Dustin Jacoby vs. Julius Walker Prediction (February 7th, 2026)
Dustin Jacoby enters UFC Fight Night 266 as a -185 favorite to beat Julius Walker. DraftKings also has the fight ending early (-160), with a knockout (-105) being the most likely scenario.
The 37-year-old Jacoby comes into this event in solid form, as he’s KO’d his last two opponents and will be taking on a relatively inexperienced foe. Walker is just 7-1 as a professional MMA fighter, but he outlasted Raffael Cerqueira last August and went the distance with Alonzo Menifield in February of last year.
With superior versatility, Walker grades out as a compelling upset pick. However, does he have the toughness and striking needed to get the best of a battle-tested menace like Jacoby?
If you’re searching for the best Dustin Jacoby vs. Julius Walker pick, I’ve got you covered. I’ll analyze the latest odds and keys to this matchup, while wrapping things up with a final Dustin Jacoby vs. Julius Walker prediction.
Event Overview
- Event: UFC Fight Night: Bautista vs. Oliveira
- When: Saturday, February 7
- Where: Meta APEX, Las Vegas, United States
- Schedule:Main Card – 8:00 pm ET
- How to Watch: Streaming on Paramount+
- See the full UFC Fight Night: Bautista vs. Oliveira card
Current Betting Odds & Market Snapshot
Check out the latest Dustin Jacoby vs. Julius Walker odds over at DraftKings:
| Bet | Odds |
|---|---|
Dustin Jacoby | -170 |
Julius Walker | +142 |
Fight to Go the Distance | Yes (+120) | No (-160) |
Method of Victory | KO/TKO (-105) | Submission (+500) | Decision (+120) | Draw (+5000) |
What the Odds Tell Us
Jacoby is a nasty finisher with 14 knockouts, and he has the experience edge. He makes sense as the favorite and is expected to get the win. The odds also favor him to end this thing early, with a knockout being the most likely method of victory.
Matchup Preview & Fighter Profiles
Dustin Jacoby
Jacoby is getting a bit long in the tooth, but he has a solid 21-9 record and 14 career knockouts to his name. He hasn’t really looked his age lately, as he crushed Bruno Lopes with a first-round finish and dropped Vitor Petrino in the third round two fights ago.
While a nasty finisher, Jacoby can be a bit one-dimensional. He also can get blasted, as Dominick Reyes showed in a KO win in 2024. That said, he’s only been KO’d twice in nine losses, so it’s fairly arguable he is either going to get a knockout or this one will be decided on points.
Jacoby lacks elite takedown defense and isn’t a submission threat, but he can stand and trade with the best of them. He brings serious power to the table and can win either by finishing opponents off or simply piling on points due to damage dished out with his fists.
He averages 5.37 significant strikes per minute, so you know he is going to make his opponent feel his presence. The key is whether or not he is tested and/or if the fight makes it to the canvas. If the fight stays on the feet, the advantage very much lies with the explosive Jacoby.
Julius Walker
Walker is 11 years younger than Jacoby and lacks experience. He’s 1-1 in the UFC so far, with both bouts going the distance. He has versatility and some power, as he’s KO’d four guys and submitted two more – but none of that has yet translated to the UFC ranks.
That makes Walker fairly unproven, as he’s really only found success against lower-level talent, and Jacoby is a step up. Jacoby has seen everything Walker can throw at him, so surviving Jacob’s initial pressure is key, and Walker will also need to be successful with his takedown attempts.
Walker does have a pretty clear path to the upset, of course, as he’s going to come in as the better grappler. His defense is better than Jacob’s, but he’s also aggressive with 3.5 takedowns per fight so far under the UFC banner.
It’s been a mixed bag, though. Walker could only get one takedown in a loss in his debut, and then was able to dominate with six takedowns in his first UFC win last time out. If he can execute his takedowns, he could definitely get Jacoby on the mat and control this fight.
Tale of the Tape
| Dustin Jacoby | Julius Walker | |
|---|---|---|
Record | 21-9 | 7-1 |
Age | 37 | 26 |
Height | 6’3” | 6’4” |
Reach | 76” | 78” |
Stance | Orthodox | Orthodox |
Style | Striker | Mixed Martial Artist |
The experience edge goes to Dustin Jacoby, who has 14 more wins and 22 more fights overall as a professional MMA fighter. He’s much older, but he knows what Walker wants to do and has plenty of experience fending it off.
