RADIO
DraftKings MMA, UFC DFS Lineup Picks - UFC Atlanta: Usman vs. Buckley on 06/14/25. MMA DFS analysis to build winning daily fantasy UFC lineups.
The UFC returns to Atlanta for the first time in quite some time for what shapes up to be an exciting card. The event will mark the promotion's fifth visit to Atlanta and first since UFC 236 in April 2019. Headlining the UFC Atlanta card, the former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman takes on surging Joaquin Buckley in what promises to be a banger of a fight. Another former champion will be in action in the co-main event, as Rose Namajunas faces off against Miranda Maverick.
To open up the main card, we have Alonzo Menifield taking on Oumar Sy. We have two middleweight fights on the main card as Mansur Abdul-Malik takes on Cody Brundage and Edmen Shahbazyan takes on Andre Petroski. Also on the main card, we have former bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt taking on Raoni Mendonca Barcelos.
In this article, I will be providing you with my fantasy MMA lineup picks for UFC Atlanta: Usman vs. Buckley on 6/14/25. Give me a follow on X @sumpor5. Good luck!
Happy New Year! Save 50% on any Premium Pass using discount code NEW. Win more with our DFS, Betting and Season-Long Pass, get expert tools and advice from proven winners! GAIN ACCESS
DraftKings MMA Welterweight - UFC DFS Lineup Picks
Kamaru Usman, $7.2K - vs. Joaquin Buckley
Usman is scheduled to take on Buckley in the main event of UFC Atlanta on Saturday. Usman looks to get back in the win column after suffering three consecutive losses, while Buckley looks to extend his win streak and get himself closer to the title shot.
The Nigerian Nightmare is coming for another KO 👊@Usman84kg RETURNS this weekend for a 5 round battle at #UFCAtlanta ⚔️ pic.twitter.com/TXxx8aPwLE
— UFC (@ufc) June 9, 2025
Usman became a champion in 2019, and from then to 2022, Usman reigned as welterweight champion, defending the belt successfully five times before losing it to Leon Edwards in a stunning knockout in August 2022. After losing the belt to Edwards, Usman got an immediate rematch at UFC 286 in London, and that fight also ended in defeat.
Usman was last seen in action back in October 2023 at UFC 294, where he lost to Khamzat Chimaev via majority decision. Considering Usman is 38 years old, this fight is extremely important to him, and a win would put him back in the title picture.
In contrast to Usman, Buckley is on a tear, winning six consecutive fights. He struggled with consistency earlier in his UFC run, going 3-3 in his first six UFC fights. Known for his knockout power and highlight-reel finishes, Buckley’s resume includes finishes over the likes of Vicente Luque, Stephen Thompson, and Colby Covington and the 2020 Knockout of the Year for his viral spinning back kick against Impa Kasanganay.
Buckley was last seen in action in December at UFC Tampa, where he defeated Covington via TKO, doctor stoppage to be exact.
Usman enters this fight with an MMA record of 20-4 and 15-3 in the UFC. He averages 4.36 significant strikes per minute and has a striking accuracy of 52%. Usman absorbs 2.74 strikes per minute and has a striking defense of 54%. Known for being one of the best wrestlers in the UFC, Usman is averaging 2.82 takedowns every 15 minutes.
Usman has a takedown accuracy of 45% and a takedown defense of 89%.
Buckley enters this fight with an MMA record of 21-6 and 11-4 in the UFC. He is averaging 4.22 strikes per minute and has a striking accuracy of 37%. Buckley is absorbing 3.13 strikes per minute and has a striking defense of 59%. In regards to his grappling, Buckley is averaging 1.78 takedowns every 15 minutes. He has a takedown accuracy of 45% and a takedown defense of 73%.
This is a hard fight to predict, considering that Usman is no longer in his prime. Not only that, but Usman has been inactive for almost two years. On the other hand, since moving to welterweight, Buckley has looked like a world-beater. If Usman were in his prime, I would have easily picked him to win the fight, but now, it's much harder.
That being said, this is most likely Usman's last chance to get back in the title picture, and I think he still has plenty of gas in his tank. My prediction is that Usman is either going to finish Buckley inside four rounds or he's going to win via unanimous decision.
DraftKings MMA Women's Flyweight - UFC DFS Lineup Picks
Rose Namajunas, $9.1K - vs. Miranda Maverick
The co-main event of UFC Atlanta features a fight between former two-time women's strawweight champion Namajunas and the surging Maverick. Namajunas will look to get back in the win column while Maverick looks to extend her win streak.
"I want to fight for the title."
Rose Namajunas (@rosenamajunas) continues to feel more and more at home in the flyweight division and believes she can earn her way into the title picture soon. #UFCAtlanta
Read more ➡️: https://t.co/iq568GOTkJ https://t.co/iq568GOTkJ
— UFC News (@UFCNews) June 12, 2025
Namajunas is considered to be one of the best strikers in women's mixed martial arts, and in her title reign, Namajunas defeated the best of the best, like former champions Jessica Andrade and Joanna Jedrzejczyk and current strawweight champion Zhang Weili.
