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

MMA DFS Value Picks - UFC 302: Makhachev vs. Poirier

MMA DFS picks daily fantasy MMA premium lineup tools large

MMA DFS DraftKings value picks for UFC 302: Makhachev vs. Poirier. Alen Kurbasic goes over undervalued fighters for daily fantasy UFC lineups (premium content).

Fight fans, and fantasy MMA enthusiasts, welcome to the build-up for one of the most anticipated events of the year thus far: UFC 302. It seems like a pretty long time since there's been a quality card that both hardcore and casual UFC fans have been looking forward to, even though UFC 300 was only 46 days ago. After two failed bids at an undisputed championship, Dustin Poirier will challenge Islam Makhachev for the UFC lightweight championship.

UFC returns to Prudential Centar after setting the venue's live sporting event gate record in 2023 with UFC 288. UFC 302 will mark the tenth UFC event at the arena. The lightweight title will be on the line in Newark, New Jersey, this Saturday night. Lightweight champion Islam Makhachev will try to defend his UFC belt in the main event against former interim champion Dustin Poirier. As if that's not enough, former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland and former title challenger Paulo Costa meet in a five-round co-main event.  Let's get things going and address some of the best plays present in DK.

In this article, I will be providing you with my fantasy MMA value picks for UFC 302: Makhachev vs. Poirier 06/01/24. Give me a follow on Twitter @sumpor5. Good luck!

 

MMA DFS Value Picks - Sean Strickland - $8800

Two of the promotion's most outspoken personalities, Sean Strickland and Paulo Costa are scheduled for a co-main event fight with a title shot not that far away, even though both fighters are coming off a loss. This bout promises to be a thrilling clash of styles, with both fighters known for their striking and relentless pressure. Let’s delve into what makes this matchup a must-see event.

In his last fight, Strickland lost by a controversial split decision to now champion, Dricus Du Plessis while Costa lost to Robert Whittaker in an epic three-round war. Against Du Plessis, Strickland didn't look great but still could have won. His jab was effective, as usual, but he got taken down six times. The winner of this five-round co-main event likely won't secure a title shot, but they should be within sight. 

Strickland is a well-rounded fighter with strong striking and solid grappling skills. He often uses a high-volume striking approach, aiming to outpoint his opponents, while Costa is considered a power puncher. Strickland has been on a good run with notable victories. His conditioning is usually exceptional, allowing him to maintain a high pace throughout the fight. Since moving up to middleweight, Strickland has fought 11 times, only suffering defeat to UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira, Jared Cannonier and UFC middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis.

Now, when talking about Costa, he had a lot of success in his last fight and almost knocked Whittaker out. Unfortunately for him, he didn't do enough in the eyes of the judges, so he lost via unanimous decision. He went 1-3 in his last four fights, losing to Israel Adesanya and Marvin Vettori before his exciting three-round war and win over Luke Rockhold. Both men love to pressure and put opponents on the back foot but Strickland is almost always the aggressor while Costa has been put on his heels against fighters who have a similar pace and cardio to Strickland, for example, Vettori.

It's safe to say that DFS Point Potential for Strickland is high due to his volume striking. Strickland also tends to score well in significant strikes landed. This is a classic matchup between a volume striker in Strickland and a power puncher in Costa. If the fight goes to distance, Strickland is likely going to score higher because of his cumulative points from strikes. However, if Costa wins, to get a significant point boost, he will have to knock Strickland out.

I can see Costa winning the early rounds and landing more damage, while Strickland’s relentless pace and volume are going to give him an edge in a five-round fight, as he is likely to outwork Costa over the duration. Costa likely gets picked apart while having a few moments of success, but Strickland's durability should allow him to survive those moments and get back to his heavy-pressure approach, and it is exactly Strickland's ability to maintain high pace and avoid significant damage makes him a good DFS pick.

 

MMA DFS Value Picks - Jailton Almeida, $9100

Jailton Almeida has the third-highest salary among all eligible fighters this weekend. His speed and striking should be too much for the inconsistent Alexander Romanov. Almeida is a powerful wrestler known for his relentless pressure and ground control. With 19 finishes in 20 wins, Almeida has demonstrated that he is a force to be reckoned with.

It is no secret that Almeida's gameplan for this fight is going to be the same as always. He excels in taking opponents down and maintaining control. Almeida has a high finish rate, which is particularly valuable in DFS because finishes lead to more points. He is averaging over 110 DraftKings points per contest thanks to a mix of finishing ability and massive takedown upside. 

