Hello UFC fans. This weekend, we have a 13- fight card in Las Vegas, including a main event between Israel “The Last Stylebender” Adesanya and Yoel “Soldier of God” Romero. The main GPP has 50,000 going to first place with a total of 200,000 being paid out. Win a FREE Awesemo+ Platinum Monthly Pass! Subscribe to any podcast channel HERE and rate & review it with your Awesemo username or Twitter handle. One random winner will be selected!The following are the fights I feel have the most upside. Let’s dig into some MMA DFS analysis.
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Rodolfo Vieira $9,300 vs. Saparbek Safarov $6,900
Cash: Rodolfo Vieira is playable in all formats.
Rodolfo Vieira
- Age: 30
- Height: 6-foot-0
- Weight: 185 lbs.
- Reach: 73 in.
- Record: 6-0-0
- Striking Accuracy: N/A
- Betting odds: -800
Rodolfo Vieira is a Brazilian mixed martial artist, and he has a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Juilo Cesar Pereira. Vieira is a four-time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world champion, and his grappling is elite and extremely dangerous. He is very efficient from the outside, while keeping his distance using nice shoulder and head feints. Vieira has super quick double-leg takedowns, and once he has his opponents down the pressure is smothering.
Saparbek Safarov
- Age: 33
- Height: 6-foot-1
- Weight: 205 lbs.
- Reach: 78 in.
- Record: 9-2-0
- Striking Accuracy: N/A
- Betting odds: +550
Saparbek Safarov is a Master of Sports in freestyle wrestling and combat sambo, he likes to start his assault with kicks off his lead leg. Safarov is an aggressive fighter and will throw heavy elbows and knees from inside the clinch. He throws a nasty straight-right hand, that will back his opposition up against the fence. Safarov has master wrestling credentials however, in this fight I think his best path to victory is keep this fight standing. My preferred play is Vieira, I don’t think Safarov will be able to defend the smothering pressure once this fight hits the mat, even with his wrestling pedigree.
MMA DFS Pick: Rodolfo Vieira via Second Round Submission.
Mark Madsen $9,000 vs. Austin Hubbard $7,200
Cash: Mark Madsen is playable is all formats.
Mark Madsen
- Age: 35
- Height: 5-foot-7
- Weight: 155 lbs.
- Reach: 72 in.
- Record: 9-0-0
- Striking Accuracy: N/A
- Betting odds: -210
Mark Madsen is a Danish mix martial artist and a retired Greco-Roman wrestler. Madsen is an elite grappler and has solid clinch takedowns, and in top position his ground and pound is nasty. He has nice side control and will land heavy elbows from half guard. Madsen is an average striker, but he has huge power when throwing his overhand right, and it will knockout his opponents when landed clean. In this fight, I think Madsen will be looking to take this fight to the mat, where he should have a significant advantage over Hubbard.
Austin Hubbard
- Age: 28
- Height: 5-foot-8
- Weight: 155 lbs.
- Reach: 71 in.
- Record: 11-3-0
- Striking Accuracy: N/A
- Betting odds: +175
Austin Hubbard will have a tough task ahead of him facing a wrestler of Madsen caliber. He is a good striker, and he has a nice right-hook, straight-left hand combination that is dangerous. Hubbard has a nice jab, straight- left combination that he will use to back his opponents up against the cage. He is an average grappler, with good double leg takedowns and nasty ground and pound. In this fight, I think Hubbard will be looking to keep this fight standing, because I think that’s his best path to victory. My preferred play is Madsen, I think his wrestling will be to much for Hubbard to withstand for three rounds.
MMA DFS Pick: Mark Madsen via First Round Submission.
Sean O’Malley $9,100 vs. Jose Alberto Quinonez $7,100
Cash: Sean O’Malley is playable in all formats.
Sean O’Malley
- Age: 25
- Height: 5-foot-9
- Weight: 135 lbs.
- Reach: 72 in.