The reach edge goes to Walker, who is also slightly taller. That could be a big deal in a fight where one guy wants to stand up, and the other wants to get things to the ground. Walker naturally is the more versatile fighter, but his striking defense and raw skill set make him a tough underdog to get behind.
Key Matchup Factors to Watch
Check out some key Dustin Jacoby vs. Julius Walker matchup angles for this bout:
- Takedown Offense: The biggest key to this matchup is Walker’s takedown ability. Can he execute, find success, and then inflict damage on the mat? Jacoby is experienced enough to keep his opponent at bay, so Walker absolutely needs to win here.
- Apply Pressure: Jacoby is very aggressive with his striking. His volume isn’t always heavy, but the damage usually is. He can pace the fight and beat you with his fists via points or via KO. How much trouble he has with Walker will dictate the path he takes.
- Damage Control: Walker needs to find a way to limit the striking damage Jacoby unleashes on him. That’s key to surviving the first round, but also to winning a Decision. He can strike decently, but the two keys are limiting damage early and picking the right spots to shoot for takedowns.
Best Bets & Betting Strategy
Check out my top Dustin Jacoby vs. Julius Walker bets for this weekend:
| Bet | Reasoning | Confidence Level |
|---|---|---|
Dustin Jacoby ML (-170) | Jacoby has way more experience and is a lethal striker. Walker has survived two tough tests, but his finishing ability hasn’t translated. It absolutely has to be against Jacoby, or he’ll be the one with the early win. | 8/10 |
Fight to Not Go the Distance (-160) | Both fighters have finishing upside. Jacoby has ended the fight early in 15 of 21 wins, and he has the clear striking edge, so it makes sense for him to go for the kill. If he’s not careful, though, Walker could get him to the ground and make him tap out. | 9/10 |
Method of Victory – KO (-105) | Walker is a threat if he gets the fight to the mat, but Jacoby is in a good groove right now. Superior experience and striking give him the nod, making a first-round knockout quite viable. | 7/10 |
Odd lines are changing for Jacoby vs. Walker as bettors react to KO props and inside-the-distance markets. Track odds movement at our trusted UFC betting apps.
Risk Factors & Things to Watch
Things can go wrong when betting on a high-variance sport like MMA. Here’s why our Dustin Jacoby vs. Julius Walker picks could fail:
- No KO: The first problem is if this fight doesn’t have a KO. If that’s the case, it’s pretty likely Jacoby doesn’t win. Suddenly, two of my Jacoby vs. Walker picks are cooked, and it’s possible we go 0-3 on this fight. If Walker controls the fight, staves off the KO, and/or gets the fight to the ground, we could miss out on a knockout.
- Upset Special: Walker winning would nuke my first bet and potentially all three. It’d be the worst possible situation if he won via Decision. If Walker does win, we’d want it to go inside the distance. His clearest path to doing that is surviving the first round and getting Jacoby on the ground.
- Win by Points: Another potential issue is someone going the distance and winning by points. We can still win if Jacoby is the one who makes it happen, but Jacoby’s safest path to victory is undeniably a knockout. Walker could mess up that plan if he is as successful with his takedowns as he was in his last fight. He’d then slow the fight down, make it ugly, and win by controlling the bout.
The Bottom Line: Jacoby Stays Hot, KOs Walker
Julius Walker is a decent prospect, but he’s pretty unproven and has looked beatable in his first two UFC bouts. If you’re looking for a Dustin Jacoby vs. Julius Walker prediction, it’s that the older fighter stays young for one more day and finds a way to get the win.
Jacoby is always a risky bet, just because he really only has two paths to victory. However, he is far more experienced, and his striking can be savage. He should unload plenty of damage in this one, and so long as he can stay on his feet, he should dominate.
A Decision win would get us the first bet, but Jacob’s striking edge and sheer power should land a KO win. If that happens, we can pull off a 3-0 sweep.
Final Prediction Summary
- Match Winner – Dustin Jacoby -185| Confidence: 8/10
- Fight to Go the Distance – No -160 | Confidence: 9/10
- Method of Victory – Knockout -105 | Confidence: 7/10
