After planning several trips to Calgary in the past, Unified MMA finally established its presence in the city last weekend, drawing more than 2,000 enthusiastic spectators to the Seven Chiefs Sportsplex on Tsuut'ina Nation grounds for Unified MMA 44.
It's worth noting that the potential fights outlined below are mostly speculative and haven't been officially confirmed or seriously discussed, unless stated otherwise.
We'd love to hear what you think about which opponents should follow up the top performers on the card, plus which fighters you'd expect to win our imaginary matchups.
Noah Ali (11-5-1) vs. Cole Smith (7-3)
A dominant showing against Gabe Sagman helped Ali claim the now-vacant Unified MMA bantamweight championship last weekend. Finding worthy competition among Canadian bantaweights outside of major international organizations proves difficult. One intriguing option: UFC vet Cole Smith, who could hand Ali the toughest test of his professional run.
Tom O'Connor (10-2) vs. winner of Neal Anderson (11-4) vs. Maged Hammo (10-6-1)
O'Connor has arguably positioned himself as the clear number-one challenger for the Unified featherweight strap following last weekend's action. After trading blows with John Nguyen throughout a compelling contest, O'Connor managed to pull off a third-round finish. Anderson will face Hammo again in Edmonton within the coming weeks for the featherweight crown, making O'Connor the natural choice for the next shot, no matter who emerges victorious at Unified MMA 45.
Tim Smith (16-12) vs. Nick Hrabec (8-5)
Smith has staged a remarkable resurgence over recent years, battling through personal struggles and returning to competition after stepping away for four years. He set his sights on moving back down to lightweight, the division where he enjoyed his greatest achievements early on. That decision seems to have been exactly what he needed. His bout with Curtis Demarce produced a fight-of-the-year-caliber display, with Smith appearing as sharp as ever before finally securing another victory. A clash with the rapidly ascending Hrabec next could easily spark another thrilling, tightly contested battle.
Zack Powell (6-1) vs. Pat Pytlik (7-1)
Powell extended his winning streak to improve his career tally to 6-1, with his sole defeat coming via a contentious split decision against Dario Sinagoga, who remains undefeated. Since the Unified MMA super lightweight belt is currently unclaimed and former champion Pat Pytlik is preparing to return, pairing these two seems like the natural path to naming a champion in one of the promotion's fresher divisions.
Ali Charkie (3-1) vs. Colton Cronkite (4-0)
Charkie keeps demonstrating rapid growth throughout his fledgling career, earning a notable victory in what may have been his most demanding test yet. Charkie relied heavily on leg kicks and forced a corner stoppage between rounds after Byrne suffered a broken fibula in the opening frame. Though Byrne would undoubtedly seek a rematch at some point, it probably won't happen soon since Charkie will aim to keep his current momentum rolling and jump back behind the fence as quickly as possible. Cronkite is ready for a meaningful challenge and proved himself worthy by handing Chris Chapman a loss, but the steadily ascending Charkie represents yet another obstacle for the undefeated fighter.
Chris Chapman (5-3) vs. Tom Theocharis (5-4)
Chapman has remained one of Alberta's busiest competitors over the past year, though his four fights have produced mixed outcomes as victories and defeats have traded places. He's chasing his first consecutive-win run since 2018 when he returns to the cage. Theocharis occupies a comparable position—sitting near a .500 clip while hoping to string together back-to-back wins in his upcoming fight. Putting these two together would settle the question of which fighter is prepared to make that leap and begin building momentum with multiple victories in a row.
Nick LeBlanc (2-0) vs. Evan Piercey (1-0)
LeBlanc dominated from the opening bell against a clearly overmatched opponent. The early knockout via head kick was inevitable. Following a promising amateur run, LeBlanc now stands at 2-0. Piercey similarly transitioned from the amateur circuit to the pros with a strong debut. A clash between these two proven finishers would likely deliver a spectacular moment for whichever fighter seizes the chance.
Sean Michael (2-0) vs. Tyrell Giselbrecht (1-1)
Adding to the pattern of promising prospects launching their professional journeys after impressive amateur campaigns, Michael advanced to 2-0 with a polished submission victory in the second round. A compelling fight would unfold in a Battle of Alberta showdown against the explosive Giselbrecht. Each man specializes in finishes and thrives on pushing the pace, meaning this bout would virtually ensure plenty of action.
Hunter Lee (1-0) vs. John Moore (1-0)
Lee looked unstoppable on the professional stage in his opening fight, handing Kristopher Bryan a decisive scorecard loss. Moore faced tougher competition from Sebastian Lopez but still managed to walk away with a unanimous decision. Since both fighters now compete at the same weight class, matching them up is a natural choice to determine which athlete will advance further in their early careers.
