Jai Herbert will step back into the Meta APEX on Saturday with a clear target in mind: beat Matheus Camilo and land the first back-to-back UFC wins of his career.
That is the big marker for Herbert, who arrived in the UFC in 2020 as the Cage Warriors lightweight champion and has since built a reputation for bouncing back strongly after defeats. He has also been tested against a steady run of dangerous opponents, from seasoned veterans to fighters with genuine championship potential.
The English lightweight comes into this one off the back of a comeback knockout over Mandel Nallo in April, a first-round finish that came after 125 seconds. It was the kind of result that underlined both his resilience and his ability to stay composed once a fight turns messy.
Herbert: 'It's gonna be lively'
Herbert has made it clear he is looking forward to returning to the cage. “I'm excited to fight on Saturday night. Really excited to fight,” he said.
He also pointed to the atmosphere around the APEX setting, adding: “I’m gonna put on a great performance, and in the APEX this time, it’s gonna be a little rowdier.”
“It's gonna be lively, and they're going to be excited for me to fight to put on the performance, and I'm going to do that for them. Let's go,” Herbert said.
That confidence matters because this is not just another booking. For Herbert, it is a chance to show that the Mandel Nallo win was not a one-off recovery job, but part of a wider upward step in his UFC progress.
Why this fight matters
The lesson from Herbert’s April comeback was not only about power. It was about handling adversity, staying in the fight and trusting that the finish would come if he kept believing.
He described that fight as “a fun two minutes,” but also a useful experience. Herbert said he had to deal with adversity before ending the contest by knockout, and he felt the win showed something deeper than technique alone.
“In those moments, sometimes you can't really train that stuff,” he said. “That heart and that determination, that will. It's hard to train that.”
That is why Saturday matters. Camilo is also arriving with momentum after finishing Nazim Sadykhov in the first round in June, so Herbert is not being handed a soft landing. This is a proper test of whether he can turn one strong result into a streak.
Herbert has taken a succession of tough fights since joining the UFC, and he believes that experience has prepared him well. “As I've come through the ranks, it's been a good experience,” he said. “I've fought some very high-level guys.”
He added: “It's just gonna put me in good stead for the rest of my career now.”
For Herbert, the next step is simple enough. Win on Saturday, and the conversation changes quickly. It becomes less about bouncing back and more about building something real in the UFC.
“What an opportunity I've had here at the UFC,” he said. “I’ve got loads more to do, [there’s] loads more to come from me.”
That is the mindset he is carrying into the Octagon. On paper, it is a career milestone fight. In practice, it is Herbert’s chance to show that the best run of form in his UFC career is still ahead of him.
