The UFC 284 preliminary will feature a light heavyweight fight between Tyson Pedro and Modestas Bukauskas that will take place on February 12 at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia.
For the most part, UFC 284 promises to be one of the most memorable cards in recent history. Headlined by lightweight champ Islam Makhachev and featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski, it is set to be a banger. Moreover, we will see Yair Rodriguez and Josh Emmett go head to head for the interim featherweight title in the co-main.
Switching things up in Perth! 🇦🇺@Tyson_Pedro_ gets a new opponent and now meets @BalticGladiator at #UFC284! pic.twitter.com/KudmET5Vqz
— UFC_AUSNZ (@UFC_AUSNZ) January 31, 2023
As for the preliminary card, we have Tyson Pedro and Modestas Bukauskas getting us ready before the main card. Fighting on his home turf, Pedro (9-3) will look to continue his newfound form. Following a loss to Mauricio Rua in 2018, Pedro took a 3-and-a-half-year break but has returned better than ever. Since his return, the Australian has gone 2-0 finishing both fights.
Facing Tyson, we have Modestas Bukauskas (13-5), who will be making his return to UFC. Previously, the Lithuanian fighter went 1-3 in the UFC, before making his way to Cage Warriors. Most recently, Modestas captured the Cage Warriors Light Heavyweight title by knocking out Chuck Campbell in December last year.
UFC 284 Prelims: Pedro vs Bukauskas Head-to-Head Stats
Stats | Tyson Pedro | Modestas Bukauskas |
---|---|---|
Wins | 9 | 13 |
Losses | 3 | 5 |
Height | 1.91 m | 1.91 m |
Division | Light Heavyweight | Light Heavyweight |
Reach | 2.01m | 1.98m |
Age | 31 | 28 |
Tyson Pedro vs Modestas Bukauskas: Fight Breakdown and Prediction
Coming into this one, Tyson Pedro is likely to be the fans’ and bookies’ pick to win the fight. Arguably the more proven fighter, Pedro is also the bigger presence inside the Octagon. Although his recent opponents have not been the best, he still did his job, very well and very effectively. After all, you can only beat what’s put in front of you.
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As for his attributes, Pedro is a very good striker. He is very apt at maintaining his range and delivering his sharp and fast signature one-two. Since he is quite a sizeable specimen, he is just as good off his back as he is standing up. Moreover, fans will expect him to iron out a few mistakes in defense and look to use his past experiences to be a better version of himself.
Coming to “The Baltic Gladiator”, Modestas is primarily a kickboxer and likes to dish out most of his punishment standing up. The Lithuanian utilizes his arsenal of spinning kicks and clever combinations to catch out his opponents. Although the fight is expected to be a stand-up contest for the most part, Tyson’s superiority in the ground game is quite evident. Thus, the fight is likely to be a striking contest and we’re backing the Aussie to take the win.