- Record: 10-0-0
- Striking Accuracy: 56%
- Betting odds: -380
Sean O’Malley is the former ICF amateur bantamweight champion, and he is a purple belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. O’Malley hasn’t fought in over two years; he is a solid striker with a huge arsenal. He throws spinning hook kicks and back kicks that will put his opponents to sleep when landed clean. O’Malley is a sneaky striker; and will fool his opponents with head and shoulder faints and unload a powerful overhand right. He has a jab, uppercut combination that is nasty and dangerous. In this fight, I think O’Malley will bring a heavy striking game plan and will unleash his arsenal to a win via knockout.
Jose Alberto Quinonez
- Age: 29
- Height: 5-foot-7
- Weight: 135 lbs.
- Reach: 69 in.
- Record: 8-3-0
- Striking Accuracy: N/A
- Betting odds: +310
Jose Alberto Quinonez is a Mexican mixed martial artist; he is a solid striker with nice in and out movement. Quinonez likes to push the pace and walk his opponents down, he will throw front kicks to the body and head. He has a solid jab, straight-right hook combination and he is a good counter striker however, he is very hittable when doing so. Quinonez is a solid grappler, he has nice single and double leg takedowns. In this fight, I think Quinonez best path to victory is taking a grappling heavy approach. My preferred play is O’Malley, I think he has a significant advantage in striking; even though he has good grappling skills his best path to victory is on the feet.
MMA DFS Pick: Sean O’Malley via Frist Round KO/TKO.
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Neil Magny $7,600 vs. Li Jingliang $8,600
Cash: Avoid.
Neil Magny
- Age: 32
- Height: 6-foot-2
- Weight: 170 lbs.
- Reach: 70 in.
- Record: 21-7-0
- Striking Accuracy: 46%
- Betting odds: +150
Neil Magny is a well-rounded fighter; he is a very long fighter and uses it to his advantage. Magny is good at controlling range and picking at his opponents with straight punches. He has power in his jab, straight-right hand combination; that has sent opponents stumbling to the mat on numerous occasions. Magny is good in the clinch throwing vicious elbows to the head and knees to the body. In this fight, I think Magny’s best past to victory is keeping this fight standing and controlling range with his long reach.
Li Jingliang
- Age:31
- Height: 6-foot-0
- Weight: 170 lbs.
- Reach: 71.5
- Striking Accuracy: 43%
- Betting odds: -170
Li Jingliang is a Chinese mixed martial artist; and is a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Jingliang is a solid grappler and will take opponents down with judo trips and double legs. He will land elbows from half guard and then transition to mount, where he will unleash nasty ground and pound. Jingliang is a good striker with power, he throws a dangerous one-two, overhand right combination. He likes to push the pace and pressure his opponents, by forcing them back against the cage. In this fight, Jingliang best path to victory is taking this fight to the mat and using his ground and pound to finish Magny. My preferred play is Jingliang, I think his pressure and pace will be to much for Magny to withstand.
MMA DFS Pick: Li Jingliang via Second Round KO/TKO.
Beneil Dariush $8,700 vs. Drakkar Klose $7,500
Cash: Beneil Dariush is playable in al formats.
Beneil Dariush
- Age: 30
- Height: 5-foot-8
- Weight: 155 lbs.
- Reach: 72 in.
- Record: 17-4-1
- Striking Accuracy: 49%
- Betting odds: -165
Beneil Dariush is an Assyrian-American mixed martial artist; he is a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Romulo Barral and Bruno Paulista. Dariush is a pressure striker; he throws a straight-left hand, head kick combination. He likes to throw superman punches and spinning backfists. Dariush is a solid grappler, he will back his opponents up against the cage and take them down with trips. He has nasty ground and pound, throwing vicious elbows to the head and body. In this fight, I think Dariush’s best path to victory is taking this fight to the mat, where he should have a huge advantage.
Drakkar Klose
- Age: 31
- Height: 5-foot-8
- Weight: 155 lbs.
- Reach: 70 in.
