UFC 235: Jones vs. Smith - Predictions and Picks

#8 The Prelims: Fight Pass card

Edmen Shahbazyan will look to outwork Charles Byrd in his second UFC bout on Saturday

The Fight Pass prelims for UFC 235 will be headlined by a pair of Middleweights, as Edmen Shahbazyan faces Charles Byrd in a battle of Dana White’s Contender Series graduates. Shahbazyan surprised everyone by wrestling Darren Stewart to win his UFC debut after coming in with a reputation as a striker, while Byrd was actually beaten by Stewart in his last UFC outing. I don’t like to use ‘MMAth’ as people call it but Shahbazyan showed surprising potential against Stewart and so I think he’ll have enough to outwork Byrd – who seemed to tire against the Brit – for a decision.

At Bantamweight, Gina Mazany faces TUF winner Macy Chiasson, who will be making her debut at 135lbs after winning the reality show at 145lbs. Chiasson showed some real skills during her time on the show and at 5’9” she’ll be a rangy fighter at Bantamweight. She has a lot less experience than Mazany, but I think her physical gifts will pull her through as ‘Danger’ has tended to lose to superior athletes in her previous fights.

Exciting Bantamweight Marlon Vera faces a tough test against Frankie Saenz, who was once ranked in the top ten back in 2015. Saenz is a hard-nosed wrestler but he isn’t all that well-rounded, and that might put him in trouble against Vera who is offensively venomous in all areas, even if his takedown defense isn’t that good. If Vera tires out then Saenz could grind a decision out here, but I suspect Vera will stop him – probably via strikes – before the final buzzer.

Finally, Polyana Viana faces Hannah Cifers at Strawweight, with both women probably fighting for their spot in the UFC given neither showed a lot in their last fight. Both women have similar records – a lot of wins over largely overmatched opposition – but I’ll take Viana based on the fact that she at least looked good in her UFC debut in 2017. Viana via submission is my pick.