UFC 284 Analysis

UFC 284: Makhachev vs Volkanovski – 2.11.2023 – Fight Predictions and Analysis

Welcome to our collaborative coverage of UFC 284: Makhachev vs. Volkanovski. The UFC has returned to Perth Australia for a massive fight tonight between the top two pound-for-pound fighters in the world. Our analysis includes a pick for every bout from Dynes Sports contributors Anthony Marro and Nicholas Marro.

As coverage continues, we will keep our records up to date below. Be sure to check out our full reasoning for every pick though as records will not reflect confidence. We will be picking every fight, but likely only recommend betting on a select few.

Current Record

Anthony: 20-16-1 (Last Year 320-187-3, 63%)
Nick: 26-10-1 (Last Year 324-183-3, 64%)

*Fight odds were last updated from Bet99 on 2-11-2023 at 11am EST

Early Prelims- Start 6:00pm EST

Zubaira Tukhugov -600 vs Elves Brenner +435

Anthony: The preliminary card opens with Zubaira Tukhugov facing Elves Brenner on short notice. Brenner serves as a short notice replacement for the injured Joel Alvarez. Tukhugov is moving up from featherweight for this bout, yet he still managed to wind up heavy on the scales. Consistency has been a major issue for Tukhugov throughout his career, whether it be weight, Fight IQ or stamina. Despite all that I see him slicing through Brenner rather easily. Brenner is a product of Chute Boxe Diego Lima looking to get a win back for his team over these Russians. He is a pretty aggressive fighter that a stronger Tukhugov could easily outwork on the mat. I normally would not be reliant on Tukhugov implementing offensive grappling but with a whole camp preparing for Joel Alvarez, I think he is conditioned for a wrestling heavy approach. I do not see him ceding a position of control to Brenner if he is able to get engaged on the mat. Zubaira Tukhugov by Round Two KO
Nick: Zubaira Tukhugov is a well-rounded fighter and a training partner of card-headliner Islam Makhachev. He’s a creative striker with excellent footwork who throws a variety of high-impact spinning techniques. He’s sound defensively, but he has been known at times to start slow as he waits for fights to come to him. I expect this fight to mostly take place on the feet, but Tukhugov can lean on a grappling advantage if he needs to. Primarily a striker, he averages 2.94 takedowns per fifteen minutes. He is an underrated wrestler who can certainly out-grapple the majority of the fighters on the roster at 145 pounds. Elves Brenner will be making his UFC debut here, coming off back-to-back submission victories. Brenner is usually extremely aggressive early in fights. He has powerful strikes, but his technique is far from refined – especially defensively. He’ll be taking this fight on short notice as Tukhugov’s original opponent, Joel Alvarez, was forced to withdraw due to injury. Alvarez is similar to Brenner in that he is a submission first grappler. I expect Tukhugov to weather Brenner’s early attacks and then pick him apart at range. The line feels a bit wide as Tukhugov has been inconsistent in the past, but I don’t expect Brenner to be on his level. Zubaira Tukhugov by Round Two KO

Shane Young -150 vs Blake Bilder +125

Anthony: This is a good scrap at featherweight with the debuting Blake Bilder facing a returning Shane Young. I am excited to see Young back in action in front of a home crowd. He is known to feed off the energy in the arena and make fights violent depending on his energy. This card does start early in the morning down under, but Young should be primed to beat Bilder in a striking heavy affair. He is a much better kickboxer than the undefeated Bilder. We saw Bilder signed off Dana White’s Contender Series after a rather quick finish and while the level of competition has been okay, I think Young is a bit too much too soon. It could be that Young is no longer as fresh a fighter as he was but I think this short hiatus has him energized and ready to scrap. Young should work to his feet as needed here early and start to put it on Bilder as he tires and lower his guard. It is not a confident play for me but one I will make at near pick em odds. Shane Young by Decision
Nick: Shane Young is coming off back-to-back losses and is likely fighting to keep his roster spot in this match-up. He’s been out of action since March of 2021. Young throws a ton of volume, but his greatest quality in the octagon is really his chin. He pushes a serious pace, and relentlessly pursues his opponents even if shots are raining down on him. Young puts out more than 5 significant strikes per minute, but he also absorbs more than 5 significant strikes per minute. Blake Bilder will be making his UFC debut here, coming off an impressive Contender Series win over Alex Morgan via first round submission. Each of his last four wins have come via finish, and he comes into this fight at an undefeated 7-0-1. Bilder is well-rounded with powerful punches and advanced BJJ. He hasn’t been tested extensively against top level competition, but his regional resume is above average compared to other UFC debutants. Bilder has decent footwork and he does a good job staying off the centerline. I see him as the more powerful striker in this spot, and I expect he can catch Young as Young is overly willing to eat shots in exchanges. This is a low confidence play, but I’ll take a stab on the underdog to get it done. Blake Bilder by Round One KO

