X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

DraftKings MMA Preview and UFC DFS Picks: Cormier vs. Gustafsson

Last week was about as perfect as a week as we could have hoped for, as all four of my targets won, and several were in some of the winning tournament lineups across the industry. My "avoid" pick also turned out well, as Gegard Mousasi took a spinning kick to the face to end his night early, along with anyone's who had him for the high price.

This week we have a top-notch card in UFC 192, as Daniel Cormier takes on Alexander Gustafsson. Hopefully we can continue to nail some of the top plays on the weekend!

As usual, I’ve broken down my DraftKings MMA picks into thee sections: Cash game targets, GPP targets and fighters to avoid. I’ll explain what each category signifies below:

  • Cash Game: These fighters are great targets in 50/50 or H2H contests, where 50 percent of the field wins money.
  • GPP: These fighters are great targets in GPPs (Guaranteed Prize Pools) or tournaments, which require riskier selection in order to win first place.
  • Avoid: These are fighters who I will be staying away from.

 

MMA DFS for DraftKings – Cash Game Targets

1. Sage Northcutt (10.5k)

You haven't heard of Sage Northcutt? Well, no biggie, but you probably should know his name heading into UFC 192. Northcutt is a 19-year-old MMA prospect making his UFC debut, and he's got a real chance to be a threat in the division, even if it comes several years down the road.

The kid is a world-champion karate-style striker, but his overall game is more than solid, and he faces a relatively lackluster opponent in Francisco Trevino. Normally I wouldn't jump on someone in his situation, but the pricing is well off on DraftKings.

When salaries were released, Northcutt was a -250 favorite, but he's since climbed to -470, making the biggest favorite on the board and an easy value to target.

 

2. Albert Tumenov (10.3k)

Albert "Einstein" Tumenov will probably be making quite a few appearances in my lineups this weekend, as he gets a tough but solid DFS matchup in Alan Jouban. What I mean by that is Jouban is a good fighter and possess dangerous power in his hands, but Jouban's approach to fighting isn't always the smartest, and he'll probably choose to stand and try to beat Tumenov on the feet.

That's not a great idea.

Tumenov is a super-talented and technical kick boxer, and he's put on impressive performances already in the UFC. I think he'll have the advantage on the feet, and since the fight will should primarily take place on the feet, I expect him to earn a solid amount of points. He has the capability of finishing the fight early, which is great for all formats, but he's also a safe play for the price.

 

MMA DFS for DraftKings – GPP Targets

1. Rose Namajunas  (10.6k)

I've listed Rose Namajunas as one of my favorite GPP plays because I think she has a clear route to a finish. If she doesn't finish this fight against Angela Hill, I'm a little concerned about her point total, and for the price, she might not be worth it.

She'll probably have a decent shot in the stand up, but that's where Hill is at her best, and Namajunas will more than likely look to take the fight to the ground. That's where I think she'll have the true advantage and a great chance to earn a submission.

Namajunas is coming off a poor loss to Carla Esparza in the 115 title fight, and I'm not sure if she'll be heavily targeted. But I do know that she has potential to earn a first round finish, so she's definitely going to be a target of mine.

 

2. Alexander Gustafsson (8.4k)

Whoa, now I'm really going out on a limb here and taking one of the biggest underdogs on the board in Alexander Gustafsson. I actually don't mind Gustafsson in cash, because I think there's a reasonable chance he could get the fight to a decision, and if that's the case, he should more than pay off his 8.4k of salary.

In GPPs you need the win though, and this is more of a gut call, but I think he has a real shot. Yes, Daniel Cormier probably has the overall advantage and certainly has the wrestling advantage, but I'm not as confident as many that Cormier will be able to get the fight to the ground so easily.

I think there's a reasonable chance that Gustafsson can avoid the takedown in a few rounds, and if he can stay on the feet, he should be at a striking advantage. He's so cheap that he allows you to spend up on several fighters, and here's hoping he can pull three rounds out of nowhere and earn a decision victory.

 

MMA DFS for DrafKings – Fighters to Avoid

1. Joseph Benavidez (10.9k)

Joseph Benavidez comes in as the second-most pricey fighter at 10.9k, and he is a -340 favorite. He seems safe for the win, kind of like Mousasi did last week, but I'm just not sure he can pay off the price.

If I'm spending up that high, I want a finish, and I think it's relatively unlikely that Benavidez gets one. His best shot is probably to grab hold of a guillotine against Ali Bagautinov, but submission grappling is also Bagautinov's strong point.

If the fight goes to a decision, I just don't see Benavidez scoring enough. I'd much rather spend the extra $100 to take a chance on Cormier or drop down and save some cap.

