We Run Down The Five Biggest Winners From RAC Arena In Perth, Australia
Saturday’s UFC 284 event is in the books, and now that the dust has settled in Perth, it’s time to go to the scorecard to see who the big winners were at RAC Arena.
1 – Islam Makhachev
Islam Makhachev of Russia reacts after his victory over Alexander Volkanovski of Australia in the UFC lightweight championship fight during the UFC 284 event at RAC Arena on February 12, 2023 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
Not many fighters will win a world title and go looking for his next challenge to be the king of the pound-for-pound list, but that’s just what Islam Makhachev did last October after beating Charles Oliveira for the lightweight crown, and last weekend, he got his wish in facing featherweight boss Alexander Volkanovski. What followed over the next 25 minutes was one of the best title fights you’ll see, a high-level display of mixed martial arts between two of the best in the game. When it was all over, Makhachev took a close, but unanimous, decision win, and set up what should be an interesting future for the 31-year-old, who may be in his fighting prime at precisely the right time.
2 – Alexander Volkanovski
Alexander Volkanovski Post-Fight Interview | UFC 284
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Alexander Volkanovski Post-Fight Interview | UFC 284
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Alexander Volkanovski didn’t get his hand raised in the UFC 284 main event, but the featherweight champion didn’t lose an ounce of status in his razon-close bout with 155-pound titlist Islam Makhachev. First off, give the man his just due for agreeing to the fight in the first place. Then, realize that more than a few people believe he did enough to win the five-rounder. Volkanovski has lived up to his nickname “The Great,” and we’ll be seeing plenty of him in big fights for years to come.
Yair Rodriguez of Mexico reacts after his submission victory over Josh Emmett in the UFC interim featherweight championship fight during the UFC 284 event at RAC Arena on February 12, 2023 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
It’s been a long and winding road to a championship belt for Yair Rodriguez, but the Mexican star stood the course, weathered the storms, and any other cliches you can think of, and when he got his shot for the interim featherweight title against Josh Emmett, he delivered his best performance to date. Next up, a meeting with the champ, Alexander Volkanovski, for all the marbles at 145 pounds, and I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait to see it.
4 – Jack Della Maddalena
Jack Della Maddalena Post-Fight Interview | UFC 284
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Unlock MORE of your inner combat sports fan with UFC Fight Pass! Fighting is what we live for. And no one brings you MORE live fights, new shows, and events across multiple combat sports from around the world. With a never-ending supply of fighting in every discipline, there’s always something new to watch. Leave it to the world’s authority in MMA to bring you the Ultimate 24/7 platform for MORE combat sports, UFC Fight Pass!
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Jack Della Maddalena Post-Fight Interview | UFC 284
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Randy Brown was supposed to be the big test for Jack Della Maddalena, the fighter to push him and see if he belonged with the top dogs at 170 pounds. Well, Jack from Perth belongs. After a spectacular rookie year in the UFC, Della Maddalena got Year Two off to a rousing start and he did it with a cool that fighters with just a year in the Octagon shouldn’t have. Yeah, there’s been a lot of hype around the Aussie, but he’s lived up to every ounce of it.
Unlock MORE of your inner combat sports fan with UFC Fight Pass! Fighting is what we live for. And no one brings you MORE live fights, new shows, and events across multiple combat sports from around the world. With a never-ending supply of fighting in every discipline, there’s always something new to watch. Leave it to the world’s authority in MMA to bring you the Ultimate 24/7 platform for MORE combat sports, UFC Fight Pass!
Unlock MORE of your inner combat sports fan with UFC Fight Pass! Fighting is what we live for. And no one brings you MORE live fights, new shows, and events across multiple combat sports from around the world. With a never-ending supply of fighting in every discipline, there’s always something new to watch. Leave it to the world’s authority in MMA to bring you the Ultimate 24/7 platform for MORE combat sports, UFC Fight Pass!
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Modestas Bukauskas Post-Fight Interview | UFC 284
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The last time UFC fans saw Modestas Bukauskas, it was when he suffered a serious knee injury against Khalil Rountree Jr. and was then released from the promotion. That was September of 2021. In the time since, he’s gone through a painful surgery and rehab, had to figure out his path back to the Octagon, won two fights in Cage Warriors, and then took a short notice UFC fight with Tyson Pedro that required him to fly from London to Perth. It was all a risk for the Lithuania native, but when the gate shut, Bukauskas was in top form and he took a three-round decision win over the favored Pedro, showing the potential everyone always saw in him. Yeah, nice guys finish first sometimes, too.