In his last fight, Almeida faced off against Curtis Blaydes, who is now set to fight for an interim UFC championship against Tom Aspinall. In the first round of his last fight, Almeida's title shot seemed inevitable, as he dominated Blaydes. In the first five minutes, he took Blaydes down nine times and was on his way to a 7-0 UFC record. Unfortunately for Almeida, Blaydes landed a devastating elbow while Almeida was attempting another takedown, dropping him. Blaydes finished Almeida shortly after with hammer fists to the side of the head. He scored 55 points in his only UFC loss.

Like Almeida, Romanov is an exceptional wrestler with a strong background in Greco-Roman wrestling, and like Almeida, Romanov is considered a finisher. His takedown defense is 75%. However, his questionable cardio and tendency to quit when faced with adversity have been notable weaknesses. He's a powerful fighter with knockout power, but his defence in stand-up exchanges can be lacking as he is open to being countered time and time again

Romanov is 6-2 in the UFC, going 2-2 in his last four fights. I don't see how Romanov can beat Almeida. Although powerful, his striking is not the best and he doesn't have enough of a gas tank to keep pursuing takedowns. Almeida, however, has some of the best conditioning in the heavyweight division, having gone 25 minutes with Derrick Lewis.

This fight is expected to be a grappling-heavy contest, with both fighters relying on their wrestling skills. Almeida's grappling and cardio make him a slightly more appealing pick for DFS, especially if he can avoid Romanov's early pressure and especially if he can take Romanov down. This is a chance for Almeida to get back on the path to a title shot and to prove the loss to Blaydes was a fluke. Of fighters who are competing in UFC 302, he also has one of the best inside-the-distance odds.

 

MMA DFS Value Picks - Roman Kopylov, $8200

In the upcoming clash between Roman Kopylov and Cesar Almeida, DFS players have an intriguing matchup to consider. Kopylov and Almeida are known for their striking ability, and I think it's safe to say that UFC fans worldwide are in for an explosive striking battle. Their fight is the last bout on the prelims.

The undefeated kickboxing star, Almeida, will look to earn his second victory in the promotion. He picked up three knockouts before earning a unanimous decision over Lucas Fernando on the Contender Series. He made his UFC debut against Dylan Budka on UFC Vegas 90 where he managed to knock Budka out in the second round, earning himself the 'Performance of the Night' bonus. For Almeida, this will be an undeniable step up in competition.

On the other hand, Kopylov is coming off a tough loss to the rising UFC prospect Anthony Hernandez earlier this year and is looking to test himself with another tough fight against Almeida. His pro MMA record is 12-3, while his UFC record is 4-3. Even though Almeida is considered to be an elite striker, Kopylov likely prefers a striker for an opponent, as he had some trouble with wrestlers. Kopylov's weaknesses are his cardio and his takedown defense, even though he's a lifelong sambo practitioner. However, Kopylov has a lot more MMA experience, which could make a difference. Although Kopylov recently lost by submission, he's working on his wrestling skills, as is evident with his move to Dagestan, Russia.

Don't be surprised if Kopylov gets overwhelmed in the striking department and if he attempts to take Almeida down but the Brazilian striker appears to be quietly competent within that realm. Inexperience in MMA and a ground game which we haven't seen just might be considered to be Almeida's weakness but we just don't know yet.

There is an inherent risk to going with this pick, mind you, and the price isn't the cheapest of the slate, but I think that Kopylov should be able to deal with Almeida. His MMA experience makes him a high-upside pick, while Almeida's aggressive striking offers value, especially if the fight stays standing. Kopylov is more experienced in the grappling department and has a significant knockout power. He has also faced high-level competition, which might also give him an edge against Almeida. Both fighters can finish the fight, making either a high-risk, high-reward pick.