 

Hope you enjoy! Follow me on Twitter @BrettAppley and @DailyFanMMA

 

MMA & UFC Live Chat DFS Advice

[iflychat_embed id="c-63" hide_user_list="yes" hide_popup_chat="no" height="400px"]




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Brian Harman

Not A Great Option For PGA Championship
Ketel Marte

Blasts Two Home Runs, Removed Early With Hip Tightness
Rhys Hoskins

Homers, Drives In Five
Nikola Vučević

Nikola Vucevic May Be Involved In Trade Talks Again This Offseason
Jared McCain

Moving In The Right Direction
Matthew Golden

Officially Signs Rookie Contract
Trayveon Williams

Patriots Sign Trayveon Williams
San Francisco 49ers

Mykel Williams Signs Rookie Deal With San Fran
Jadon Janke

Signs With Green Bay
Cameron Smith

May Not Be Worth The Risk At Quail Hollow
Joaquin Niemann

A Strong Play At Quail Hollow
Stephen Curry

Cleared For Light On-Court Work
Sam Hauser

Returns To Action Wednesday
Evan Bouchard

Relishes Series-Clinchers
Ben Joyce

Expected To Miss Rest Of Season After Shoulder Surgery
Jalen Chatfield

Good To Go For Thursday's Game 5
Brandon Saad

Not Expected To Return In Round 2
Ryan Weathers

Activated And Starting On Wednesday
Mark Stone

Doubtful For Game 5 Wednesday
Evan Rodrigues

Won't Play On Wednesday
Oliver Ekman-Larsson

Good To Go Wednesday
PGA

Sungjae Im Could Be Someone To Watch At Quail Hollow
Max Homa

Still Not Trustworthy Ahead Of PGA Championship
Jalen Royals

Inks Rookie Deal With Chiefs
Dalton Rushing

Dodgers Calling Up Dalton Rushing
Hendon Hooker

"Off To A Good Start" In QB2 Competition
Quintin Morris

Jaguars Signing Tight End Quintin Morris
Elgton Jenkins

Skipping Offseason Workouts, Seeking New Deal To Move To Center
Bryce Miller

Mariners Place Bryce Miller On 15-Day Injured List With Elbow Inflammation
Josh Jacobs

Looks "Better" This Offseason
Jason Day

Looking To Continue Success At Quail Hollow
Sam Burns

A Shaky Play At Quail Hollow
Derrick Henry

Ravens Agree On Two-Year Extension
NFL

Vikings To Host Lions On Christmas Day
Daniel Berger

Looking To Capture First Major At Quail Hollow
NFL

Super Bowl Rematch Will Come In Week 2
NFL

Chiefs To Face Cowboys On Thanksgiving Day
Gabe Davis

Giants Host Gabe Davis On A Visit
NFL

Packers-Lions To Face Each Other In Week 1
Jordan Spieth

Looks To Complete Career Grand Slam At Quail Hollow
Derek Carr

"Extremely Unlikely" To Make A Comeback
Rory McIlroy

All Eyes Are On Rory McIlroy At Quail Hollow
Jon Rahm

Fits Quail Hollow Well On Paper
Keegan Bradley

A Reliable Option At Quail Hollow
Will Zalatoris

Enters PGA Championship With Major Concerns
Justin Thomas

Peaking At The Right Time For PGA Championship
Akshay Bhatia

Not Quite The Same Since Players Championship
Donovan Mitchell

Scores Game-High 35 Points In Tuesday's Loss
Harris English

Playing Well Heading Into PGA Championship
Collin Morikawa

A Solid Contender At PGA Championship
Tyrese Haliburton

Returns To Form In Closeout Game
Gary Woodland

Not Expecting Much At PGA Championship
Jamal Murray

Tallies 28 Points In Game 5 Loss
Si Woo Kim

A High-Risk, High-Reward Option At PGA Championship
Nikola Jokić

Nikola Jokic Ends Shooting Slump In Game 5
Tom Hoge

A Risky Play At Quail Hollow
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Leads Team With 31 Points In Comeback Victory
Stephen Curry

Officially Ruled Out For Game 5
PGA

Tyrell Hatton A Volatile Pick At PGA Championship
Anthony Stolarz

Back On The Ice
Josh Morrissey

Extends Assist Streak
Nikolaj Ehlers

Scores Lone Jets Goal Tuesday
Thomas Harley

Continues Home Point Streak
Jason Robertson

Grabs First Postseason Point
Mikael Granlund

Nets First Playoff Hat Trick
Dylan Cease

Strikes Out 10 In No-Decision On Tuesday
Daulton Varsho

Homers Twice, Drives In Four On Tuesday
Javier Báez

Javier Baez Hits Two Homers With Walk-Off Tuesday
Josh Jung

Hits Two Homers, Plates Four Tuesday
Roki Sasaki

Dodgers Place Roki Sasaki On Injured List With Shoulder Impingement
Clayton Kershaw

Set For Season Debut Saturday
Roki Sasaki

Could Be A Candidate For The IL
Sam Hauser

Expected To Play On Wednesday Night
Evan Rodrigues

Practices On Tuesday
Las Vegas Raiders

Raiders Sign Rookie Darien Porter
Oliver Ekman-Larsson

Misses Practice Due To Illness
Calvin Pickard

Not Expected To Return In Round 2
Mattias Ekholm

Could Be Available For Conference Finals
Keith Cooper Jr.

