(All stats according toUFC’s Record Bookand 3027.tv as of February 8, 2023, and only include active athletes in their respective division unless noted otherwise)
Main Event: Islam Makhachev vs Alexander Volkanovski
Islam Makhachev
Key Stats: 0.95 strikes absorbed per minute (1st all-time), 65.9% takedown accuracy, 46.3% top position percentage (4th all-time among LW)
RELATED: Islam Makhachev's 2022 Campaign
What It Means: When you talk about Makhachev, you must start with the grappling prowess. His sambo-style wrestling is dynamic, suffocating, and relentless. He is relatively patient when it comes to getting the fight to the ground, though, due to the confidence in his skills on the feet. He has good power and accuracy in the standup game. Makhachev, from the southpaw stance, likes to lead exchanges or counter with his straight left followed by a right hook. Sometimes he’ll throw the right hook while moving backwards, and he often follows with the straight left afterward. When Makhachev engages in a clinch, he has a variety or trips, hip throws and transitions to complete a takedown and maintain control. He can dish out hard ground-and-pound from full and half guard, and he likes to threaten an arm triangle submission from there, as well.
Alexander Volkanovski
Key Stats: 1.18% bottom position percentage (5th all-time among FW), 77.8% takedown defense (tied-10th all-time among FW), +3.12 striking differential (1st all-time among FW)
What It Means: “Alexander The Great” is well-rounded with a sharp Fight IQ that makes him a difficult puzzle to solve. His combination of a compact frame with a long reach can make for a deceptive target to find, and he uses that in tandem with great speed and strength to his advantage. He has a good, long jab that he’ll extend combinations from once he dials in his range. He also flicks quick low kicks from distance. Volkanovski has good defensive grappling and good strength in close quarters and clinches that allow him to gain leverage in exchanges.
RELATED: Volk's Greatest Hits
What to Look For in the Fight: Every Makhachev fight is going to question the quality of his opponent’s defensive grappling. Volkanovski has displayed good takedown defense against featherweights, but how that translates at 155 pounds is the main topic once these two square off in Perth. On the feet, Volkanovski will have the speed advantage, and he is comfortable picking off opponents from the outside, as well as pressing the action. He rarely overextends himself when striking and maintains great balance, which bodes well for when Makhachev looks to either counter with punches or a takedown attempt.
Rodriguez vs Emmett Co-Main Event Preview | UFC 284
Unlock MORE of your inner combat sports fan with UFC Fight Pass! Fighting is what we live for. And no one brings you MORE live fights, new shows, and events across multiple combat sports from around the world. With a never-ending supply of fighting in every discipline, there’s always something new to watch. Leave it to the world’s authority in MMA to bring you the Ultimate 24/7 platform for MORE combat sports, UFC Fight Pass!
Continue watching
Unlock MORE of your inner combat sports fan with UFC Fight Pass! Fighting is what we live for. And no one brings you MORE live fights, new shows, and events across multiple combat sports from around the world. With a never-ending supply of fighting in every discipline, there’s always something new to watch. Leave it to the world’s authority in MMA to bring you the Ultimate 24/7 platform for MORE combat sports, UFC Fight Pass!
This video is not available in your country
There was a problem while loading content. Please try again.
Rodriguez vs Emmett Co-Main Event Preview | UFC 284
/
Co-Main Event: Yair Rodriguez vs Josh Emmett
Yair Rodriguez
Key Stats: 4.67 strikes landed per minute, 62% takedown defense, 4.12 strikes absorbed per minute
What It Means: Rodriguez is a hyper-dynamic striker with a true love for a beautiful brawl. He is creative in his striking with a variety of kicks and spinning attacks from unorthodox and odd angles, as well as real power in his hands. He operates best with space to get all these techniques off, but even against the cage or on his back, he likes to take risks and go for finishes in any and all positions.
Yair Rodriguez Fight Week Interview | UFC 284
Unlock MORE of your inner combat sports fan with UFC Fight Pass! Fighting is what we live for. And no one brings you MORE live fights, new shows, and events across multiple combat sports from around the world. With a never-ending supply of fighting in every discipline, there’s always something new to watch. Leave it to the world’s authority in MMA to bring you the Ultimate 24/7 platform for MORE combat sports, UFC Fight Pass!
Continue watching
Unlock MORE of your inner combat sports fan with UFC Fight Pass! Fighting is what we live for. And no one brings you MORE live fights, new shows, and events across multiple combat sports from around the world. With a never-ending supply of fighting in every discipline, there’s always something new to watch. Leave it to the world’s authority in MMA to bring you the Ultimate 24/7 platform for MORE combat sports, UFC Fight Pass!
This video is not available in your country
There was a problem while loading content. Please try again.
Yair Rodriguez Fight Week Interview | UFC 284
/
Josh Emmett
Key Stats: 11 knockdowns (tied-1st all-time among FW), 1.65 knockdowns per 15 minutes (2nd all-time among FW), 1.04 takedowns per 15 minutes
What It Means: Emmett is more than his notable overhand right, but that overhand right is perhaps the most regularly devastating punch held in perhaps any of the lighter weight classes. Emmett does have power out of both stances, and his big shots don’t really come wide, but rather explosively and tight to the target. Even if they land on an opponent’s guard, they can have real impact. Emmett also mixes in kicks, and his wrestling base is always there for him to switch up the pace of a fight as well as to get his opponent’s hands down that half-inch so he can connect with a knockout shot.
