PERTH, Australia – Randy Brown thinks people are underestimating him against Jack Della Maddalena.
Brown (16-4 MMA, 10-4 UFC) takes on rising prospect Della Maddalena (13-2 MMA, 3-0 UFC) on Saturday’s UFC 284 main card at RAC Arena. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+.
Della Maddalena has impressed in his three octagon finishes and the Perth native is being touted as having title contender potential. But Brown, who’s on a four-fight winning streak, thinks his resume deserves attention, too.
“Shiny new toy, and all the hype is well deserved,” Brown told reporters at media day. “He’s really good. It’s just I am being overlooked, but listen, I’ve been overlooked my entire career. That’s just the nature of my story, I guess. So, I don’t really look into it too much. I just take it as it is, another guy that I need to get out of here.
“It’s one of those situations where you gotta go and get it if you want it. I’ve been here a long time, I’ve put in a lot of work and anyone else on a four-fight win streak that has beaten the guys that I’ve beaten, or in my situation 6-1 in my last 7, anyone else would have already been fighting a top 15. I didn’t have to take this fight.”
That doesn’t mean that Brown isn’t aware of Della Maddalena’s skills – he just thinks he’ll be a big step up in competition for him.
“I think he’s a great fighter,” Brown said. “I think he’s never faced anyone at my level yet, but he’s a tremendous athlete and I think he’s really, really good, and he has a ton of potential. But I think we’re catching him at a good time.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 284.