short notice but this isnt the first time he has done that. He stepped up on a week's notice to fight Jack Della Madallena back UFC 290 but had to pull out because he needed brain surgery.
It's hard to sit here and not immediately root for Josiah. The guy has been through some shit and fully persevered. Even after the brain issue was resolved, he went back to the regional scene and rattled off 4 wins, 3 of them by stoppage and never stopped working back to the UFC. I don't love that this is short notice or that he is a bit small for this weight class. Jacobe will be the pick because of the short notice and the fact that he is the better actual wrestler, but if this gets into deep water we could end up with a weird fight.
Jacobe Smith
Jacobe Smith is one of the better prospects coming out of the contender series and he has been carrying label into his UFC career. He is a 2x junior college National Champion and D1 All American who can strike. His striking is not great but it is fast as hell with very real power. When he gets the takedowns he has great pressure, great hips and is always working. He sets a nice pace and is always looking for a finish either on the feet or the ground. He is a well rounded guy but very early in his career and has had any adversity yet. He only knock on him at this point in his career is his cardio. We saw it fade in his last fight against Niko Price, but he still managed to win that by submission.
Josiah Harrell
Josiah Harrell has had a wild ride getting to this point. Medical issues, regional relegation, multiple weight classes. He is a good fighter with solid skills. He is a wrestler from Ohio, high school not college, but he does have some solid takedowns and athleticism. He is a decent striker and a powerful wrestler, you will see all the clips of him shooting through the LFA cage door. When he takes shots, they are clean and powerful, but he spends a good amount of time striking and doesn't panic wrestle. He is fast with his hands and has some power but can be hit by the cleaner guys.
