UFC 284 PRESS CONFERENCE, MEDIA DAY, PRESSER, BETTING ODDS & WEIGH-IN VIDEO
Perth, Australia (February 10th, 2023)– UFC returns to Australia with UFC 284: Makhachev vs. Volkanovski, live from Perth’s RAC Arena this Saturday, February 11, at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT, exclusively on ESPN+ PPV (English and Spanish). The Prelims will air on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+ (English & Spanish) at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT. Early Prelims will begin on ESPN+ (English & Spanish) at 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT. Live coverage begins on Friday with UFC Live presented by DraftKings Sportsbook: Makhachev vs. Volkanovski at 5:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2, providing fans with exclusive insights and views heading into UFC 283.
In the main event, newly crowned UFC lightweight champion and No. 2 Men’s Pound-for-Pound fighter Islam Makhachev (23-1) makes his first title defense against Australia’s UFC featherweight champion and No. 1 Men’s Pound-for-Pound Alexander Volkanovski (25-1). Makhachev comes in with an 11-fight winning streak with UFC, earning five-straight stoppage wins including his victory over Charles Oliveira for the belt last October. Volkanovski is a perfect 12-0 in the UFC and riding an incredible 22-fight winning streak overall, having picked up his fourth successful featherweight title defense in July with a third career win over former champ Max Holloway.
In the co-main event, Yair Rodriguez (15-3) and Josh Emmett (18-2) face off for the interim featherweight title, with the winner taking on UFC featherweight champ Volkanovski at a later date. Winner of The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America in 2014, Rodriguez is coming off a big win over Brian Ortega with his only loss in his last five bouts coming against former champ Holloway. Emmett holds five straight wins and is coming off a “Fight of the Night” win over Calvin Kattar.
The PPV portion of the event will also feature Jack Della Maddalena (13-2) facing off against Randy Brown (16-4) in a compelling matchup between welterweights seeking to break into UFC’s Top 15. A former contestant on Dana White’s Contender Series, Della Maddalena posted three first-round finishes in 2022 and has won each of his last 13 bouts. He was named ESPN’s 2022 “Rookie of the Year.” Brown comes in with four straight wins seeking his break in the rankings.
Jon Anik will call the action joined by former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping and former UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz. John Gooden will handle reporting duties.
UFC 284 Betting Odds:
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