Loma Lookboonmee -325 vs Elise Reed +250

Anthony: This is a fight at women’s strawweight between Loma Lookboonmee and Elise Reed. Reed impressed me by beating undefeated Mexican prospect Melissa Martinez last September. I always thought Reed was a bit mediocre but she has proven to have grit and a well-rounded skill set. She is live in what I view as a volatile fight, but Lookboonmee is justifiably the favorite. We should see Lookboonmee find prolonged success standing here, utilizing the Thai clinch to land more shots in close on a longer and more range oriented Reed. Normally Loma does well keeping steady pressure and implementing her gameplan so I am expecting her to do so once again here. This is an opportunity to really showcase her striking against an opponent in Reed offering little power apart from an overhand. Loma Lookboonmee by Decision
Nick: Lookboonmee is known for her advanced Muay-Thai fighting style. She’s a volume striker who throws at a consistent pace and most of her success comes exchanging in the clinch. She has shown continuous improvements at the UFC level, and she’s only lost close fights against top-level talent. Reed is a tough and gritty military vet who is more than willing to take shots in order to throw them. She has decent footwork and her boxing is somewhat refined. She doesn’t carry much power, but she throws compact strikes and does a good job mixing kicks into her combinations. She is coming off a solid win over Melissa Martinez via decision, but this represents a considerable step in competition for her here. Lookboonmee is the rightful favorite in this. She has faced the higher level or competition, she’s far more experienced, and on the feet I expect her to outclass Reed significantly. Loma Lookboonmee by Decision

Jack Jenkins -370 vs Don Shainis +280

Anthony: Closing this portion of the card is a featherweight bout between Don Shainis and Jack Jenkins. Shainis got smoked in his UFC debut against a very tough out in Sodiq Yusuff. He is drawing into another very difficult test here as he faces Jenkins who enters winning seven fights in a row. He is a very good kickboxer hailing from Australia and making his promotional debut today. I do think he is a rather special local talent but sitting favored by -370 makes me a bit hesitant to pull the trigger. Nonetheless we have seen Shainis beaten up quite a few times before and I’m not really a fan of much of his work. He will be game to brawl but I do not see this fight going his way. Jenkins is far better conditioned and more capable of landing strikes in combination. I think he finds a way to finish here eventually. Jack Jenkins by Round Three KO
Nick: Don Shainis is coming off a tough loss to Sodiq Yusuff in his UFC debut, a brutal match-up he took on short notice as a means to get into the promotion. Shainis is tough and fairly well-rounded, but he doesn’t have any standout skills. Outside of his loss to Yusuff he hasn’t been tested against top level competition. Jack Jenkins will be making his UFC debut in this spot, coming off a Contender Series win over Freddy Emiliano Linares. He was dominant in that fight, picking Linares apart for the better part of three rounds before finishing him via ground and pound with just 30 seconds left on the clock. Prior to that Contender Series match-up, Jenkins hadn’t really been tested against top-level competition, but he seems well-rounded and athletic with decent striking fundamentals, explosive power, and solid overall wrestling ability. Shainis could be dangerous early here, but outside of that early window I don’t really see him having enough ability to slow down Jenkins. The line feels a bit wide as there are questions surrounding both of these fighters, but Jenkins is the pick. He should have technical and athleticism advantages no matter where this one goes. Jack Jenkins by Decision

