Justin Tafa vs Parker Porter: UFC 284 Odds, Prediction

Porter is coming off a first-round submission loss to Jailton Almeida last spring at UFC Vegas 55 that put the brakes on a three-fight win streak. Tafa snapped a two-fight losing streak with a first-round knockout win over Harry Hunsucker in his last outing at UFC Vegas 45, but saw that victory come after missing weight.

Tafa has emerged as a -135 favourite on the UFC 284 odds, while Porter lags as a +110 underdog in Saturday night’s contest at RAC Arena in Perth, Australia.

Justin Tafa Odds

Justin Tafa needed just 113 seconds to end Harry Hunsucker’s night with a head kick in their December 2021 matchup. The victory came on the heels of a pair of heartbreaking losses by decision including a split decision defeat at the hands of Carlos Felipe, whom he outstruck by a wide 109-77 margin while also holding the edge in mat control during their UFC Fight Island 7 clash.

A veteran of just eight career pro-MMA fights, those two recent losses mark the only times that Tafa has gone the distance. Indeed, he has seen four of his eight career fights and three of his five octagon appearances last less than five minutes, earning the victory three times. Those short fight times are not surprising considering how hard Tafa both dishes out and takes punishment. “Bad Man” has averaged 5.02 significant strikes per minute since joining the UFC, but has absorbed 5.94 significant strikes per minute over that stretch.

Parker Porter Odds

To say that Parker Porter has a lot of work to do after being outclassed in his last fight would be an understatement. Porter managed to last until the third round against Jailton Almeida before tapping out despite failing to land a single strike. Furthermore, he spent almost four-and-a-half minutes on the mat under Almeida’s control before finally being put out of his misery. The loss halted what had developed into an impressive run of three victories in which Porter set the pace both on his feet and on the mat. Like Tafa, Porter can give as good as he gets, making and absorbing an average of over six significant strikes per minute. However, contrary to his most recent performance, Porter is adept at level changes, as illustrated by his five total takedowns during his three-fight win streak.

UFC 284 Prediction: Justin Tafa vs Parker Porter

Both these fighters possess the potential to end things with a single strike. However, if Porter can survive an opening-round assault by Tafa, he is well positioned to wear his opponent done with a steady diet of jabs, complemented by a heaping side dish of ground and pound. Humiliated in his last outing, expect 37-year-old Porter to have learned his lesson, return to basics and outlast his hard-hitting opponent.

Prediction: Parker Porter by Points or Technical Decision (+250)