Overview
- Jaxon Smith-Njigba, in a UFC on Paramount+ interview Saturday at UFC Seattle, said he would happily fight any Rams or 49ers cornerback and joked he would not pick teammate Devon Witherspoon.
- The Seahawks star met Israel Adesanya and Michael Chiesa at the event and later stood in Chiesa’s corner after his win.
- The comments follow a season of heated divisional meetings, including Seattle’s 41-6 playoff win over the 49ers and a 31-27 NFC Championship Game win over the Rams.
- The rivalry has included personal jabs, with 49ers corner Deommodore Lenoir and Smith-Njigba trading shots last year and Lenoir later posting his coverage stats after Smith-Njigba’s new extension.
- Smith-Njigba’s stature adds weight to the talk after he led the NFL with 1,793 receiving yards in 2025 and won Offensive Player of the Year as Seattle captured Super Bowl LX.