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UFC Bantamweight

Montel Jackson VS Ricky Simón

Meta Apex, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.

Tale of the Tape

16-4-0 Record 22-8-1
34 Age 34
178 cm Height 168 cm
192 cm Reach 175 cm
southpaw Stance orthodox
63% Finish rate 50%
56% KO rate 32%
6% Sub rate 18%

Result Summary

Montel Jackson def. Ricky Simón TKO (Punch) · R2 2:39

Montel Jackson defeated Ricky Simón by TKO (punches) at 2:39 of round two in a bantamweight rematch at UFC Fight Night: Rosas Jr. vs. Barcelos on September 26, 2026. Jackson took the first round on all three Sherdog scorecards (10-9), controlling the standup with crisp counter combinations and dropping Simón with a right hand late; Simón threatened briefly with a takedown and back-take but failed to advance from either position. In round two, Jackson claimed the center, landed a clean one-two, reset and connected with a second one-two that dropped a visibly hurt Simón, then finished with two follow-up punches while Simón was on the ground before referee Kevin Herzog halted the contest. The win improved Jackson to 16-4 overall (10-4 in the UFC).

Fight Overview

Montel Jackson and Ricky Simón run it back eight years after their UFC 227 meeting, where Simón won a unanimous decision, in a bantamweight rematch that carries extra urgency for both men. Jackson enters trying to snap a skid despite holding one of the division's most dangerous power finishes, while Simón's recent draw with Yanez and loss to card-headliner Barcelos signal a fighter searching for momentum. Whoever wants to stay relevant in a loaded 135-pound picture needs a clear statement win here.

Keys to Victory

Montel Jackson

  1. Avoid the same blueprint that cost him the first fight by staying off the fence and using his power output early.
  2. Pressure forward behind the jab and use his physical strength to bully Simón into the exchanges he wants.
  3. Land that knockout punch before Simón can settle into his grappling game and control the cage as he did in 2018.

Ricky Simón

  1. Repeat the first fight's formula by using clinch control and cage wrestling to neutralize Jackson's one-shot power.
  2. Stay active with combinations and limit Jackson to single strikes rather than allowing him to wind up on counters.
  3. Use lateral movement and setups off the double-leg to keep Jackson guessing and prevent him from loading up.

Last 5 fights

Montel Jackson

  1. L Raoni Barcelos Decision · R3 5:00 · 25 APR 2026
  2. L Deiveson Figueiredo Decision · R3 5:00 · 11 OCT 2025
  3. W Daniel Marcos Decision · R3 5:00 · 3 MAY 2025
  4. W Da'Mon Blackshear KO · R1 0:18 · 13 JUL 2024
  5. W Rani Yahya KO · R1 3:42 · 22 APR 2023

Ricky Simón

  1. D Adrian Yañez Decision · R3 5:00 · 28 MAR 2026
  2. L Raoni Barcelos Decision · R3 5:00 · 8 NOV 2025
  3. W Cameron Smotherman Decision · R3 5:00 · 14 JUN 2025
  4. W Javid Basharat KO · R1 3:58 · 22 FEB 2025
  5. L Vinicius Oliveira Decision · R3 5:00 · 29 JUN 2024

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AI-generated This analysis was generated with AI and may contain errors.

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