UFC 284 Predictions: Bleacher Report Main Card Staff Picks

UFC 284 goes down on Sunday morning in Perth, Australia, with a typical Saturday night start time for fight fans in North America.

The card will be topped by an absolute blockbuster, as featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski climbs up to the lightweight division to challenge Islam Makhachev in a bid for a second title.

Australia's Volkanovski is at the top of pretty much every credible pound-for-pound list, while the Russian Makhachev is generally considered a top-5 or even top-3 pound-for-pound fighter by many outlets, so this is really one of the biggest fights the UFC could make right now.

Volkanovski's move up to lightweight has the potential to slow things down a bit at featherweight. To prevent this, the UFC has created an interim title for the weight class, which will be up for grabs at UFC 284 when Mexico's Yair Rodriguez takes on American Josh Emmett in the co-main event.

Earlier on the main card, we'll see surging Australian welterweight prospect Jack Della Maddalena take on Jamaican-American veteran Randy Brown. Before that, New Zealand's Justin Tafa will take on American Parker Porter in a clash of unranked heavyweights, and Australia's Jimmy Crute will meet another American in Alonzo Menifield at light heavyweight.

It's a card full of competitive-looking fights, and, as always, the B/R combat sports squad has come together for another round of predictions.

Tom Taylor: As I said in my recent breakdown for this matchup, Volkanovski is probably a better fighter overall than Makhachev. Maybe not by much, but he definitely seems to be a step ahead in a few key areas—most notably the striking.

Unfortunately for him, his slight technical advantages are unlikely to matter much against Makhachev, who will probably be much bigger and stronger on the night in spite of everything the Australian has done to bulk up.

My guess is Volkanovski will look good but ultimately undersized against the hulking lightweight champion.

Makhachev by unanimous decision

Haris Kruskic: I really want to pick Volkanovski. The featherweight champ has shown his versatility during his time in the UFC and his willingness to go wherever the fight may take him.

However, he hasn't competed against a wrestling-dominant fighter since Chad Mendes' last fight in 2018. In fact, the only grappler he's competed against since then was Brian Ortega, who had Volk in a guillotine choke for 20 seconds and nearly pulled off the win. If Ortega could do that, imagine what a heavier Islam Makhachev could do.

Keeping the fight standing is vital for Volkanovski's chances, but it's tough to see him doing that, all things considered.

Makhachev by submission, Rd. 2

Lyle Fitzsimmons: The consensus seems to be that Volkanovski would win a pound-for-pound showdown, and the sentiment certainly sways toward people wanting him to find a way to do so on Saturday night. But then reality creeps in. And that reality suggests that anything the featherweight champ can do at 155 pounds, the lightweight champ—who'll hit the ring far above that number—can do better.

It's a tale as old as time and a song as old as rhyme. A good big man beats a good little man.

Makhachev, submission, Round 3

Tom Taylor: This is a great fight. Emmett is arguably the featherweight division's hardest puncher, while Rodriguez is easily its flashiest striker, with plenty of stopping power of his own.

It could seemingly end any number of ways, and at any moment—that's always the case when Rodriguez is in the cage. That makes it hard to make a confident prediction, but I'm leaning toward Emmett's wrestling and staggering punching power carrying him to victory and the interim belt.

Emmet by TKO, Rd. 4

Haris Kruskic: This is a matchup of speed vs. power. Rodriguez has shown he can strike with the best of them during his fun fight against Max Holloway and wins against Korean Zombie and Dan Hooker. He doesn't possess the power to instantly end fights, but his precision and unpredictability get him ahead on scorecards.

Meanwhile, Josh Emmett's jab is one of the strongest in the division. It's given everyone he's gone up against problems and often leaves them looking worse for wear. But a clear issue we saw in his somewhat controversial win against Calvin Kattar is his gas tank. I worry that Rodriguez's style is better suited to take this fight into the championship rounds and deliver at a higher volume than Emmett's.

Rodriguez by split decision

Lyle Fitzsimmons: Could Rodriguez find a way to land a highlight reel strike (or two) and win this fight? Absolutely. And no one would be considered beyond the pale for suggesting it. It's a similar scenario for Emmett. After all, he's KO'd three opponents inside the Octagon, and given that Rodriguez has been stopped twice in three career losses, it's hardly hyperbolic to suggest it could happen again.

The tiebreaker is what happens if it gets to the ground. And that is where Emmett will thrive.

