UFC 284 odds: Makhachev and Volkanovski meet in super fight
UFC 284 is heading down under on February 12 when Islam Makhachev and Alexander Volkanovski touch gloves in Perth for the lightweight championship belt.
The latest: Both Makhachev and Volkanovski sit atop the fighting world heading into this bout. The former captured the lightweight title at UFC 280 in October while the latter is moving up from featherweight with the goal of becoming the fifth fighter to hold two UFC belts simultaneously.
UFC 284 odds
Odds as of 2:04 p.m. ET on 01/26/2023.
UFC 284 odds: Makhachev vs. Volkanovski
Odds: Makhachev (-360) vs. Volkanovski (+270)
We can’t overstate how big of a fight this is.
The men’s pound-for-pound power rankings list Makhachev (No. 2) and Volkanovski (No. 1) at the very top. Both fighters are among the best to ever step inside the Octagon and are in the primes of their careers. Oh, and they’re both coming off massive title fights.
Volkanovski beat Max Holloway at UFC 276 last July to defend his featherweight title for a fourth-consecutive time. The Austrailian has never lost in this promotion and has a career MMA record of 25-1, winning 12 of those bouts via knockout.
He’s held an ironclad grip on the 145-pound division for the better part of four years and will now move up a weight class where Makhachev waits in the wings.
The Dagestani recently snatched the lightweight crown from Charles Oliveira at UFC 280 in October. Makhachev won that bout via a second-round submission and extended his win streak to 11 in the process.
Makhachev is the favourite here for good reason.
He’s not nearly as prolific a striker as Volkanovski — the Dagestani lands 2.37 significant strikes per minute to the Australians’ 6.79 — but he has a clear size advantage and has never really been threatened at the top level.
Rodriguez vs. Emmett
Odds: Rodriguez (-165) vs. Emmett (+132)
This is an easy fight to overlook preceding the main act, but it should still be a banger.
Rodriguez and Emmett are two of the world’s best featherweights with the latter entering February’s event on a five-fight winning streak. Rodriguez has won three of his last four fights with a loss to Holloway mixed in as well.
Neither fighter is afraid to throw ‘em, either.
Rodriguez averages 4.67 significant strikes per minute, which narrowly clears Emmett’s 4.28. The former has secured eight of his 14 wins by finish while the latter heads to the judges’ table more often than not.
Emmett has won 18 fights and 10 have come via decision, including each of his past three.
Della Maddalena vs. Brown
Odds: Della Maddalena (-345) vs. Brown (+265)
Della Maddalena is on a meteoric rise and is heavily favoured to take care of business in his backyard.
The Australian welterweight has won 13 straight fights, and each of his three UFC victories has come via first-round knockout.
Della Maddalena is a prolific striker that has a flair for the dramatic, but he’ll have it tough against Brown.
The 32-year-old fighting out of Jamaica has won four-straight bouts and has a significant height and reach advantage over Della Maddalena. Brown is also a brown belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and five of his 16 wins have come via submission.
Whoever can control the flow of this fight will have the best shot of winning. Look for Della Maddalena to try and keep this outright and Brown to take it to the mat.
Tafa vs. Porter
Odds: Tafa (-150) vs. Porter (+120)
Tafa and Porter bring the power on this card.
The two heavyweights have competed in 27 combined fights, and 20 of those have ended via finish (14 knockouts).
Tafa has only fought eight times and is coming off a victory where he delivered a vicious head-kick KO against Harry Hunsucker in December of 2021. The Big Kiwi has been sidelined since then due to a series of undisclosed ailments.
Porter has been much more active and fought twice in 2022, securing a win and a loss in those contests. His most recent showing against Jailton Almeida ended in defeat when the Brazilian choked him out last May.
Both fighters throw north of five significant strikes per minute. Don’t hold your breath on this one going to a decision.
