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Parker Porter

In the lone heavyweight matchup of UFC 284, Parker Porter comes in as a slight +110 underdog against Justin Tafa, and I think he is a great underdog bet. Tafa may be the superior striker so if Porter tries to engage in a close distance striking match this fight could end quickly, but I don’t think that is how the fight will go. Despite his striking advantage, the rest of Tafa’s game is lacking in comparison to Porter. If Porter can get the fight into the clinch and bring it down to the ground, he should have no problems with bringing home a decision win.  

Alonzo Menifield 

In the first fight on the main card, +160 underdog Alonzo Menifield is taking on the Australian Jimmy Crute. It is understandable that Crute comes into this fight the favorite as he has experience against the best of the best in the Light Heavyweight Division, but I believe it will be Menifield who impresses at UFC 284. Menifield possesses the takedown defense to keep this fight from hitting the ground, and the longer the two are on their feet, the more this favors Menifield due to his knockout power. I think that Menifield will be able to find a home for his powerful punching in the first two rounds and get his third win in a row. 

  Melsik Baghdasaryan

Melsik “The Gun” Baghdasaryan is an elite kickboxer. If you want an exciting fight to watch, look no further. He is returning to the octagon after over a year and a half to face Joshua Culibao, a great fighter in his own right. He enters with a record of 2-1-1 since joining the UFC, but has yet to beat someone of Baghdasaryan’s caliber. This is a matchup between two fighters who want to show that they have what it takes to crack the top 15. I expect fireworks early from Baghdasaryan that will set the tone for his eventual victory.

Francisco Prado

Prado is an exciting young talent in the MMA world. Hailing from Argentina, he brings an undefeated record into the UFC. Prospects like Francisco Prado are always exciting to watch, especially when all 11 wins have come via stoppage. He did draw a challenging first opponent, though. Jamie Mullarkey is not only a tough guy to put away, but he’s coming into this fight with momentum. He beat Michael Johnson in his last bout and is not someone to write off. This is a must-watch fight come Saturday.

Jack Jenkins

Buried in the early preliminary fights, you may not have heard of Jenkins ahead of this weekend. However, he’s on a seven fight win streak that goes back to the start of 2019. He will be fighting “Shameless” Don Shainis, someone who tends to not leave the first round, be it a win or loss. He was quickly submitted in his last bout and will look to get back on track against Jenkins. I expect Jenkins to weather an early storm from Shainis and secure his eighth straight victory.