How To Watch UFC 284: Makhachev vs Volkanovski In Your Country
What to Look For in the Fight: For all of Emmett’s power, Rodriguez has shown he has the chin to deal with people’s best shots over the course of a five-round fight. Emmett might mix in his wrestling early to stave off Rodriguez’s most dynamic moves early, but Rodriguez can always pull something out of the hat. For all of Rodriguez’s flash, he is a sharp striker who can punish opponents from distance with conventional shots. Emmett, on the other hand, really only needs a split-second to land his big overhand, so watch for him to set that up over the course of the fight with feints, takedown attempts and combinations.
Josh Emmett Fight Week Interview | UFC 284
Unlock MORE of your inner combat sports fan with UFC Fight Pass! Fighting is what we live for. And no one brings you MORE live fights, new shows, and events across multiple combat sports from around the world. With a never-ending supply of fighting in every discipline, there’s always something new to watch. Leave it to the world’s authority in MMA to bring you the Ultimate 24/7 platform for MORE combat sports, UFC Fight Pass!
Continue watching
Unlock MORE of your inner combat sports fan with UFC Fight Pass! Fighting is what we live for. And no one brings you MORE live fights, new shows, and events across multiple combat sports from around the world. With a never-ending supply of fighting in every discipline, there’s always something new to watch. Leave it to the world’s authority in MMA to bring you the Ultimate 24/7 platform for MORE combat sports, UFC Fight Pass!
This video is not available in your country
There was a problem while loading content. Please try again.
Josh Emmett Fight Week Interview | UFC 284
/
Jack Della Maddalena vs Randy Brown
Jack Della Maddalena
Key Stats: 8.45 strikes landed per minute, 67% striking defense, 5:59 average fight time
What It Means: Della Maddalena is such a fluid striker. Whether he starts an exchange or is on the back foot, he flows into his combinations and almost always throws multiple shots. He has beautiful, sweeping hooks moving backward, and he moves smoothly when changing his target level.
Highlight: Jack Della Maddalena Notches Debut TKO | UFC 270: Ngannou vs Gane
Unlock MORE of your inner combat sports fan with UFC Fight Pass! Fighting is what we live for. And no one brings you MORE live fights, new shows, and events across multiple combat sports from around the world. With a never-ending supply of fighting in every discipline, there’s always something new to watch. Leave it to the world’s authority in MMA to bring you the Ultimate 24/7 platform for MORE combat sports, UFC Fight Pass!
Continue watching
Unlock MORE of your inner combat sports fan with UFC Fight Pass! Fighting is what we live for. And no one brings you MORE live fights, new shows, and events across multiple combat sports from around the world. With a never-ending supply of fighting in every discipline, there’s always something new to watch. Leave it to the world’s authority in MMA to bring you the Ultimate 24/7 platform for MORE combat sports, UFC Fight Pass!
This video is not available in your country
There was a problem while loading content. Please try again.
Highlight: Jack Della Maddalena Notches Debut TKO | UFC 270: Ngannou vs Gane
/
Randy Brown
Key Stats: 4.38 strikes landed per minute, 3.25 strikes absorbed per minute, 48% striking accuracy.
UFC 284 Fight By Fight Preview
What It Means: Brown is a crafty, diverse, and smart striker with an improved understanding of how to use his long-distance tools. His teep kick up the middle is good for maintaining range, as well as punishing his opponent’s body, but he is also very willing to stand in the pocket and exchange. Brown has smooth defensive head movement, and he can often frustrate opponents with it while picking them apart.
What to Look For in the Fight: This projects as an interesting, entertaining and high-level striking battle. Brown is the toughest fight for Della Maddalena thus far in his career, and how Brown utilizes that experience is a factor to watch. In terms of power, Della Maddalena might have the advantage, but he is more of a precision and volume striker who intelligently picks his moments when he sits down on strikes. For Brown, keeping that distance and finding windows when Della Maddalena opens up is crucial.
Randy Brown Fight Week Interview | UFC 284
Unlock MORE of your inner combat sports fan with UFC Fight Pass! Fighting is what we live for. And no one brings you MORE live fights, new shows, and events across multiple combat sports from around the world. With a never-ending supply of fighting in every discipline, there’s always something new to watch. Leave it to the world’s authority in MMA to bring you the Ultimate 24/7 platform for MORE combat sports, UFC Fight Pass!
Continue watching
Unlock MORE of your inner combat sports fan with UFC Fight Pass! Fighting is what we live for. And no one brings you MORE live fights, new shows, and events across multiple combat sports from around the world. With a never-ending supply of fighting in every discipline, there’s always something new to watch. Leave it to the world’s authority in MMA to bring you the Ultimate 24/7 platform for MORE combat sports, UFC Fight Pass!
This video is not available in your country
There was a problem while loading content. Please try again.
Randy Brown Fight Week Interview | UFC 284
/
UFC 284: Makhachev vs Volkanovskitook placelive from RAC Arena in Perth, Western Australia on February 11, 2023. See the Final Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive all the action on UFC Fight Pass!