Preliminary Card- Starts 8:00pm EST

Jamie Mullarkey -275 vs Francisco Prado +220

Anthony: The prelims begin with a fight at lightweight between Jamie Mullarkey and Francisco Prado. There are a lot of unknowns surrounding the 20 year old Prado who is a mere 6-0 as a professional. The wins have been rather impressive against decent competition but Mullarkey feels like a nightmare matchup to draw in his promotional debut. He is a fighter with much higher level experience and a far superior gas tank than Prado. Last year Mullarkey beat Michael Johnson in a great scrap, while prior flights include finishes of Khama Worthy and Devonte Smith. I think Mullarkey digs into Prado in what will be a fight each is consistently in the other’s face. Mullarkey is a safe bet to absorb more shots and be in this fight the later it does go. Prado will not be able to match in durability and offensive firepower. He was quite a bit undersized hopping into this bout on short notice. Jamie Mullarkey by Round Two KO
Nick: Jamie Mullarkey is a well-rounded brawler, coming off a career-best win over Michael Johnson. It was a close fight and a controversial decision, but a solid barometer for where Mullarkey stands at this point in his career. Mullarkey is extremely tough and durable. He is more than willing to eat punches to throw them and while he leaves openings to be countered at times, he’s very clearly on a higher level than Prado at this point in their respective careers. Francisco Prado will be making his UFC debut here, at an undefeated 11-0. All of Prado’s wins have come via finish, but he really hasn’t been tested against top level competition. Prado is likely to come out aggressive and he will be dangerous early. However, Mullarkey should be durable enough to weather that early storm and then start to pick Prado apart both at range and on the mat if he chooses to lean on his grappling. Jamie Mullarkey by Round Two KO

Kleydson Rodrigues -330 vs Shannon Ross +260

Anthony: This is a tough flyweight matchup to call with Kleydson Rodrigues facing Shannon Ross. It appears the weight cut was rough for Rodrigues as he came in one pound heavy yesterday. He also lost in his first UFC fight, although by a controversial decision. I feel for those reasons we may want to taper expectations here, yet Rodrigues sits now a -330 favorite. It is pretty clear he should pick apart Shannon Ross this evening given what we have seen out of his attack on the feet before. Rodrigues is a very technical striker and Ross is not at all known for having the best of chins. He tends to put himself in compromising positions often, perhaps due to movement or speed at the age of 33. In a division like flyweight there is little room for improvement for a guy like Ross who is now a full twenty fight veteran. It should be a good scrap between this two but the quickness and varied attacks by Rodrigues should keep him in the driver’s seat. Kleydson Rodrigues by Decision
Nick: Shannon Ross will be making his UFC debut here, coming off a Contender Series loss to VInicius Salvador. It’s a bit surprising he’s getting a chance here off of that loss, but the UFC brass seems to like him as he’s been fighting for a roster spot for years. Rodrigues works well behind his jab, he has powerful leg kicks, but he is most known for his flashy high kicks and spinning attacks. He is extremely aggressive and he’s more than willing to throw flying knees and wheel kicks in open space. He’ll need to be careful defensively, but his movement poses a level of difficulty that Ross has never seen before. In spite of his flashy style, Rodrigues has excellent footwork and he does an excellent job staying out of his opponents range. I expect this fight to primarily take place on the feet, where Rodrigues’ speed and movement should keep him a step ahead. Kleydson Rodrigues by Round Three KO

Josh Culibao -110 vs Melsik Baghdasaryan -110

Anthony: Next is a featherweight fight between Joshua Culibao and Melsik Baghdasaryan. This is one fight on tonight’s card I will be straying away from the hometown favorites. Melsik Baghdasaryan is a very good striker who should out volume and pick apart Culibao for the large majority of this matchup. He is a kickboxer who has seemed to round out his talents nicely and already stack a few wins in this very tough division. Baghdasaryan is landing six significant strikes per minute to the 3.06 average of Culibao. While he is not always going to connect with similar power, Baghdasaryan will be scoring on Culibao here constantly. I see the southpaw look giving him loads of issues, as was the case against Jalin Turner and Charles Jourdain. Both fighters have a good chance of finding a finish here but I think Baghdasaryan fights smart and wins this one convincingly. Melsik Baghdasaryan by Decision
Nick: Culibao is fairly well-rounded, but he is most content to stand and trade on the feet. He has shown excellent durability and a solid overall fight IQ, as he seems to always make the correct decisions regardless of whether he’s winning or losing a fight. Baghdasaryan is an extremely talented kickboxer. He throws impressive combinations, mixing in kicks well, and five of his last seven professional wins have come via knockout. Baghdasaryan is going to have an advantage when this fight is standing, which is where I’m expecting most of this fight to take place. The one real advantage I see for Culibao here is cardio, as we’ve seen Baghdasaryan fade in the later rounds on more than one occasion. That being said, I expect he can manage his gas tank well here as this fight will mostly take place on the feet. A tough one to call, but I’m siding with Baghdasaryan. Melsik Baghdasaryan by Decision

