Josiah Harrell’s first UFC experience was supposed to be the biggest moment of his life. Instead, it became a nightmare that likely saved his career and possibly his life. During fight week for UFC 290 in July 2023, the undefeated prospect was pulled from his short-notice bout against Jack Della Maddalena after doctors discovered Harrell had been living with moyamoya, a rare brain disease that restricts blood flow and dramatically increases the risk of stroke during physical exertion.
The UFC immediately canceled his contract, and Harrell faced the very real possibility that his fighting dreams were over before they truly began.
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Josiah HarrellJeff Bottari-GettyImages
Harrell’s Miraculous Comeback
Fast forward to today, and “The Muscle Hamster” is officially back in the UFC.
UFC insider Marcel Dorff first reported the signing via X, confirming that Harrell will step in on short notice to face Jacobe Smith at UFC Fight Night 267 on February 21 in Houston:
The promotion later confirmed the undefeated welterweight has been added to the card, replacing the injured Seok Hyun Ko.
For Harrell, this second opportunity is validation of a grueling recovery process that included brain surgery to reroute blood flow and prevent clotting.
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The Road Back to the Octagon
Harrell’s journey since that devastating diagnosis has been nothing short of remarkable. Following successful brain surgery, the 27-year-old Ohio native returned to regional competition with a renewed sense of purpose.
Before his health scare, Harrell had built his reputation as a finisher in promotions like CFFC and LFA, collecting wins over Tracy Reeder and Michael Roberts along the way.
His most recent victory came in January of this year, when he secured a hellacious ground-and-pound corner stoppage over Bekmyrza Dosmatov at LFA 224 (via LFA on X):
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That performance extended his perfect professional record to 11-0 with an astonishing 10 finishes.
A New Chapter
Harrell will now make his long-awaited UFC debut against Jacobe Smith, an undefeated Oklahoma wrestling standout who trains under Daniel Cormier’s tutelage.
Smith enters the bout at 11-0 as well, with two UFC finishes already on his resume.
He holds a knockout win over Preston Parsons and his most recent outing was a submission win over Niko Price (via ESPN MMA on X):
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The welterweight clash adds significant intrigue to a card headlined by Sean Strickland vs. Anthony Hernandez.
Speaking to Daniel Vreeland of Cageside Press earlier this year about his lost UFC contract, Harrell reflected on how the experience made him stronger and more confident in his abilities in the cage.
“I have a problem where now I believe in myself,” Harrell said. “Beforehand, I didn’t really believe in myself too much. I’m like, f— it, who cares. Now I know I believe in myself. I know what I’m capable of.”
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It will be interesting to see his UFC career play out after all he has been through. Win or lose, come Feb. 21, he will finally be able to realize his dream of fighting under the bright lights of the Toyota Center in Houston.
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Feb 14, 2026, where it first appeared in the MMA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