Inks Rookie Deal With Lions
Connor Hellebuyck

Starts Game 4 Against Stars
Jake Oettinger

Seeks Another Home Win Tuesday
Baltimore Ravens

Kaimon Rucker Signs With Baltimore
Miro Heiskanen

Set To Return Tuesday
Baltimore Ravens

Ar'Darius Washington Could Miss All Of 2025
MLB

MLB Reinstates Pete Rose, Shoeless Joe Jackson From Ineligible List
Jayson Tatum

Tears Achilles, Undergoes Successful Surgery
Corey Seager

Officially Goes Back On Injured List
Max Scherzer

Now Dealing With Back Tightness
Ben Lively

Guardians Place Ben Lively On 15-Day Injured List
Oswaldo Cabrera

Placed On 10-Day Injured List With Fractured Ankle
Jason Foley

To Have Season-Ending Shoulder Surgery
Yandy Díaz

Rays Place Yandy Diaz On Restricted List Due To Passport Issue
Yordan Alvarez

Won't Come Off Injured List On Tuesday
Thomas Morstead

Jets Releasing Thomas Morstead
Alex Ovechkin

Ends Goal Drought With Power-Play Marker
Andrei Svechnikov

Pots Seventh Postseason Goal
Jonathan Kuminga

Leads Warriors in Scoring Monday Night
Anthony Edwards

Scores 30 Points With Six Triples In Game 4 Win
Julius Randle

Continues To Excel Against Warriors
Mikal Bridges

Does It All For Knicks In Game 4 Victory
Jalen Brunson

Leads Knicks With 39 Points Monday Night
Jayson Tatum

To Undergo MRI Tuesday
Sam Hauser

Remains Out On Monday
Donovan Mitchell

Listed As Questionable For Game 5
Jack Della Maddalena

Becomes The New UFC Welterweight Champion
Belal Muhammad

Outclassed At UFC 315
Manon Fiorot

Drops Decision At UFC 315
Valentina Shevchenko

Defends Title
José Aldo

Jose Aldo Retires After UFC 315 Loss
Aiemann Zahabi

Extends His Win Streak
Alexa Grasso

Loses Back-To-Back Fights
Alexa Grasso

Natalia Silva Outclasses Alexa Grasso
Kyle Prepolec

Submitted In His UFC Return
MMA

Benoit Saint-Denis Gets Back In The Win Column
Ryan Blaney

Holds Strong For A Top-Five Finish At Kansas
William Byron

Struggles At Kansas With An Underwhelming Finish
Chase Briscoe

Scores A New Career-Best Cup Finish At Kansas
Denny Hamlin

Mechanical Issues Ruin Denny Hamlin's Promising Kansas Performance
Alex Bowman

Puts Together A Strong Top-Five Finish At Kansas
Ryan Preece

Earns His First Career Top-10 Finish At Kansas
Christopher Bell

Finishes Second In Otherwise Subpar Day For Toyota
Chris Buescher

Has Decent Run At Kansas, But Teammates Outperform Him
Josh Berry

Despite Qualifying Error And Speeding Penalty, Josh Berry Finishes Sixth
Joey Logano

Despite Joey Logano's Complacency, Penske Cars Fast Enough For Top-10 Finish
Tyler Reddick

Once Again Inexplicably Mediocre At One Of His Better Tracks
Brad Keselowski

Crashes Out At Kansas But Shows First Hint Of Speed
Donovan Mitchell

Doubtful To Return To Game 4
Kyle Larson

Could Embarrass The Field At Kansas
Tyler Reddick

Should Be Fast At Kansas
Denny Hamlin

Has Been Phenomenal At Kansas in Next Gen Car
Ryan Blaney

Expect Ryan Blaney To Obtain Another Quality Kansas Finish
Chris Buescher

May Be One To Watch At Kansas
William Byron

Is Among The Top Favorites To Win At Kansas
NASCAR

Should DFS Players Roster Bubba Wallace At Kansas?
Christopher Bell

Qualifies Third For This Week's Kansas Race
Austin Cindric

May Be A Great And Sneaky DFS Pick For Kansas
Belal Muhammad

Set For His First Title Defense
Jack Della Maddalena

Has A Chance To Become UFC Champion
Manon Fiorot

Looks To Become The New Champion
Valentina Shevchenko

Set For UFC 315 Co-Main Event
Aiemann Zahabi

Looks For His Sixth Win In A Row
José Aldo

Jose Aldo Set For Featherweight Bout
Natalia Silva

Looks To Extend Her Win Streak
Alexa Grasso

Returns At UFC 315
Kyle Prepolec

Set For UFC 315 Main-Card Opener
Benoît Saint Denis

Benoit Saint Denis Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF