5 prospects to watch out for at UFC 284: Makhachev vs. Volkanovski
The UFC's long-awaited return to Australia will be underway this weekend as UFC 284: Makhachev vs. Volkanovski is set to go down at the RAC Arena in Perth on Saturday.
The upcoming pay-per-view is stacked with talent and features an interesting mix of up-and-coming prospects and Aussie standouts. This list explores some of the most promising contenders who are set to compete at the RAC Arena.
Here are five prospects to watch out for at UFC 284: Makhachev vs. Volkanovski.
#5. Jimmy Crute (12-3 MMA, 4-3 UFC)
Jimmy Crute broke onto the scene back in 2018 with a scorching performance on Dana White's Contender Series, coming away with a first-round TKO victory to earn a contract. The Australian light heavyweight was undefeated at the time, and his last few years in the promotion have been turbulent to say the least.
After winning his first two fights in the famed octagon via stoppages, Crute lost three of his next five bouts. He hasn't tasted victory since 2020 and will be desperate to return to winning ways this weekend.
Jimmy Crute is coming off back-to-back losses to Anthony Smith and Jamahal Hill. However, certain key factors need to be considered while looking at these last two results. Crute suffered a rare peroneal nerve injury against Smith, and his defeat to Hill has aged quite well, with 'Sweet Dreams' now the champion.
Crute now occupies the No.12 spot in the 205-pound rankings. At UFC 284, he is set to take on unranked light heavyweight Alonzo Menifield in the pay-per-view opener. Menifield is on a two-fight win streak, comprising first-round knockout wins over Askar Mozharov and Misha Cirkunov.
This is certainly a tough fight for Crute. Having taken over a year off from the octagon, expect him to have added new wrinkles to his game. Fighting in front of his compatriots could see him hold his spot in the rankings and return to the win column.
#4. Tyson Pedro (9-3 MMA, 5-3 UFC)
Newer fans of the sport may not be too familiar with Tyson Pedro, but they soon will be. Pedro signed with the UFC back in 2016 with a 4-0 record but struggled with inconsistency and injuries throughout his early run in the promotion.
He notably took a four-year hiatus between 2018 and 2022 to deal with injuries, but returned with a bang last year with two sensational first-round knockout wins. 2023 looks set to be a massive year for the towering Aussie.
Back-to-back wins over Ike Villanueva and Harry Hunsucker last year saw Tyson Pedro re-emerge as a dangerous contender in the light heavyweight division. He now trains at City Kickboxing in New Zealand alongside the likes of Israel Adesanya and Alexander Volkanovski, among others, which has certainly elevated his game.
In his third fight since his lengthy hiatus, Pedro will square off against Modestas Bukauskas at UFC 284. Bukauskas was cut from the promotion in 2021 after three losses on the trot. The Lithuanian-Brit then picked up a couple of wins in Cage Warriors last year and even won the English promotion's light heavyweight title before re-signing with the UFC.
Both Bukauskas and Pedro are primarily strikers, which should make for a fun stand-up battle. Pedro hasn't won a fight on Australian soil in over half a decade and will be itching to do just that on Saturday.
#3. Josh Culibao (10-1-1 MMA, 2-1-1 UFC)
Josh Culibao is set to make his fifth appearance in the UFC at the upcoming pay-per-view. The Australian featherweight is yet to really make a statement in the world's premier MMA promotion and will be hoping for a breakout performance in the prelims of UFC 284.
Culibao joined the promotion as an undefeated prospect back in 2020 but suffered a loss in his very first fight. However, it's important to note that he accepted the fight on short notice when he took on Jalin Turner in a lightweight bout. Turner is now among the most highly-touted 155-pounders on the roster, while Culibao competes at featherweight, his natural weight class.
In his second octagon outing, he came away with a split draw against Charles Jourdain. He followed this up with decision wins over Shayilan Nuerdanbieke and Choi Seung-Woo.
'Kuya' is yet to secure a finish in the UFC. He had five knockout wins on his record prior to signing with the American promotion, and if he is to get bigger and better opportunities down the line, a stoppage win at this stage would be ideal. Culibao will take on Melsik Baghdasaryan this weekend.
#2. Zubaira Tukhugov (20-5-1 MMA, 5-2-1 UFC)
Zubaira Tukhugov's UFC career so far has been undeniably tumultuous. The Russian has endured a difficult run in the featherweight division since joining the promotion and will be looking to embark on a new chapter of his journey this weekend when he makes his lightweight debut against Elves Brenner Oliveira.
Tukhugov has been with the promotion since 2014 but hasn't enjoyed the same level of success as his Dagestani brethren. While 'Warror' hasn't really suffered bad defeats, his struggles to make the featherweight limit and propensity to get injured have stunted his progress.
At UFC 284, where teammate Islam Makhachev will feature in the headliner, Tukhugov will take on promotional debutant Elves Brenner Oliveira, who is a teammate of Makhachev's last opponent Charles Oliveira.
If he is to realize the same success as his highly credentialled teammates, Tukhugov needs to kickstart his lightweight run in style.
#1. Jack Della Maddalena (13-2 MMA, 3-0 UFC)
Apart from the two title fights atop the card, all eyes are on surging welterweight and Perth native Jack Della Maddalena, who is set for a massive homecoming this weekend.
With three scintillating performances last year, Della Maddalena was among the top prospects of 2022. The Australian even won ESPN MMA's Rookie of the Year award for his scorching run of form.
Jack Della Maddalena effortlessly dispatched Pete Rodriguez, Ramazan Emeev and Danny Roberts in his first three fights in the famed octagon. The Dana White's Contender Series graduate has shown incredible potential so far, with his crisp boxing and tenacious style resonating with the masses.
Della Maddalena will take on the biggest test of his career when he locks horns with fellow highly-touted prospect Randy Brown on the pay-per-view main card. Both fighters are among the best unranked welterweights on the roster, making this a pivotal matchup in their respective careers.
Brown is a tough matchup for the hometown boy. 'Rude Boy' is tall and knows how to use his reach advantage effectively, making the Jamaican-American a tricky puzzle to solve. If Della Maddalena emerges victorious, and if he gets another finish, expect the Aussie to be breaking into the top 15 very soon.