Jared McComb Ready for Anything Against Teddy Ash at Unified 33

Nov 29, 2017

Riding high with back-to-back first-round finishes, Jared “The Yeti” McComb is among Canada’s top fighters at 205 pounds. He’s hungry to add to his resume with a successful Unified MMA Light-Heavyweight Championship defense against Teddy “Bear” Ash in the co-main event of Unified 33 on Dec. 15 in Edmonton.

The two heavy-handed fighters trained together during Fort McMurray’s 2016 wildfire. They also fought in 2013, with Ash earning a hard-fought split decision victory over McComb after three back-and-forth rounds in Edmonton.

“We’ve always been on ‘OK’ terms — training partners, somewhat friendly — but, I’ve always felt there has been something between us since we fought,” the champ McComb says after a recent training session in Edmonton.

McComb started training nearly a decade ago as a means of keeping in shape; it was his first trainer who turned McComb on to the idea of fighting.

“’You know what? Fight three fights, something crazy could happen — you never know.’ It picked up steam over the years until about three or four years in, when I found I had some real talent and I could go far with it,” McComb says.

McComb isn’t approaching this fight any different from the last, although Ash is currently on a three-fight win streak, most recently taking out UFC vet Victor Valimaki with a first-round KO at Unified 32.

“I’m approaching this fight just like any other fight because it’s always worked for me,” he says. “I don’t want to add any extra pressure or change something that’s been working for me.”

“Winning is the best feeling in the world. There’s no better feeling than when you win. I think we could potentially have a twenty-five minute, balls-to-the-wall fight. That’s been a big part of my training – making sure I’m ready for those five rounds. I’m ready for anything”

Unified 33, which goes down Dec. 15 in Edmonton, also features UFC vet Shane Campbell as he defends his Lightweight Championship in a rematch with Stephen Beaumont, and a Bantamweight Championship bout between Michael Hay and Noah Ali. The card will also feature, among other returning favourites, Neal Anderson, Nick Hrabec, Christian Larsen and Matt Spisak,

CHRIS JOSEPH PHOTOGRAPHY