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UFC 284 Prop Bet Odds, Picks & Predictions (2023)

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The biggest UFC event of the year thus far will take place this weekend, as two title fights will be featured on a significant pay-per-view that the promotion will take to Perth, Australia.

While some have said this UFC 284 card is top-heavy, for those who look deep enough, there is plenty of great action throughout. This is a must-watch event since many other potentially rising stars will be competing with the headliners throughout the card.

Let’s take a look at a few of my favorite prop bets of UFC 284.

Check out our other UFC 284 betting picks:

(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)

Top Prop Bets for UFC 284

Justin Tafa (-140) vs. Parker Porter (+120)

Both of these men have combined UFC records of just 6-6. Therefore, it is unlikely that either will ever crack the top 10 in the promotion. However, given that all three of their total PPV appearances have ended in the first round, they do have a tendency to let them fly early and often.

The 37-year-old Parker Porter’s most recent bout in May, saw him lose by first-round submission to Jailton Almeida, snapping a three-fight winning streak. Porter, like most heavyweights, is a striker first, and I anticipate we will see him take that path early in this fight. He lands 6.49 significant strikes per minute.

Justin Tafa’s most recent appearance in the octagon occurred in December 2021, when he defeated Harry Hunsucker in the first round for his first victory since 2020. All five of Tafa’s professional victories – he is a striker first as well – have been by KO/TKO, and none of them have lasted more than two rounds.

Both Tafa and Porter will likely be letting hammers drop early and frequently since Tafa is eager to put on a show for his local supporters and on the greatest platform of his career. Meanwhile, Porter is likely competing in his final PPV main event. This one probably won’t make the final bell, and I’m betting it won’t.

Bet: Under 2.5 Rounds (-125)

Alex Volkanovski (+310) vs. Islam Makhachev (-380)

Top-10 lightweights have avoided Islam Makhachev for years for a reason – the Khabib Nurmagomedov-disciple has almost no weaknesses in his approach to the game. Islam just defeated one of the best grapplers (Charles Oliveira) in the world by dominating him at his own game, winning a never-close fight in the second round. Islam also picked up five straight ITD victories on his road to a title opportunity.

He may have defeated Oliveira on a terrible night for the former champ, but he had just defeated Bobby Green in the first round and had previously clobbered Dan Hooker, Thiago Moises and Drew Dober. His metrics aren’t simply impressive; they’re top-notch.

Although little is spoken about his striking, Islam entered Saturday as the best lightweight ever in terms of takedown accuracy (66.7%), significant strikes absorbed per minute (.9) and striking accuracy (60.2%). He also ranks in the top five among active competitors in control-time percentage (52.7%), submission wins (6) and top position percentage (46.3%).

Islam rolls here, despite what the odds movement indicates

Bet: Makahchev to Win – Inside the Distance (-120)

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Johnny is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Johnny, check out his free UFC picks newsletter and follow him @JohnnyCovers.