UFC 284: Makhachev vs. Volkanovski: One of the Most Exciting Fights That Mixed Martial Arts Fans Could Ever Hope

• Islam Makhachev is set for his first title defense
• Volkanoavksi looks to become the 5th UFC fighter to attain “double champ” status
• Rodriguez v. Emmett set for the interim featherweight title

UFC 284: Makhachev vs. Volkanovski

The odds for this match are provided by the DraftKings Sportsbook. Click the link to place your bets.

UFC 284: Makhachev vs. Volkanovski - Picks & Predictions

(C) Islam Makhachev vs. Alexander Volkanovski - Lightweight Championship

Alexander Volkanovski (+310)

Yair Rodriguez vs. Josh Emmett - Interim Featherweight Championship

Josh Emmett (+160)

Jack Della Maddalena vs. Randy Brown - Welterweight Division

Jack Della Maddalena (-325)

Justin Tafa vs. Parker Porter - Heavyweight Division

Parker Porter (+105)

Jimmy Crute vs. Alonzo Menifield - Light Heavyweight Division

Alonzo Menifield (+160)

Islam Makhachev vs. Alexander Volkanovski - Lightweight Championship

There is no bigger way to earn your first title defense than by defeating a fellow UFC champion - and that is what Islam Makhachev looks to do this Saturday.

Riding a 10-fight winning streak into his bout against Charles Oliveira for the vacant lightweight title, Makhachev made things look easy when he submitted the former champion in the second round of their UFC 280 main event last October. 

With an International Master of Sport in combat sambo, Makhachev’s grappling prowess is becoming a thing of legend, helped by the fact that he is coached by former lightweight champion and undefeated fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Now, for his first fight as champion, he will take on the UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski in the latter’s home country of Australia.

Having not lost since 2013, Volkanovski is riding a 22-fight winning streak heading into Saturday night; a streak that includes four featherweight title defenses - the most recent of which came against former champion Max Holloway at UFC 276 last July.

Volkanovski hopes to test Makhachev’s grappling skills by showcasing his own Brazilian jiu-jitsu - a discipline in which he has achieved the rank of black belt.

The featherweight champion also boasts a significantly more impressive resume when it comes to who he has beaten: Chad Mendes, Jose Aldo, Brian Ortega, The Korean Zombie, and Max Holloway three times.

Seriously - on paper, this is one of the most exciting and interesting fights that mixed martial arts fans could ever hope for despite the odds listed.

To find out how to place your bets for this lightweight championship main event, check out our ultimate UFC betting guide to get started.

Yair Rodriguez vs. Josh Emmett - Interim Featherweight Championship

Since featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski has his hands full in the main event trying to become “double champ”, top-contenders Yair Rodriguez and Josh Emmett will face off for the interim featherweight title and keep the top of the division warm for Volkanovski’s return.

Emmett is riding a five-fight winning streak into this contest against Rodriguez who is just 1-1 in his last two fights.

Emmett most recently defeated Calvin Kattar by split-decision last June in a headline bout that was deemed the fight of the night.

Rodriguez last fought against Brain Ortega last July. Rodriguez won the bout via first-round TKO after Ortega suffered a shoulder injury and was unable to continue. Prior to that, Rodriguez had lost a unanimous decision against former champion Max Holloway.

Yair Rodriguez will have the youth and height advantage, but Emmett possesses some of the biggest power punches in the division. However, it is Emmett who is listed as a +160 underdog.

Jack Della Maddalena vs. Randy Brown - Welterweight Division

Jack Della Maddalena made his debut last January and fought three times in 2022 - winning all three fights by first-round TKO and quickly cementing himself as a top-prospect in the welterweight division.

Randy Brown, a UFC veteran since 2016, is currently on a four-fight winning streak that most recently saw him defeat Francisco Trinaldo via unanimous decision last October.

Both fighters hold brown belts in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Despite Brown’s notable height and reach advantages, the hype behind Maddalena is real and he is a heavy favorite to win, listed as -325.

Justin Tafa vs. Parker Porter - Heavyweight Division

The sole heavyweight fight on the entire card, hometown boy Justin Tafa will take on Parker Porter - and both of these men need the win.

After enjoying a three-fight winning streak, Porter was recently dismantled by rising star Jailton Almeida, who submitted Porter in the first round of their May 2022 fight.

Tafa, who had suffered back-to-back losses, will enter the octagon Saturday coming off of a first-round head-kick knockout win over Harry Hunsucker. However, that last fight for Tafa took place in December 2021 and he actually came in overweight!

Following the win over Hunsucker, Tafa pulled out of two fights - both for undisclosed reasons - before this fight with Porter came together.

Jimmy Crute vs. Alonzo Menifield - Light Heavyweight Division

After suffering back-to-back losses in 2021 and taking all of 2022 to undergo and recover from knee surgery, Australia’s own Jimmy Crute will return to action this Saturday to take on Alonzo Menifield.

Unlike Crute, Menifield fought twice in 2022, defeating Askar Mazharov by first-round TKO before moving on to defeat Misha Cirkunov by first-round knockout last October.

Crute boasts a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and a green belt in judo as well as a two-inch height advantage. 

But Menifield’s two-inch reach advantage and the fact that he has been more active leads us to believe that he could take the win - despite being listed as a +160 underdog.

How to Watch UFC 284: Makhachev vs. Volkanovski

• LOCATION: RAC Arena, Perth, Australia
• WHEN: Saturday, February 11
• TIME: 10 PM EST
• HOW: PPV, UFC Fight Pass, ESPN+