 

More DFS Analysis & Lineup Picks




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

Connor McDavid

Scores First Finals Goal
John Hunter Nemechek

Is John Hunter Nemechek Worth Rostering In Mexico City DFS Lineups?
Sam Bennett

Nets Another Road Goal in Game 5 Win
Eetu Luostarinen

Earns Two Points Saturday
Brad Marchand

Pots Two Goals in Game 5 Victory
Sergei Bobrovsky

Ties NHL Record with 10th Road Win
Ross Chastain

Trackhouse Racing's Mexico Focus Makes Ross Chastain a Leading Contender for the Win
Kyle Busch

One of Two Past Mexico City Winners in Field
Ryan Preece

Earns Surprising Front Row Start, but Probably Won't Sustain It
Austin Cindric

Not as Strong a Road Racer as People Think
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Stronger on Infield Road Courses Than Purpose-Built Ones
Joey Logano

Seemingly Alternating Between Good and Mediocre Races
Brad Keselowski

One of the Few Drivers with Mexico City Experience, but It Probably Won't Help
Denny Hamlin

Ryan Truex Makes First Cup Series Start Since 2014 Subbing for Denny Hamlin
Erik Jones

Despite Increased Intermediate Speed, Mexico City Will Likely Be a Struggle for Erik Jones
Noah Gragson

Front Row Motorsports's Speed May Make Noah Gragson a Decent DFS Option
Ricky Stenhouse Jr

Road Courses Are Ricky Stenhouse Jr's Worst Track Type
Riley Herbst

Surprisingly Outqualified 23XI Racing Teammates at Mexico City
Cody Ware

a Very Experienced Road Racer, but Still a Longshot
Shane Van Gisbergen

Shane van Gisbergen the Heavy Favorite to Win in Mexico City
Christopher Bell

the Chalk DFS Play in Mexico City
Tyler Reddick

Has a Lot of Work To Do To Be Competitive in Mexico
AJ Allmendinger

Struggling to Find Speed in Mexico City
Chris Buescher

Says Car is "Bad Fast" Heading into Mexico City Race
Michael McDowell

Confident Heading into Viva Mexico 250
Ryan Blaney

Finds Speed in Second Practice at Mexico City
Giancarlo Stanton

Likely Returning Early Next Week
Spencer Strider

Registers 13 Strikeouts
Hunter Brown

s Records 12 Strikeouts
Emeka Egbuka

"the Talk" of Bucs Minicamp
Royce Lewis

to be Placed on Injured List
Byron Buxton

Exits Early on Saturday
Evander Kane

Drops to Fourth Line Saturday
Kasperi Kapanen

Won't Play on Saturday
Calvin Pickard

Starts Game 5 for Oilers
Jaxson Dart

Working as No. 2 QB During Offseason Workouts
Xavier Gipson

Roster Spot Could be in Jeopardy
Josh Reynolds

the Front-Runner for WR2 Duties
Garrett Wilson

Stock Up This Offseason
Breece Hall

Motivated Going into 2025 Season
Brandon Aiyuk

Making Good Progress From Knee Injury
Keon Coleman

Inconsistent at Minicamp
Mitchell Trubisky

Not a Lock for Backup Job
Dalton Kincaid

Adds Strength and Bulk
James Cook

a Full Participant in Mandatory Minicamp
Tyrese Haliburton

Struggles in Friday's Loss to OKC
Jacob Misiorowski

Expected to Make Next Start
Chet Holmgren

Dominates the Glass in Game 4
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Leads the Way in Game 4
Jalen Williams

Has a Quality Showing on Friday Night
Charlie Morton

Continues Good Work With 10 Strikeouts
James Wood

Homers, Drives in Four
Agustín Ramírez

Agustin Ramirez Homers Twice to Snap Skid
Isaac Paredes

Astros Hopeful Isaac Paredes Can Avoid the Injured List
Royce Lewis

Dealing With Hamstring Strain
Kodai Senga

Diagnosed With Grade 1 Hamstring Strain
Gleyber Torres

Goes Deep Twice on Friday
Jonathan India

Leaves With Apparent Shoulder Injury
Evan Carter

Leaves Early With Wrist Soreness
Anthony Richardson

Should be Fine for Training Camp
Russell Westbrook

to Decline Player Option
Kevin Durant

Trade Could Happen in the "Next Few Days"
A.J. Puk

Pauses Throwing Program
Matt Chapman

Can Begin Rehabbing in a Week
Logan Gilbert

Next Start Could Come in the Big Leagues
Cam Akers

Joining Saints
Yordan Alvarez

Still Not Hitting
Michael Mayer

to Get More Involved
Aaron Rodgers

DK Metcalf Building Chemistry with Aaron Rodgers
Colston Loveland

Likely to be Primary Tight End
Jacob Wilson

Returns on Friday
Justin Martinez

Out 12-13 Months With UCL Sprain
Will Johnson

Returns to Practice
Harold Fannin Jr.

