It’s still early on in 2023 but the Ultimate Fighting Championship has already created a ton of headlines thanks to some fantastic events. Later this month, we have UFC 284 on the schedule, and people can’t wait for the action. In this piece, we have our best UFC 284 bets: Islam Makhachev vs. Alexander Volkanovski picks. Which Lightweight superstar will come out on top?
• UFC 284: Islam Makhachev vs. Alexander Volkanovski in the main event
• Saturday, February 11th at 10:00 p.m. ET
• Rac Arena in Perth, Australia
Leading up to this epic showdown, Islam Makhachev is a strong favorite to record a victory, and it’s no secret why. Time and time again, Makhachev has been sensational inside of the octagon, and he’s been tough to bring down when the gloves are on. His size and speed make Makhachev so much fun to watch, and his record backs that up.
Throughout his days fighting in the UFC, Makhachev holds a 23-1-0 record. That man has been nearly impossible to take down, and he will enter this bout with Volkanovski with a ton of confidence. That said, Volkanovski is also a big-time threat when he’s brawling, as he is the proud owner of a 25-1-0 record. Both of these guys will be fired up to put on a show.
| UFC 284 odds |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Makhachev to win | -380 | -380 | -380 |
| Volkanovski to win | +350 | +350 | +350 |
| Emmett to win | +135 | +135 | +135 |
| Rodriguez to win | -138 | -138 | -138 |
“I like it. I’m all good with it,” Volkanovski said, moving up in weight classes. “Especially moving up and the lightweight title and all that type of stuff, and then fighting someone like this — again, we want this for legacy. I never used to talk like this. If you remember, I never talked about legacy fights and all this stuff, but now I’m all about it. Now I’m all for the big fights. I love the underdog story.”
Volkanovski, indeed is the underdog this time around, and he knows the pressure will be on. According to the best-rated sportsbooks, which includes the reliable Bovada review, Makhachev holds -380 UFC betting odds and Volkanovski has been set at +350. This one could be over early on, as we’re going with Makhachev as our pick to win. Agree? Check out our UFC betting sites to get a wager in.
Meanwhile, in the co-main event for the night, Josh Emmett will be ready to put on a show at UFC 284, and he’s got quite the showcase on the way going up against Yair Rodriguez. These featherweight studs have been equally impressive as the two fighters mentioned above. Both are also going to be hungry to make an impression on the fans in Australia.
Heading into this bout, Rodriguez owns a 15-3-0 record, while Emmett has gone 18-2-0. When it comes to both Emmett and Rodriguez, don’t let their smaller sizes fool you. Yes, they don’t have the same kind of delivery and impact with their punches as heavyweights, but they still have the kind of power to knock out their opponents with one strong shot. They’ll hope to land heavy punches this month on the biggest of stages.
Per the oddsmakers, Rodriguez is the favorite for this one, as he holds -158 odds. Meanwhile, for Emmett, he’s the underdog with his +135 odds. Rodriguez is feeling great about his chances, but so is Emmett. Call it a hunch, but we think an upset is on the way at UFC 284. With all of that said, we’re going with Emmett as our pick to win at UFC 284 over Rodriguez.
In another intriguing UFC betting opportunity for fans, remember that Jack Della Maddalena should dominate at UFC 284. Maddalena is getting ready to take on Randy Brown, and there’s little doubt at all that he’ll be able to come away with an impressive win. Maddalena is 13-2 in his UFC career, while Brown has been able to post a 16-4-0 mark.
These two welterweights know what will have to get done to have their hand raised by the end of the night. With that said, Maddalena is a much more technical fighter, and he has proven to be on a different level before. It’s not going to be easy for Brown to dance with him when they meet on Feb. 11. If anything, Maddalena should be expected to record the victory shortly after things get started.
At this point, not only are we predicting Maddalena to win, but we also think that he’s going to be able to record a victory in the first round. Brown is going to need a lot of help to keep things interesting and we just don’t think that he’s going to be able to hang tight with someone of Maddalena’s caliber. Because of this, we are surely going with Maddalena as our pick to win.