Actually, Namajunas has defeated Jedrzejczyk and Weili twice. That being said, she has struggled since moving to flyweight, going 2-2 in her last four fights. She was last seen in action back in November at UFC Edmonton, where Erin Blanchfield soundly defeated her via unanimous decision.
Unlike Namajunas, Maverick has looked solid, racking up four wins in a row. Maverick opened her UFC career with two wins, but then she ran into Maycee Barber and lost via split decision. After that, she was soundly defeated by Blanchfield via unanimous decision. Since those back-to-back setbacks, Maverick has gone 6-1 in her last seven, with her only loss being a June 2023 decision to Jasmine Jasudavicius.
Maverick was last seen in action back in December at UFC Tampa, where she defeated Jamey-Lyn Horthat via unanimous decision.
Namajunas enters this fight with an MMA record of 13-7 and 11-6 in the UFC. She averages 3.71 significant strikes per minute and has a striking accuracy of 42%. Namajunas absorbs 3.48 strikes per minute and has a striking defense of 63%. In regards to her wrestling, Namajunas is averaging 1.46 takedowns every 15 minutes. She has a takedown accuracy of 50% and a takedown defense of 61%.
Maverick enters this fight with an MMA record of 15-5 and 8-3 in the UFC. She averages 3.39 significant strikes per minute and has a striking accuracy of 45%. Maverick absorbs 2.31 strikes per minute and has a striking defense of 60%. Her grappling is solid, averaging 2.39 takedowns every 15 minutes. Maverick has a takedown accuracy of 41% and a takedown defense of 44%.
This is arguably the biggest test in Maverick's career. Although Maverick is on a four-fight winning streak, she hasn't exactly looked spectacular in the process. She's known for her forward pressure and relentless chain wrestling, while Namajunas will have an edge in the striking department. Even though Namajunas hasn't looked the best lately, I still think that she's a level above Maverick.
My prediction is that Namajunas is going to win this one via unanimous decision.
DraftKings MMA Middleweight - UFC DFS Lineup Picks
Edmen Shahbazyan, $8.8K - vs. Andre Petroski
Shahbazyan and Petroski are scheduled for a three-round middleweight scrap on the main card of UFC Atlanta on Saturday. Shahbazyan will look to win back-to-back fights while Petroski looks to extend his win streak.
Edmen Shahbazyan has serious power in his hands. 👊 🎥
( @edmenshahbazyan )#UFCAtlanta pic.twitter.com/BlcHTwP74l
— DWill (@TheRealDWill__) June 9, 2025
When Shahbazyan joined the UFC, people were predicting that he was going to be the champion one day, and it looked like it at the beginning of his UFC career. Shahbazyan started his UFC career strong, winning four fights in a row. Out of those four fights, two ended in a knockout/TKO, one by submission, and one by split decision.
After beating Brad Tavares, Shahbazyan has won only three of his last eight fights and has alternated wins and losses in five fights since.
Petroski joined the promotion in 2021, racking up five consecutive wins to start his UFC career. He then suffered back-to-back knockout losses to Michel Pereira and Jacob Malkoun but has since responded with three straight wins of his own, beating Josh Fremd, Dylan Budka, and most recently, Rodolfo Vieira.
He's known for his wrestling and submission grappling, but he showcased his striking in his last appearance against BJJ ace “The Black Belt Hunter” Vieira.
Shahbazyan enters this fight with an MMA record of 14-5 and 7-5 in the UFC. He is averaging 3.78 significant strikes per minute and has a striking accuracy of 50%. Shahbazyan is absorbing 3.85 strikes per minute and has a striking defense of 47%. In regards to his wrestling, Shahbazyan is averaging 1.97 takedowns every 15 minutes. He has a takedown accuracy of 38% and a takedown defense of 65%.
Petroski enters this fight with an MMA record of 13-3 and 8-2 in the UFC. He is averaging 2.89 significant strikes per minute and has a striking accuracy of 50%. Petroski is absorbing 2.65 strikes per minute and has a striking defense of 50%. He also has elite grappling ability, averaging 3.38 takedowns every 15 minutes and 1.5 submission attempts during the same period.
Petroski has a takedown accuracy of 54% and a takedown defense of 85%.
Shahbazyan is always a threat early with his explosive striking and finishing power, but his cardio is not exceptional, and he usually starts fading in the second round. He has also had problems in the past with great wrestlers.
He will have an advantage when it comes to striking, and Petroski will have a clear advantage when it comes to grappling. If Petroski gets this fight to the ground or fence, he can drain Edmen’s gas tank, but I don't think that's going to happen. I see Shahbazyan knocking out Petroski in the first or the second round.
