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The action on the UFC 284 early prelims will continue with a clash in the Featherweight (145lb) division. Hometown Aussie Shane Young will face off against the debuting Blake Bilder. Both prospects will be eager to showcase their skills. Check out our UFC odds series for our Young-Bilder prediction and pick.
Shane Young is 13-6 in his pro career, but has gone 2-3 in his first five UFC fights. His first loss in the promotion came to now-Champion Alexander Volkanovski. Five years later, Young now trains with the pound-for-pound No. 1 fighter in the world and has been able to advance his game. He'll be looking to get back in the win column as his last two outings were losses. Young stands 5'8″ with a 72.5-inch reach.
Blake Bilder is 7-0 in his short career as a mixed martial artist. He'll be making his UFC debut in this one and will be looking to remain undefeated as a fighter. His jiu-jitsu skills are what have gotten him this far and he likes to finish fights in an array of ways via submission. It will be a huge step-up in competition as he makes his UFC debut, but Bilder hopes his jiu-jitsu can continue to translate well into the sport. Blake Bilder stands 5'8″ with a 68.5-inch reach.
Here are the UFC Odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
UFC 284 Odds: Shane Young-Blake Bilder Odds
Shane Young: -144
Blake Bilder: +118
Over (2.5) rounds: -118
Under (2.5) rounds: -108
How to Watch Shane Young vs. Blake Bilder
TV: ESPN+
Stream: ESPN+, UFC Fight Pass
Time: 6:00 p.m. ET/ 3:00 p.m. PT (Early Prelims)
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Why Shane Young Will Win
Shane Young is an interesting prospect who a lot of people in the MMA world had high hopes for. He has a well-rounded game and feels comfortable both on his feet and on the ground. He doesn't shine in any one particular aspect, but it's safe to say his kickboxing is slightly better than his jiu-jitsu. He'll want to keep this one standing and avoid Bilder's dangerous guard. Shane Young's path to success may be to stay on the outside and pick shots whenever Bilder tries to close the distance.
Blake Bilder will definitely shoot for a takedown once he sees he's outmatched on the feet. From there, it's up to Young to stuff the takedown and turn it into a clinch opportunity. He's good with elbows and dirty boxing inside, but stuffing the initial takedown will be vital as he'll look for Bilder to empty the tank in his debut. If Young can stay calm and collected through the fire, his coaching and gameplan should carry his to a win here.
Why Blake Bilder Will Win
Blake Bilder doesn't have a ton of experience inside of the octagon. However, he has a world of experience in the art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and will have a huge advantage on the ground in this one. His BJJ game has carried over very nicely to MMA and he's been able to show some of it in his first seven fights.
The biggest question in this one for Bilder is how he will handle his energy throughout the fight. Fighters tend to dump adrenaline in their debuts and gas out in later rounds. Shane Young will try to push a high striking pace, so Bilder will need to be sound defensively and conserve his energy for exchanges on the ground. His jiu-jitsu is the path to victory here, so look for him to utilize it late in this fight.
Final Shane Young-Blake Bilder Prediction & Pick
Shane Young will have the experience advantage over Bilder and has a great camp in City Kickboxing. However, in a massive camp that features Volkanovski, Adesanya, Hooker, and more, it's often hard to receive the microscopic attention to detail leading up to a fight, especially when Volk is fighting on the same card. I think the excitement of fighting in Perth could get to some of these Aussie fighters. I like Blake Bilder to win this fight by sneaky submission.
Final Shane Young-Blake Bilder Prediction & Pick: Blake Bilder (+118)