Tyson Pedro -240 vs Modestas Bukauskas +190

Anthony: The preliminary card ends with Tyson Pedro facing Modestas Bukauskas. This is the second UFC stint for Bukauskas who recently won back his Cage Warriors light heavyweight belt. He is a talented striker who can do good work from both stances and place clean strikes. Some may consider him more technically skilled than Pedro but the Aussie does have great power and throws well in combination. If he elects to stand with Bukauskas we should get a beautiful kickboxing match. Pedro throws thunderous kicks to the body and the legs, and a side kick from Khalil Rountree has actually finished Bukauskas before. I could see Pedro chopping a leg down and limiting Bukauskas’ movement around the octagon. He also has a rather clear advantage grappling here, and I could see him outmuscling Bukauskas for a finish on the mat if he were to elect and go there. Tyson Pedro by Round Two KO
Nick: Pedro is a dangerous striker, as well as a very talented BJJ practitioner and one of the better grapplers on the roster at 205 pounds. He’s coming off back-to-back wins via first round KO, but his submission game is what had many excited about his upside during his first run with the UFC. Bukauskas is a powerful striker with a massive frame for a light heavyweight. He is 6’3 with a 78-inch reach. He fights even longer than that as he keeps a wide stance both striking and defending against takedowns. His greatest strength is his powerful striking, but he seems to leave his hands down which leaves him vulnerable against other powerful punchers. Bukauskas is certainly live for a KO upset, but I see Pedro as the more technically sound striker defensively and the much better grappler of the two. As long as he stays out of trouble early here he should be able to work Bukauskas to the mat for a finish. It also benefits Pedro that Bukauskas is taking this fight on short notice. Tyson Pedro by Round One Submission

Main Card- Starts 10:00pm EST

Jimmy Crute -190 vs Alonzo Menifield +155

Anthony: Opening the main card will be Jimmy Crute and Alonzo Menifield fighting at light heavyweight. It should be pretty clear that Crute intends to grapple Menifield given his high rate of attempts in the UFC. He is a far above average grappler when it comes to the talent of this particular division. A guy like Menifield poses a tough test given his overall power and ability to win battles in the clinch with a strong upper body. He is a viable underdog in my opinion just because of that finishing power. With wins by early KO in two straight fights he certainly looks to be improving, I just do not feel confident pulling the trigger. Crute is a much safer play as the overall more skilled fighter. He is going to perform better late than Menifield and more effectively getting to positions where he can score. Jimmy Crute by Round Two Submission
Nick: Crute is one of the more exciting prospects we have at Light Heavyweight. He’s a powerful striker, but many of his Wins have come via his outstanding Submission ability. Crute has a better than 75% Takedown Accuracy. He is often so aggressive, that he sometimes gasses out if he can’t put his opponents away early. However, that hasn’t been much of an issue for him as each of his last three wins have come via first round finish. He entered this fight on a two fight losing streak, but each of those losses came to elite competition in Antohny Smith and Jamahal Hill. He’ll be looking to restart his climb of the rankings here in a winnable match-up against Alonzo Menifield. Alonzo Menifield has a massive frame for the division and twelve of his thirteen professional wins have come via finish within two rounds. He has not seen much in terms of quality competition, but he’s shown tremendous power and you can see he’s improving in pretty much every other aspect of his game. Menifield recently left one of the best gyms in the game in Fortis MMA. He’s going to be dangerous early here, but he telegraphs many of his strikes and I’m not confident in his 85% takedown defense as it really hasn’t been tested against anyone with Crute’s level of grappling ability. Crute is still young and developing so it wouldn’t be shocking if Menifield caught him for an upset KO. That being said, that seems to be his only path to victory. Crute is the more well-rounded fighter and I expect he can ground Menifield here and work him for a submission. Jimmy Crute by Round Two Submission

Justin Tafa -130 vs Parker Porter +105

Anthony: Next is a heavyweight matchup between Justin Tafa and Parker Porter. This should be a decent scrap with some mid-tier heavyweight athletes. Tafa’s last performance was a violent finish of Harry Hunsucker in 2021 but he has not made an octagon appearance since. He may run into trouble against a more active Parker Porter that can push a good pace and utilize the clinch and wrestling to outwork most of his competition. His power does not seem special but the 6.49 significant strikes a minute makes for a solid performer in this division. I just believe that Tafa’s power and technical striking get Porter out of the ring before he can make this a fight. Tafa is the bigger man and an intimidating presence here on home soil. I could’ve been tempted to pick Porter if given a better number but this fight is nearly pick’em and Tafa seems like the right side. Justin Tafa by Round One KO
Nick: This is a low-level matchup featuring two plodding heavyweights. Justin Tafa had a lot of hype coming into the promotion, but he has been mostly a disappointment so far. He has knockout power, but his cardio is suspect and he hasn’t really shown technical boxing ability on the level of other up-and-comers in this division. There’s really nothing exciting about Porter when you watch him on film, but he does have power in his strikes and a surprisingly decent gas tank given his visible lack of athleticism. Porter has shown solid durability and surprisingly technical boxing ability so far in the UFC. Many felt he was only awarded a roster spot as a replacement fighter due to COVID, but he’s won three of his last four fights, only falling to a super prospect in Jailton Almeida. I like Porter to win here as he has the better cardio, durability and grappling ability. That being said, this is a low-level heavyweight match-up where anything can happen. Anyone fighting in this division has a puncher’s chance given their size and strength. I won’t be investing heavily here, but I’ll take a shot on the underdog. Parker Porter by Decision

