The last time the UFC made the trek ‘down under’ was at UFC 243, where 57,000 Aussie fans witnessed Adesanya knockout Whittaker as he became the undisputed Middleweight champion. Now, over three long years later, they are finally heading back. UFC 284 will be headlined by Aussie-born Featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski as he chases greatness by moving up to 155lbs and taking on the champ, Islam Makhachev.
It is easily one of the most anticipated fights this year, but this isn’t just a top-heavy card. Not only does it have Rodriguez facing Emmet for the Interim Featherweight belt as the co-main event, but it’s also stacked top to bottom with some of the best Australian MMA talents on offer.
Tyson Pedro
The featured prelim is an intriguing bout between Tyson Pedro and Modestas Bukauskas. Pedro was on a two-fight skid before taking a three-and-a-half-year layoff due to a string of knee injuries. However, 2022 saw him return and make a huge statement. He managed to fight twice last year, winning both in the first round in dominant fashion. This is no surprise, as he loves an early night, with all nine wins coming in the first round. Tyson also started training at City Kickboxing last year, no doubt spending a lot of time with former Middleweight champ Israel Adesanya, which is a positive move for any fighter.
“These first couple of fights were just about getting back on the horse, but now it’s about f*cking riding it like I stole it!”
Tyson Pedro on the Who The Fook Are These Guys? podcast
Tyson has a truly inspiring story about how he got where he is in life. The UFC put out a great video this week about his relationship with his father, if you have a spare 10 minutes, it’s definitely worth the watch (see below). The 31-year-old is one to look out for this weekend as he looks to keep his momentum going with a win over fellow Light Heavyweight Bukauskus.
Jamie Mullarkey
Jamie Mullarkey vs Francisco Prado opens the prelims for UFC 284. Since joining the UFC, the Australian-born has gone 3-3, earning three bonuses in the process. His win over Devonte Smith in 2021 will always be one of my favourite fights to watch in the UFC. Mullarkey faced some heavy adversity in the first round after being rocked twice, but came back out in the second round strong and landed some clean body and head shots that scored him a nasty TKO victory (seen below). His nickname, “The Hooligan”, is well fitted for his fighting style as he brings it every time.
He started last year with a second-round TKO loss to rising star Jalin Turner. Mullarkey had some moments in the fight, but “The Tarantula’s” reach was too much for him to handle. Regardless, there is no shame in a loss like that. Turner is on his way to being one of the best in the division. Later in the year, he got back in the win column with a ‘fight of the night’ split decision win over UFC vet Michael Johnson. This weekend he takes on Francisco Prado, who took the fight on short notice after Naqparast pulled out. I struggle to see any paths to victory for the Argentinian, but it will undoubtedly be an exciting fight.
Featured image credits to Embed from Getty Images
