UFC Fight Night 35 Preview

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Lightweights

Charlie Brenneman (19-5, 4-4 UFC) vs. Beneil Dariush (6-0, 0-0 UFC): Since his UFC release, Brenneman has put together four straight wins and captured the Cage Fury Fighting Championships lightweight title in the process. “The Spaniard” has been better able to implement his wrestling and submission game at 155 pounds. Dariush is unbeaten against mediocre competition, but he does train at a highly respected camp in Kings MMA. His grappling is strong, but his standup is a work-in-progress. That should not be much of an issue against Brenneman, who primarily uses his strikes to close distance. Brenneman ekes out a decision.

Lightweights

Ramsey Nijem (7-4, 3-3 UFC) vs. Justin Edwards (8-3, 2-3 UFC): Edwards’ highlight in the Octagon remains a 45-second submission of tough veteran Josh Neer at UFC on FX 5, but he was overwhelmed in his last outing against talented prospect Brandon Thatch in August. That is probably more of a testament to Thatch’s skill than anything else, though Edwards usually remains limited to attempting to impose his will through takedowns and ground-and-pound. Nijem has fallen on hard times with back-to-back losses and figures to keep the pressure on for as long as this bout lasts. Nijem has a riskier approach, but it will pay off here as he wins via decision.

Lightweights

Isaac Vallie-Flagg (14-3-1, 1-0 UFC) vs. Elias Silverio (9-0, 0-0 UFC): Vallie-Flagg has not lost since July 28, 2007, including a split decision triumph over Yves Edwards in his Octagon debut in February. A relentless offensive attack has aided the Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts product in hard-fought triumphs over Edwards and Gesias Cavalcante. A former Jungle Fight welterweight champ, Silverio’s size advantage and muay Thai will be something of a concern, but he has yet to show the type of power that would give Vallie-Flagg pause. Vallie-Flagg takes this by decision.

Middleweights

Trevor Smith (10-4, 0-1 UFC) vs. Brian Houston (4-1, 0-1 UFC): A former college football player with decent power in his hands, Houston might lack the seasoning necessary for the big show, which was evident in his first-round submission loss to Derek Brunson at UFC Fight Night 31. Smith is a former All-American wrestler at Iowa State University, but if his takedowns fail him, Houston may find an opportunity to put his hands to work. Still, Smith is far more battle-tested, and his ability to look for submissions on the mat will ultimately be the difference. Smith finds a submission in round two.

Flyweights

Alptekin Ozkilic (9-1, 1-0 UFC) vs. Louis Smolka (6-0, 0-0 UFC): At 5-foot-9, Smolka is quite large for the 125-pound division, but it is currently unclear if an eventual move to bantamweight will be in his future. The 22-year-old is a Pacific Xtreme Combat flyweight champion who trains in Hawaii alongside recent UFC newcomer Russell Doane. This will be an interesting matchup for Ozkilic, who was able to plant Darren Uyenoyama, a talented grappler, on his back consistently at UFC on Fox 9. Despite his height, Smolka prefers to work in the clinch, particularly with knees, and he is aggressive with chokes and ground-and-pound on the canvas. Ozkilic will want to use his wrestling to keep the fight upright, where he can counter and work the body of his taller foe. Ozkilic wins by decision.

Lightweights

Vinc Pichel (7-1, 0-1 UFC) vs. Garett Whiteley (7-1, 0-1 UFC): Other than his ability to absorb a suplex, Pichel did not show much in his UFC debut against Rustam Khabilov. A product of “The Ultimate Fighter 15,” it will be interesting to see how much Pichel has evolved since the loss to Khabilov -- at the very least, he has decent power, a willingness to engage on the feet and an active guard. Whiteley showed an impressive track record for finishing at the regional level but was unable to mount much of a threat against Alan Patrick Silva Alves at UFC Fight Night 29. Both men should have more of an opportunity to display their skills here. Pichel wins by TKO in round two or three.

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TRACKING TRISTEN

2014 Record: 6-4
Career Record: 273-162-1
Last Event (UFC Fight Night 34): 8-3
Best Event (“The Ultimate Fighter 18” Finale): 9-1
Worst Event (UFC Fight Night 33): 4-5-1