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Justin Bales gives his DraftKings MMA DFS lineup picks for the Fight Night 109 Main Card. Get a head start on your UFC DFS lineups for DraftKings.
What's up RotoBallers. In this column, I will be taking a look at the main card for Fight Night 109. Our analysis will help you with your DraftKings MMA lineups. We will be keeping track based on picking winners and losers. We will also predict how the fight will be finished, but that will not reflect in the records (Justin's Record: 111-54).
MMA has one of the best sweats in DFS. Two fighters compete at a time with only one coming out as the winner. It's the best feeling in the world when you are watching the main event of a show and know you need a first round knockout to win the entire tournament. And nothing feels worse than when you need a first round knockout by Stipe Miocic to win thousands of dollars in a tournament, but when he lands that knockout punch, you realize that you placed 14th because Jacare Souza was too dominant in a previous fight. This was a serious scenario that I had to live through when Miocic won the Heavyweight Championship. Without anymore waiting, here are our DFS lineup picks and DraftKings analysis for the main card at Fight Night 109.
Editor's Note: Interested in RotoBaller's MMA DFS Cheat Sheet with advanced fighter statistics, deep analysis and detailed insights from MMA DFS Expert Justin Bales? Let us know here.
Jack Hermansson vs Alex Nicholson
Neither of these two fighters have really yet to find their footing inside the octagon, as they enter this weekend with a combined 2-3 UFC record. Both fighters love to keep the fight standing, but Nicholson relies on power, while Hermansson fights with a more technical approach. Nicholson has the power to end this fight at any point in time, but Hermansson has displayed a good chin, while showing off tremendous striking defense. He could be able to work enough for three rounds to take this fight by the judge’s scorecards.
Jack Hermansson via Unanimous Decision
Oliver Enkamp vs Nordine Taleb
Enkamp is a UFC newcomer, who has a great submission game to pair with solid striking. He only lacks the experience against high caliber fighters, which will make the difference in this fight. Taleb has been on a bit of a skid recently, but he has been fighting in the UFC for three years now. He’s as technical of a striker as you will find, and he has be takedown defense to keep this standing. Enkamp has the ability to catch Taleb in a submission if this fight goes to the ground, but he isn’t nearly ready to stand and trade with the UFC veteran. Taleb could walk away with an impressive knockout, but it is much more likely he outpoints Enkamp on a way to a dominant decision victory.
Nordine Taleb via Unanimous Decision
Abdul Razak Alhassan vs Omari Akhmedov
This is my pick for fight of the night. Razak Alhassan has yet to get out of the first round in any professional fight, and he knocked out Charlie Ward in less than a minute in his UFC debut. He gets a matchup against Akhmedov, who is generally known as a finish for be finished type of fighter. Razak Alhassan does not have much film, but what he does has displayed good takedown defense, and it would be surprising if Akhmedov gets more than one of two takedown attempts this weekend. Razak Alhassan will look to pressure this fight early and often, and he should take home another highlight reel knockout.
Abdul Razak Alhassan via TKO, 1st Round
Peter Sobotta vs Ben Saunders
This is one of the most interesting matchups on the card. Saunders has elite Muay Thai and will be able to pick Sobotta apart on the feet if this stays standing. With that being said, Saunders generally does not mind being taken down, as he has one of the most active guards in the UFC. Saunders has great submissions off his back, while Sobotta has good submissions when he’s in dominant positions on the ground. This fight will feature plenty of elite level grappling, but Sobotta should be able to fend off Saunders submission attempts, while riding out this fight with top control.
Peter Sobotta via Unanimous Decision
Volkan Oezdemir vs Misha Cirkunov
It seems as if the UFC is trying to punish Oezdemir for beating Ovince St. Preux in his first fight. It is crazy to think Oezdemir is currently ranked higher than Cirkunov, but that is going to quickly change after this weekend. Oezdemir looked good against St. Preux in his debut, but he is not going to be able to stop Cirkunov’s takedown attempts. This fight is going to be fairly one sided, as Cirkunov picks up another decisive win.
Misha Cirkunov via Submission, 2nd Round
Alexander Gustafsson vs Glover Teixeira
These two men have only lost to elite competition in the UFC, and it’s time to find out which fighter will likely be next in line to fight either Daniel Cormier or Jon Jones after their fight. Gustafsson has the takedown defense to keep this fight standing, which will leave Teixeira looking for a flash knockout. If Gustafsson can avoid that, which is likely, he should be able to pick Teixeira apart on the feet to win another shot at the title.
Alexander Gustafsson via TKO, 4th Round