Could Have Big Role in Rookie Season
Quentin Johnston

Still Running With Starters
Rashawn Slater

Takes Part in Minicamp
Jack Bech

Mostly Working With Second-Team Offense
Joaquin Buckley

Set For Main Event
Kamaru Usman

An Underdog At UFC Atlanta
Miranda Maverick

Set For Co-Main Event
Rose Namajunas

Looks To Bounce Back
Andre Petroski

Looks To Extend His Win Streak To Four
Edmen Shahbazyan

A Favorite At UFC Atlanta
Raoni Barcelos

Set To Take On Former Champion
Cody Garbrandt

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Mansur Abdul-Malik

Looks For His Third UFC Win
Cody Brundage

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Alonzo Menifield

Opens Up UFC Atlanta Main Card
Oumar Sy

Looks To Remain Undefeated
Connor Hellebuyck

Wins Vezina And Hart Trophies
Aleksander Barkov

Records Two Power-Play Assists Thursday
Sam Reinhart

Collects Three Points in Thursday's Loss
Matthew Tkachuk

Notches Three Points in Losing Effort
Calvin Pickard

Joins Exclusive List with Thursday's Win
Mattias Ekholm

Logs Two Assists in Comeback Victory
Leon Draisaitl

Delivers Victory in Overtime Thursday
Myles Turner

Playing Through Illness
Reed Sheppard

Will Play in the NBA Summer League
Kevin Durant

Deal Could Come Sooner Rather Than Later
Dorian Finney-Smith

Undergoes Ankle Surgery
Anze Kopitar

Wins Third Lady Byng Trophy
Sergei Bobrovsky

Heading Out for Win No. 15
John Klingberg

Won't Play in Game 4 Against Panthers
Viktor Arvidsson

Sits Out Game 4 Against Panthers
Stuart Skinner

Remains in Oilers Crease Thursday
Chris Kreider

Ducks Acquire Chris Kreider From Rangers
Jalen Williams

Leads Thunder in Scoring Wednesday
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Settles for 24 Points in Game 3 Loss
Pascal Siakam

Does Everything for Pacers Wednesday Night
Tyrese Haliburton

Gets Close to Triple-Double in Game 3 Win
Bennedict Mathurin

Leads All Scorers with 27 Points Wednesday
Brandin Podziemski

Has Second Offseason Surgery
Jaylen Brown

Undergoes Successful Knee Procedure
Kevin Porter Jr.

Likely to Decline Player Option
Matt McCarty

Comes Off Season-Best Showing at RBC Canadian Open
Justin Thomas

Desperate to Continue Good 2025 Season
Kevin Durant

Knicks Not Looking to Trade for Kevin Durant
Jon Rahm

Seeks Revenge at U.S. Open
Tom Kim

Aiming for Improvement in U.S. Open
PGA

Sungjae Im Expects Solid Performance at Oakmont
Brian Harman

Aims to Rebound From the Memorial
Tony Finau

has Been Up and Down at U.S. Open
Patrick Cantlay

Hoping This is the Year at Oakmont
Akshay Bhatia

Improving in Time for U.S. Open
Xander Schauffele

Primed for Another Major Championship Run
Cameron Young

May Struggle at U.S. Open
Collin Morikawa

Eyeing Third Major Championship Title
Matt Fitzpatrick

Seeks to Avenge Oakmont Collapse
Jordan Spieth

Can Contend at Oakmont
Shane Lowry

a Strong Value Play at U.S. Open
Brooks Koepka

Seeks Another Major Win at Oakmont
Viktor Hovland

Still Can Improve at U.S. Open
Michael Kim

a Boom-or-Bust Value Play at U.S. Open
Russell Henley

Looking to Play the Weekend at Oakmont
Tyrrell Hatton

a Safe Option at U.S. Open
Bryson DeChambeau

Eyeing Third U.S. Open Title
Darius Garland

Kings Targeting Darius Garland
Kevin Durant

Expected to Be Moved Soon
Sean O'Malley

Submitted For The First Time In His Career
Merab Dvalishvili

Defends Bantamweight Belt At UFC 316
Julianna Peña

Julianna Pena No Longer A Champion
Kayla Harrison

Is The New Champion
Joe Pyfer

Wins Back-To-Back Fights
Kelvin Gastelum

Drops Decision
Patchy Mix

Drops Decision In His UFC Debut
Mario Bautista

Extends His Win Streak
Vicente Luque

Submitted At UFC 316
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF