Let the string of great UFC events begin! From this point forward we have event after event that are highly intriguing. This week it is UFC 284 in Perth, Australia. We are about to witness the Lightweight champion and the featherweight champion clash in a battle of titans and I am beyond excited for it. Something hits different on an Islam Makhachev fight week for me.

The rest of the slate comes with some bangers as well, with a focus on showcasing some of the best talent from down under. With high profile fighters hopefully comes high profile finishes and in this article we will look at which fights to target to find them. Once you lock in on fights to target you are one step closer to building that winning tournament lineup! 

Below you will see my recommended fights to target on the FanDuel slate for UFC 284. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to tweet @WeWantPicks on Twitter and they will definitely get back to you ASAP. 

FIGHT #1 TO TARGET (-450 FDNGTD)

JIMMY CRUTE ($17) vs. ALONZO MENIFIELD ($13)

This is the fight on the slate most favored to end inside the distance. This fight features Australian Jim Crute who has been on a bit of a bad run lately and Alonzo Menifield who is 4-1 in his last five, but that one loss was to William Knight – which should count as at least two or three losses. Consistency is looking like an issue for both of these guys.

Jimmy Crute is still very young, only in his mid-twenties, but is coming off of two back to back losses. The first of those losses was to Anthony Smith and happened due to the nerve in his foot shutting off from a leg kick. The following loss was a flat line KO from current champ Jamahal Hill. Crute is heavy handed if he connects but his striking is fairly sloppy. If Crute wants to win this fight cleanly he probably needs to get Menifield to the ground which could be a chore due to Menifield’s impressive takedown defense.

Alonzo Menifield is a mid-tier fighter with power in his hands. His UFC record has been solid, but the losses tell a tale of inconsistency. So the real question in this fight will be what version of Menifield shows up. If the 85% takedown defense, huge power in my hands, version is in the cage then he is certainly very live in this matchup. If the fight gets to the ground there may be an issue for Mr. Menifield.  

This is such a tough fight for me to call. All week long I was on the Crute side as I love the potential of Jimmy Crute, but as the fight draws closer I am starting to question myself. When it comes to FanDuel specifically, Menifield seems like the safer play to me. Less expensive, bigger upside for the scoring metrics, and would likely hurt less in a loss because a ton of people are on him. For multiple entries however, you can probably find leverage with Crute should he be able to get his game plan going.

FIGHT #2 TO TARGET (-200 FDNGTD)

JAMIE MULLARKEY ($18) vs. FRANCISCO PRADO ($11)

There are two fights that rank above this one with the does not go the distance lines, but neither do I feel will be as important to target as this fight. Those two fights are Jack Jenkins versus Don Shainis (firmly on the Jack side there) and Tyson Pedro versus Modestas Bukauskas is the other fight. I just have a hard time believing in Pedro for some reason there. Mullarkey versus Prado however, this one should be fireworks from the opening minute.

Jamie Mullarkey is the hometown guy and has been a bit up and down in the UFC so far. One thing that he has not had a problem delivering is excitement. I have actually heard that Mullarkey is a great wrestler, but I have yet to see it. Jamie goes out with his hands and lives and dies on their ability to connect. His chin has had some moments of weakness so it is a bold strategy, but one that I can appreciate as a fan.

Francisco Prado is making his UFC debut as a regional guy from Argentina. As with most regional fighters his quality of opponent is a bit rough, but he does appear to have a couple solid wins mixed in there. Prado is a power striker that should look to take Mullarkey’s head off. When coupled with Mullarkey’s style since coming to the UFC this one is coming with high expectations of violence for me. 

My head is telling me Mullarkey all the way here, better all around fighter, more experienced, and fighting at home. That $11 price tag however is telling me to take a shot on Prado because the ceiling is quite high for such a low amount of salary. Either way I end up going, and regardless of which way you end up going, this fight is one that I am oddly ridiculously excited for this weekend.

FIGHT #3 TO TARGET (-200 FDNGTD)

JACK DELLA MADDALENA ($21) vs. RANDY BROWN ($10)

This is my favorite fight on the slate beyond the Islam fight. I cannot wait to see what happens here. Personally I find the betting line here very wide, but then have to question myself because I see almost every analyst on the internet is all over Jack Della Maddalena. My biggest concern here is – who has Jack fought? His strength of schedule to me seems weak, while Randy Brown has been fighting established fighters since 2017.

I fully recognize that JDM has the boxing advantage here. He is clean with his striking, packs loads of power, and has impeccable defense to complete the puzzle. Randy Brown is the more well rounded fighter in my opinion however. Brown has the length for as long as he is willing to use it, and that could lead to some favorable situations for him where Jack has to over extend and finds himself on the wrong side of a scramble. JDM can only win this fight by knockout in my opinion, and I believe Randy Brown has more potential paths to victory. The concerning aspect to picking Brown is that for him to find those paths he needs to avoid the smooth power of Maddalena which is no easy task. 

I will probably end up choosing Brown here for myself, but I also have very little concern for whatever money I throw into DFS. If you care about your money then Jack Della Maddalena is probably the side, but I find it difficult to get there with Randy Brown at only $10.

GOOD LUCK THIS WEEKEND

Good look to all heading into this event. If you are watching it at home make sure to follow along with @WeWantPicks on YouTube for live bets. Also make sure to tweet your winning lineups at us and we will do our best to recognize your greatness. 

Enjoy the event, and make sure to keep it locked on We Want Picks for tons of great MMA content.