Emmett by unanimous decision

Tom Taylor: Australia's Jack Della Maddalena is one of the best prospects in the welterweight division right now, and really, in all of MMA. He's looked incredible in his first three UFC bouts and will be looking for his best win to date against Brown.

Let's call this what it is: a tough but winnable fight for a guy the UFC clearly wants to turn into a star. He wouldn't be the third last fight on this card if that weren't the case.

The Australian gets it done early and in impressive fashion, setting up a fight with a ranked opponent next time out.

Della Maddalena by KO, Rd. 1

Haris Kruskic: This is going to be really fun. Those unfamiliar with Jack Della Maddalena may have asked themselves why this fight was so high on the card, but the UFC loves to elevate younger fighters who have championship potential. Maddalena is one of those people.

Despite only fighting with the promotion since last year, the Aussie has quickly made a name for himself with three first-round knockouts. His prolific boxing has been compared to Conor McGregor. It's always going to be tough on a fighter when he's getting attached to a name as big as that, but the comparison is understandable when you watch his technique.

He faces a major step up in competition against veteran Randy Brown who's on a four-fight win streak and also an exciting fighter. The winner will likely get a ranked opponent after this.

Della Maddalena by TKO, Rd. 2

Lyle Fitzsimmons: It's hard to believe based on what he's shown in the UFC, but there was a time that Della Maddalena was 0-2 as a pro with losses by TKO and submission. To say it's gone a smidge better since then would be an understatement, and the hype surrounding him that's been referenced by my esteemed colleagues is no joke. How he looks in this one will determine how much more it swells.

A step-up fight in which the stepper-upper dominates.

Della Maddalena by TKO, Round 2

Tom Taylor: Welcome to the UFC 284 addition of why the heck is this fight on the main card? No disrespect to Porter or Tafa, but neither guy is anywhere near the heavyweight Top 15.

The UFC is surely hoping this turns into an exciting heavyweight slobber-knocker, but it's just as likely it turns into a drawn-out snoozer between two exhausted big boys. I hope I'm wrong, but my guess is we get the latter option and that it's Tafa getting his hand raised after 15 slow minutes.

Tafa by unanimous decision

Haris Kruskic: No one is excited about this fight. This fight should not be on the main card of any major event. This heavyweight fight has the potential to be really boring despite UFC's hope it at least gives us a knockout.

I'm taking Parker Porter simply because Justin Tafa has struggled against any decent fighter he's gone up against.

I reward the bookers of this fight with no points, and may God have mercy on their souls.

Porter by unanimous decision

Lyle Fitzsimmons: Were this card not so top-heavy, and were Tafa not a New Zealander, this fight would barely make the prelim show, let alone the main card. Porter has five UFC fights, with three wins by decision and two losses by first-round finish. Tafa, meanwhile, occupies the flip side with a 2-3 octagonal mark highlighted by a pair of first-round victories.

If all else fails, go with the younger fighter who's closer to home.

Tafa by TKO, Round 1

Tom Taylor: Crute and Menifield are at similar junctures in their careers. Both guys had a ton of promise in the early phases of their UFC runs but have struggled too much with consistency to become legitimate contenders at light heavyweight so far.

Still, both guys are pretty good, and both have the power to end this in an instant. Menifield is a hard guy to count out, but I'm betting Crute will use his striking to hurt the American on the feet and ultimately finish him on the ground—much to the elation of the Aussies in the building. Call it another kimura.

Crute by submission, Rd. 2

Haris Kruskic: This is a great opener to the main card because both guys finish fights. Jimmy Crute hasn't gone past the first round in six straight, and Alonzo Menifield has toasters for hands. That's a recipe for fun viewing.

I'm taking Menifield because Crute struggles with big power. If he lets his hands fly, it should be a quick night for the Australian.

Menifield by TKO, Rd. 1

Lyle Fitzsimmons: Menifield and Crute have passed some of the same road signs along the way. They both beat Paul Craig—Menifield by KO, Crute by submission—in their ninth pro fights. They both had fights with Misha Cirkunov ending inside a round, though results varied as Menifield won and Crute lost. And though the last item might prompt a lean in Menifield's direction, it doesn't feel so clear-cut.

Crute has gone on to meet Anthony Smith and Jamahal Hill in his last two bouts. And though neither resulted in a victory, he gets tiebreaking points for quality of opposition and homefield advantage.

Crute by unanimous decision