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Welcome back RotoBallers as we cross the Atlantic Ocean into England for this week's UFC featuring Anderson Silva vs. Michael Bisping.
I've been waiting to see Bisping fight Silva or another high level fighter in a title match for quite some time, and I'm hoping he can pull off the victory. Either way, this should be a fun card to follow and a good one to make some money!
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. Tom Breese (11.4k)
I know he's expensive but Tom Breese is my top option in both cash games and GPPs at 11.4k on DraftKings. For starters, there's a reason he's priced so high, and that's because he's a -1025 favorite with a finish prop of -345.
Those numbers are Rousey-esque and if you can afford him, he's nearly a lock to score 100 points. While he may be difficult to pay up for in GPPs, I think he provides safety that no other fighter on the card does and that's why I recommend anchoring your roster with him this weekend.
From a matchup perspective, he's facing a relatively weak fighter in Keita Nakamura who hasn't been able to prove himself on the UFC circuit. I think Breese is a better fighter in all facets of the game and he should have relative ease earning a finish.
2. Michael Bisping (8.6k)
I like Michael Bisping for his price value this week, and that doesn't necessarily mean I think he's a lock to beat Anderson Silva. Of course, Silva makes for a great play too, but slotting Bisping in really opens up your lineup.
Bisping is the higher output striker of the two, and if he can last past the second round, I think he has a reasonable chance to win on the scorecards. Silva will be looking for the early knockout, and I expect his ownership levels to be sky-high, but I think Bisping has a good chance to pay off.
Even in a decision loss, Bisping could score 40 points and that's more than enough of a contribution to a winning lineup.
MMA DFS for DraftKings – GPP Targets
1. Francisco Rivera (10.4k)
Francisco Rivera is fighting Brad Pickett his weekend and I think it's a great fantasy matchup to target on both sides, but I'm especially high on Rivera for his upside.
Rivera is a very powerful striker and I think he can score damage against Pickett while the fight stays standing. Not only has Rivera earned some impressive knockouts in his career, but Pickett has deteriorated a bit and his chin hasn't held up as well as it used to, and that's a recipe for success on Rivera's end.
I also think Rivera is worth consideration in cash games for his significant strike output.
2. Arnold Allen (10.9k)
Arnold Allen is still a youngster but he has a high upside in the UFC and he's in a favorable matchup with Yaotzin Meza in his home country this weekend.
Allen impressed me with his grit in his UFC debut, beating Omer Alan in the third round by submission. He's a pretty well rounded fighter but I think he'll have a distinct striking advantage in this fight and will probably earn a knockout of some kind if the fight stays standing.
Meza is a good wrestler but he's not very consistent and lacks any noticeable advantage over most UFC-level fighters. Allen is expensive but I think he's a solid contrarian GPP play off some of the other high priced options on the card.
MMA DFS for DraftKings – Fighters to Avoid
1. Gegard Mousasi (11k)
My fade didn't work out too well last week with Lauren Murphy, but to be fair, she was literally five seconds away from only scoring 50 points or less in a decision.
I like Gegard Mousasi as a fighter and I'm guessing he'll win this fight against Thales Leites, but I just can't pay the premium price for him. Leites is talented enough not to get finished quickly and I think that's what Mousasi will need to pay off his price.
With the other top options close by, I don't think you should be targeting Mousasi.
