At every event, a guest analyst shares their perspective on the matchups and offers predictions for each bout.
For Unified MMA 35, Behrang Yousefi has come aboard to break down and forecast the outcomes of the 10 MMA bouts scheduled for the card.
Yousefi's professional MMA record stands at 8-7, highlighted by a win against Chad Freeman in a Bellator match back in 2014. Currently, Yousefi competes regularly within the Unified MMA promotion, having fought under their banner in each of his last five outings. Fans can expect Yousefi to return to the Unified MMA cage sometime in early 2019.
Below are Yousefi's forecasts for Unified MMA 35:
Teddy Ash (12-3) vs Dominique Steele (17-11): Fight Preview
"Steele has suffered six knockout defeats, and Ash is well-known for his devastating power. Ash is also riding a six-fight winning run. After his thrilling victory over Seth Baczynski—a bout some called fight of the year—Ash arrives with tremendous momentum and aims to establish himself among Canada's premier middleweights."
Prediction: Ash claims victory via first-round knockout.
Craig Shintani (7-2) vs Clay Dixon (5-1): Fight Preview
"In my view, Shintani operates at a different tier than his opponents. On December 7th, numerous fighters will take damage, but none will suffer more than the lopsided beating Shintani will deliver to Dixon. I picture Shintani landing a sharp right hand early on and finishing Dixon decisively during his needed break. Shintani wins by what can only be termed lawful manslaughter through elbow strikes."
Prediction: Shintani wins by first-round TKO.
Jamie Siraj (5-2) vs Michael Hay (5-1): Fight Preview
"Siraj boasts more experience than his professional record suggests and has plenty of confidence to draw upon. Hay has never advanced beyond the opening round and has accumulated just 12 total minutes inside the cage. While he may lack cage savvy, that could actually serve his strategy. I envision Hay employing an aggressive guard game and landing an early submission in round one, though perhaps Siraj possesses information we don't and the bout could go to the judges."
Prediction: Hay wins by first-round submission.
Neal Anderson (8-3) vs Curtis Demarce (18-13)
"Anderson enters the cage on a four-match winning streak, while Demarce sits at 1-4 in his recent five bouts. Demarce has been competing professionally for 12 years—an unusually long career, given that most fighters don't last past nine. Anderson's moment to excel has arrived."
Prediction: Anderson wins by unanimous decision.
Nick Hrabec (6-4) vs Garret Nybakken (12-9)
"I really admire both fighters, and this matchup screams Fight of the Night to me. Each one steps into the octagon ready to go toe-to-toe, consistently delivering the kind of action fans love—pure excitement! Hrabec has stayed busy lately and enters on a winning run, while Nybakken wants to cap off his career with one final victory and another impressive performance. I'd lean toward Nybakken given their history—he's beaten Hrabec before—but honestly, choosing a winner here is tough. Having sparred with Nick myself, I can attest to the fire this guy carries."
Prediction: Hrabec and Nybakken fight to a draw.
KB Bhullar (4-0) vs Corey Atkinson (4-8)
"This middleweight clash is shaping up to be explosive, especially with Bhullar finally returning to competition after a lengthy absence. 'The Bengal' hasn't stepped back inside the cage since July 5, 2013. Cage rust might be a factor, but so is his relentless drive. Atkinson enters on a four-match skid, though every loss came against elite competition like Pat Pytlik and Roger Alves. My gut says root for the underdog, but I believe tonight belongs to Bhullar."
Prediction: Bhullar wins by knockout (head kick) in the first round.
Mark Mosure (3-0) vs Farzad Askari (0-0)
"Not super familiar with Mosure, but I expect him to take the grappling route and try to drag Askari down, since Askari trains out of TKO Fighting Arts. Askari brings solid Muay Thai credentials and an entertaining style—this matchup should deliver plenty of entertainment for spectators."
Prediction: Mosure wins by submission in the first round.
Tyrell Giselbrecht (2-0) vs Matt Klute (2-1)
"Giselbrecht comes out hot, securing both of his victories in round one, while Klute has won both of his bouts by decision. As the fight progresses, it starts leaning in Klute's direction—every single one of his contests has gone at least three rounds, giving him the octagon time advantage he'll need to slow down Giselbrecht's quick-starting approach."
Prediction: Giselbrecht wins by TKO in the first round.
Sebastian Fodor (0-0) vs Sterling Michetti (1-1)
"Michetti brings an experience edge from competing in both amateur boxing and MMA, backed by an extensive Brazilian jiu-jitsu background and numerous tournament appearances over the years. Fodor remains somewhat of an unknown quantity beyond training out of Hayabusa and possessing a memorable surname. I'm going with Michetti by way of what industry insiders refer to as spinning $!#@."
Prediction: Michetti wins by TKO in the second round.
Isaiah Bean (1-1) vs Skylar Sloan (0-1)
"I have Bean taking this one—he's got a well-rounded skill set and already boasts a victory over Peter Janssen."
Prediction: Bean wins by submission in the third round.