- Record: 11-1-0
- Striking Accuracy: 50 %
- Betting odds: +145
Drakkar Klose is a blue belt in jiu-jitsu. Klose is a good striker; he throws huge uppercuts to close the distance. He is a pressure fighter; that likes to walk his opponents down. Klose will throw spinning backfists and knees to the body, he is strong in the clinch landing nice elbows to the body and head. He is a good wrestler, but I don’t think his skills will be able to compete on the ground with Dariush. In this fight, I think Klose will need to keep this fight standing and keep him back paddling to have any chance of a win. My preferred play is Dariush, I think he takes this fight to the ground; where he will have a huge advantage and get a submission win.
MMA DFS Pick: Beneil Dariush via Second Round Submission.
Weili Zhang $8,900 vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk $7,300
Cash: Fight is Stackable.
Weili Zhang
- Age: 30
- Height: 5-foot-3
- Weight: 115 lbs.
- Reach: 63 in.
- Record: 20-1-0
- Striking Accuracy: 47%
- Betting: -165
Weili Zhang is a purple belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Pedro Jordao. Zhang is a powerful striker; and she likes to throw straight punches to the body. She throws a jab, uppercut combination that is dangerous when landed clean and will put her opponent to sleep. Zhang will attack the body with her powerful front and sidekicks, that will hurt her opponents. She is an elite grappler and very strong and once she gets opponents in the clinch, she unleashes vicious elbows. In this fight, I think she will be looking to keep this fight standing; because of the history she has with Jedrzejczyk and show everyone who is the superior striker in this division.
Joanna Jedrzejczyk
- Age: 32
- Height: 5-foot-3
- Weight: 115 lbs.
- Reach: 65.5 in.
- Record: 16-3-0
- Striking Accuracy: 46%
- Betting odds: +145
Joanna Jedrzejczyk is a Polish mixed martial artist. She has lighting fast hands, and she will throws a nasty and dangerous left hook to the head and body. Her low calf kicks batter and bruise her opponents. Her front kicks to the body are fast and dangerous and will put her opponents down on the mat. She is a strong grappler; and she is nasty in the clinch landing vicious knees to the body and elbows to the head. Jedrzejczyk has strong takedown defense (83%) and she has excellent balance.In this fight, I think Jedrzejczyk best path to victory is trying to get Zhang in her Mauy Thai clinch; where she is dangerous and could finish her with nasty knees and elbows. My preferred play is Zhang, but I do see paths to victory for both women, and I think this should be an exciting fight to watch.
MMA DFS Picks: Weili Zhang via Unanimous Decision.
Israel Adesanya $9,200 vs. Yoel Romero $7,000
Cash: Fight is stackable.
Israel Adesanya
- Age: 30
- Height: 6-foot-3
- Weight: 185 lbs.
- Reach: 80 in.
- Record: 18-0-0
- Striking Accuracy: 54%
- Betting odds: -275
Israel Adesanya is a Nigerian-New Zealand mixed martial artist; and he is a Blue belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Andre Galavo. He is an elite striker, with excellent timing and extremely fast hands. Adesanya throws a straight-right hand, left hook combination to the body and head that is deadly when landed clean. He is extremely good at switching stances, and will throw a powerful straight-left hook, straight-right combination. Adesanya has extremely fast round kicks, that he throws with power and accuracy. In this fight, I think Adesanya’s best path to victory is to keep this fight standing and use his speed, accuracy and precise timing.
Yoel Romero
- Age: 42
- Weight: 185 lbs.
- Height: 6-foot-0
- Reach: 73.5 in.
- Record: 13-4-0
- Striking Accuracy: 51%
- Beating odds: +235
Yoel Romero is a southpaw and has huge power in his hands. He throws a right hook, overhand left combination that is dangerous, and will put his opponent to sleep. Romero throws solid round kicks to the body and head and will also use sidekicks to the legs. He likes to throw his double jab, overhand left to the body to get inside. Romero is an elite wrestler; and he has nasty ground and pound, throwing vicious elbows to the head and body that will finish his opponent. In this fight, I think Romero’s best path to victory is taking this fight to the mat and trying to grind out a win. My preferred play is Adesanya, I think his speed, accuracy and precise timing in his striking will be too much for Romero to withstand.
MMA DFS Pick: Israel Adesanya via Fourth Round KO/TKO.
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