Subscribe
Follow Us
The UFC will return to Australia for the first time in three and a half years when UFC 284 gets underway from Perth. This stacked pay-per-view card will feature a plethora of intriguing matchups throughout the prelims with two title fights capping off the night. You won't want to miss a second of the action! The night starts off in the Lightweight Division when Russia's Zubaira Tukhugov takes on Brazil's Elves Brenner. Check out our UFC odds series for our Tukhugov-Brenner prediction and pick.
Zubaira Tukhugov is coming into this fight with a spotty record in the UFC thus far. His last five fights are as follows: loss, draw, win, loss, win. He won a unanimous decision his last time out against Ricardo Ramos and will be looking to continue his momentum. Tukhugov will be a heavy favorite in this one, mostly due to the fact that he trains with Islam Makhachev's camp and Khabib's crew of coaches. The Dagestani will look to continue his country's fighting legacy with a win in this one. Tukhugov stands 5'8″ with a 68-inch reach.
Elves Brenner will be opening up his UFC career with a debut fight on the biggest stage. Taking this fight on rather short notice, Brenner will understandably come into this fight as a huge underdog. The Brazilian has a record of 13-3, but most of his wins come on the regional scene against far lesser competition. His last three wins have been by submission, so he'll be looking to notch another one against a tough first opponent. Brenner stands 5'9″ with a 69-inch reach.
Here are the UFC Odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
UFC Odds: Zubaira Tukhugov-Elves Brenner Odds
Zubaira Tukhugov: -650
Elves Brenner: +440
Over (2.5) rounds: -148
Under (2.5) rounds: +116
How to Watch Zubaira Tukhugov vs. Elves Brenner
TV: ESPN+
Stream: ESPN+, UFC Fight Pass
Time: 6:00 p.m. ET/ 3:00 p.m. PT (Early Prelims)
*Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why Zubaira Tukhugov Will Win
The road for Zubaira Tukhugov has been an unconventional one. He struggled in his first few fights with the UFC, gassing out in later rounds and not being active with his striking. However, he's had a decent run as of late and will be confident coming off of a win. The main question for Tukhugov will be the time away from MMA. He's had to spend multiple months rehabbing injuries and fighting with weigh cuts. His last bout was cancelled due to a weight cutting issue, so it will be vital to see how Tukhugov looks on the scales heading into this fight.
Zubaira will have a huge advantage in the wrestling department and a slight advantage on the feet. While Brenner is an active submission artist on the ground, Tukhugov's pressure wrestling can often negate an opponent's jiu-jitsu counters. Against a fighter making his debut, Tukhugov will have much more ring time and experience heading into this one. If he can keep his energy high and continually work from the clinch with elbows and trips, Tukhugov should be able to cruise to victory convincingly.
Why Elves Brenner Will Win
Elves Brenner is a talented jiu-jitsu specialist and feels most comfortable when attacking on the ground. As mentioned, his 13-3 record is somewhat padded by the competition he's had to face. He's also been prone to getting hit early on in fights, something he'll have to polish up before facing the tested Tukhugov.
Brenner will be making his UFC debut and while he's ready for the challenge, it's strange that they would match him up with such a more seasoned opponents. This is in large part due to Brenner accepting this fight on short notice, but will nevertheless lend itself as an advantage for Tukhugov. Elves Brenner's only chance in this one will be to throw up a sneaky submission and hope his opponent is too tired to fight his way out.
Final Zubaira Tukhugov-Elves Brenner Prediction & Pick
This will be a massive step-up in competition for Elves Brenner. While Tukhugov isn't the most polished at this point of his career, look for him to have a dominant performance in this one. The betting line is heavily juiced, look for value elsewhere, perhaps a finishing prop.
Final Zubaira Tukhugov-Elves Brenner Prediction & Pick: Zubaira Tukhugov (-440); Fight DOES NOT go the distance (-120)
