“Muscle Hamster” gets his redemption.
Rising Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Welterweight prospect Jacobe Smith lost his opponent for UFC Houston next weekend (Sat., Feb. 21, 2026) after Seok Hyeon Ko withdrew with a rib injury. Fortunately, Smith is staying on the card — because former three-day UFC fighter Josiah Harrell is stepping up on short notice.
40oz to Freedom first reported the booking, which was later confirmed by the UFC.
Harrell (11-0) has lived through an emotional rollercoaster over the past few years. The 27-year-old was originally signed to face Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 290 on short notice. He made weight and was ready to compete — but that weigh-in may have saved his life.
For many fighters, that would have been the end.
Instead, “Muscle Hamster” rebuilt.
After recovering, Harrell returned to the regional scene and rattled off four straight wins against solid competition. One of those victories came against former UFC veteran Melvin Guillard (watch highlights). Most recently, he competed at LFA 224 — the promotion’s debut on VICE TV — where he beat the life out of Bekmyrza Dosmatov and punched his ticket back to the Octagon (watch highlights).
The comeback story now meets a serious test.
Harrell draws fellow undefeated prospect Smith (11-0), one of our unranked fighters to watch in 2026. Smith has looked dominant since earning his contract on Contender Series and arguably hasn’t even scratched the surface of his potential.
The former Oklahoma State University wrestling standout has largely relied on his heavy hands so far, stopping Preston Parsons in his debut (watch highlights) and battering Niko Price before submitting him in his sophomore outing. His elite wrestling remains a weapon he hasn’t fully unleashed.
It’s a fascinating short-notice matchup — two undefeated prospects, one life-altering comeback, and someone’s 0 (and 11) has to go.
Here is the finalized UFC Houston card (knock on wood).
To checkout UFC’s upcoming schedule of events click here.
