Fight of the night.
That's exactly what Behrang Yousefi (8-6) envisions when he steps into the cage against Neal Anderson (6-3) in their lightweight matchup at Unified MMA 33 on Friday evening at the River Cree Resort and Casino.
The 30-year-old Yousefi noted that while this fight might extend as far as the third round, he expects a definitive finish rather than a decision.
"With how he fights and how I fight, it's going to be a real fight. It'll be conclusive," Yousefi stated during an interview.
"Ultimately, I think I can leverage my speed and experience to outmaneuver the challenge presented by Neal Anderson."
This matchup was initially slated for a December card that ended up getting scrapped, giving both fighters plenty of extra time to prepare.
During the extended break, Yousefi trained at Kamikaze Punishment Foundation, Arashi-Do Red Deer, and Crank Wrestling, where he studied Anderson's strengths while keeping his own development front and center.
"He's a well-rounded competitor, comes in tough, and he's hunting for a war. He's not scared to trade heavy shots," Yousefi explained.
"I'm focused on becoming a stronger version of myself, and I'm not overly concerned with what my opponent is planning. My priority is sharpening both my defense and my offense."
Entering this fight, Yousefi has been the busier fighter, logging three bouts in 2017 versus just one for Anderson.
Even though Anderson has only fought twice over the past five years, Yousefi doesn't anticipate any ring rust affecting his opponent.
"If he had time away from competition, he must have been putting in work in the gym, so I'm expecting a sharp, tough, well-rounded Neal who's primed and ready," Yousefi said.
"But I feel like my activity level gives me an experience advantage. I might pick up on patterns he hasn't encountered and execute techniques he isn't familiar with."
Anderson Ready to Silence the Jitters
While Anderson, 30, has only competed twice in the last five years, both outings resulted in wins, contributing to four victories in his last five fights overall.
Despite that recent success, Anderson admitted finding rhythm can be challenging when he can't compete as frequently as he'd prefer.
"I couldn't honestly tell you I'm not nervous, because it's been a while since I stepped in, so there's always some nerves involved," Anderson shared in an interview.
"But once that cage door shuts, everything just clicks into place."
Like Yousefi, Anderson said he hasn't zeroed in on specific aspects of his opponent while training at Hayabusa Training Centre and Little Sweat Shop.
However, he acknowledged Yousefi's dangerous grappling, especially the "tricky triangles" he enjoys working, which has stayed at the back of his mind during camp.
"I know he's incredibly aggressive, and he comes to fight," Anderson said.
"He's a thrilling fighter. He advances forward, he's aggressive, and it should produce an exciting matchup."
Of Anderson's six professional victories, five have been finishes, while Yousefi boasts a similarly strong finishing percentage, with six of his eight pro wins coming via stoppage.
Between their high finish rates and Anderson's eagerness to return to action, he's confident the audience won't leave disappointed.
"I think it'll be entertaining. I think we're fairly even, and I believe it'll be a great fight," Anderson said.
"I'm tired of training. I'm ready to fight."