Jack Della Maddalena -325 vs Randy Brown +250

Anthony: The featured bout is a welterweight matchup of Randy Brown and Jack Della Maddalena. I am about ready to claim Della Maddalena as the UFC’s best boxer after his most recent showings. He has finished all three of his UFC appearances in less than nine total minutes. I love the aggressive style of Della Maddalena, throwing north of eight significant strikes per minute. He is excellent in both stances and while standing square with opponents. Being so quick to jump on the offensive and mix strikes to the body and head makes Della Maddalena such a tough out. I do not see him running into much trouble at all in this division until running into one of many wrestlers that can hold him down. I do not think Randy Brown intends to pursue takedowns nor do I think he would find immense success there. He will look to use his length and more versatile attacks to hurt Della Maddalena, but I think he ends up getting picked apart. Brown will be eating a lot of jabs and counters from the start of round number one. We have seen him knocked out twice before in the octagon and while he is certainly a step up in competition for Della Maddalena, he is going to get the win here on home soil. Jack Della Maddalena by Round One KO
Nick: Jack Della Maddalena has shown highly technical striking ability in his short UFC tenure. He has excellent head movement and footwork, surprising power, and while his grappling hasn’t been tested extensively at this level, it seems he’s competent on the mat as well. He is coming off three straight KO wins including his most recent over Danny Roberts. Della Maddalena does an excellent job mixing in body shots to set up head strikes and his pressure and volume is difficult for most of his opponents to endure. Brown is extremely well-rounded with KO power and underrated BJJ ability. He’s very light on his feet, with excellent head movement and solid overall striking defense. He works well behind his jab, and he uses his length more effectively than most other fighters with his frame. He is on a four fight win-streak, with the three most recent coming via decision. The one knock on Brown is that he doesn’t always put out much volume and he has a bad habit of waiting for fights to come to him. In this particular match-up, I expect that to cost him. Della Maddalena should be able to force Brown backwards here with his volume and pressure until he can eventually break him for another KO. The line does feel far too wide as Brown is the more proven commodity, but Della Maddalena is the pick. Jack Della Maddalena by Round Two KO

Yair Rodriguez -190 vs Josh Emmett +155

Anthony: The co-main event will be a fight for the Interim Featherweight title with Yair Rodriguez facing Josh Emmett. This is a great matchup to move forward a 145 pound division full of contenders for Alexander Volkanovski. The winner will likely face this card’s headliner which will surely entice these Australian fans. It is also expected to be a real war based on the style of these two guys. Rodriguez is a very articulate striker, landing with 45 percent accuracy and varying his attacks a ton. His kicking game will present a real issue for Emmett who stands heavy on his front foot and does his best work chasing punches up top. It is a boxing heavy style against a much more fluid kickboxer in El Pantera. It is also attack oriented on power for Emmett, and one focused on volume and accuracy for Rodriguez. This makes me lean heavily toward Yair, as does a more impressive overall resume and recent octagon showings. It is preferred that Rodriguez keeps this bout standing but I am confident in him defending a wrestler of Emmett’s caliber that does not finish many fights on the mat. The odds have swayed into Rodriguez favor this week and it feels like he is clearly the safer bet to get a win. And while Emmett is live to steal any fight that goes to the judges, I think he gets styled on quite a bit here. Yair Rodriguez by Decision
Nick: Josh Emmett is mostly known for his tremendous KO power on the feet, but he’s also a decent grappler with a powerful wrestling base and technically sound takedown entries. He likes to switch stances when he’s striking. He can be fairly plodding and he telegraphs many of his shots, but he has true one-shot power in both of his hands. Emmett should be the better grappler here, but if he wrestles extensively it could compromise his gas tank. Yair Rodriguez is a talented striker with surprising power for his frame. He throws a wide range of strikes. He does an excellent job mixing kicks into his combinations and he does a good job leaning on them to keep his opponents at range. Rodriguez throws a lot of spinning attacks. When he lands, they can be extremely effective. However, when he misses he leaves himself open to counter shots and in this specific match-up he could be leaving openings for Emmett to capitalize. This is a very close fight and one I could see going either way. That being said, I don’t expect Emmett to wrestle much which should allow Rodriguez to execute a kick heavy gameplan as he picks him apart at range. I’m a bit concerned about Rodriguez’s defense in striking exchanges, but I see him as the much quicker and more dynamic striker of the two. Another tough one to call, but Rodriguez is the pick. Yair Rodriguez by Round Four KO

Islam Makhachev -375 vs Alexander Volkanovski +280

Anthony: This card concludes with Islam Makhachev looking to defend his lightweight belt against the current featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski. It is very rare we see a championship fight of this magnitude, involving a bid for the status of champ-champ as well as a clash between two elite fighters. Volkanovski is a perfect 12-0 in the UFC while Makhachev enters on his own streak of 11 straight wins in the promotion. He secured the title last October beating Charles Olieveira in Abu Dhabi. Now Makhachev looks to stay active and make his first defense behind enemy lines. His offensive wrestling will be the deciding factor in this fight as is usually the case. Makhachev has great entries and dominant top control that make him a nightmare to gameplan for on the mat. Fighting out of the southpaw stance allows him easy entries on his opponents legs. He also can follow left strikes into clinch positions rather seamlessly, using his sambo and technical trips to get fights down to the mat in that manner. Volkanovski defends 73 percent of opponent takedowns and I expect him to fight out of a few bad positions here, I just find it hard to anticipate him defending submissions if he spends more than half this fight grounded. He will need to be elusive on the feet and get quickly in and out of range. Volkanovski is a better striker than Makhachev and I think he can do some real damage in this bout. The man is going to pack a punch moving up to 155 pounds and I see some powerful leg kicks really limiting Makhachev in the early rounds here. While the much bigger wrestler is rightfully favored in this spot, I think Volkanovski is just too tough to fade at the current odds. The champion may be the most well-rounded fighter in the world right now. I do not plan on betting against Islam anytime in the near future but as it stands today, Volkanovski is by far his toughest test. It will need to be a striking masterclass for Volk to win, landing the jab and pushing at a high pace. Volkanovski landed an average of 170 significant strikes over his five appearances in title fights, that will be the path to victory for him once again tonight. I hope this crowd does get to witness something special. And New. Alexander Volkanovski by Decision
Nick: This matchup represents the first time in UFC history that the #1 and #2 Pound-for-Pound fighters will be facing off. This match-up is taking place at 155 lbs, so Makhachev’s belt will be on the line here as he defends his title for the first time against the 145 lb champion, Alexander Volkanovski. Islam Makhachev is one of the most talented fighters in the UFC. He is a decorated grappler as a Master of Sport in Combat Sambo. He pushes a serious pace and has enough wrestling ability to take almost anyone in this division down repeatedly. Makhachev has underrated striking, knockout power and clear draw for the promotion. He doesn’t throw much volume on the feet, but he can be highly effective when he does throw. He averages more than three takedowns per fifteen minutes. His greatest strength is most certainly his grappling ability and he’ll look to lean on that part of his game here against a dangerous striker in Volkanovski. Volkanovsk has an extremely high fight-IQ. He’s a gifted striker who does an excellent job mixing kicks into his combinations. He does a good job closing distance against taller opponents and his low and powerful base makes him difficult to takedown. He’s capable of finding entries for takedowns, but he’s most comfortable fighting on the feet. Volkanovski does an excellent job baiting his opponents with feints. He’s very difficult for his opponents to read and he makes them pay whenever they try to put him on the defensive. In many ways this is a classic striker vs. grappler match-up. Volkanovski is the better technical striker on the feet, but the fear of Makhachev taking him down should keep things relatively close when the fight is standing. We have seen Volkanovski taken down by wrestlers nowhere near the ability of Makhachev in the past, so I have trouble expecting him to keep this fight standing. The line feels wide here just knowing how skilled Volkanovski is, but Makhachev is very clearly the pick. I expect he can score takedowns repeatedly here until he eventually wears Volkanovski down and works him for a submission. And still. Islam Makhachev by Round Three Submission

-Nick Marro

Twitter: @NickMarroDFS

-Anthony Marro

Twitter: @AnthonyMarro_

Photo: UFC.com