DraftKings MMA: UFC Fight Night 76 Preview

DraftKings MMA: UFC Fight Night 76 Preview

This article is part of our DraftKings MMA series.

UPDATE: Joe Duffy has been dropped from the UFC Fight Night 76 card due to a concussion sustained in practice this week, per an official statement from the UFC. Paddy Holohan vs. Louis Smolka will now be moved up to the main event.

Some of the rowdiest fans in all of MMA get their chance to cheer on a native son in the main event of Saturday's card from Dublin.

If you're hoping to turn the event into an opportunity to build your DFS bankroll, DraftKings.com has you covered with a full slate of contests. Players get a $50,000 budget to select five fighters, and the scoring is distributed as follows:

Moves Scoring
Significant Strikes (SS): +0.5 PTS
Advance (ADVC): +1 PT
Takedown (TD): +2 PTS
Reversal/Sweep (REV): +2 PTS
Knockdown (KD): +3 PTS

Fight Conclusion Bonuses
1st Round Win (1rW+): +100 PTS
2nd Round Win (2rW+): +70 PTS
3rd Round Win (3rW+): +50 PTS
4th Round Win (4rW+): +40 PTS
5th Round Win (5rW+): +40 PTS
Decision Win (WBD+): +25 PTS

Scoring Notes
Significant Strikes are any Distance Strike or Clinch/Ground Strikes that are considered "Power Strikes" by official scorers.

Advances include: To Half Guard, To Side Control, To Mount, To Back Control

Now, on to the fights...

Main Event – Lightweight

Dustin Poirier (18-4-0) v. Joe Duffy (13-1-0)
DraftKings Salaries: Poirier ($8,700), Duffy ($10,700)
Vegas Odds: Poirier (+205), Duffy (-245)

This is the last boarding call for the Joe Duffy hype train. Should you fail to get on board before Saturday afternoon, there will be no room for you. This will certainly be Duffy's toughest test in the UFC. He has two previous fights, a first-round TKO win over Jake Lindsay and a first-round submission win over Ivan Jorge. Duffy is best known for being the last guy to defeat current UFC interim featherweight champion Conor McGregor, but it is his all-around game that is most impressive. Duffy is an explosive striker and has elite ground skills. He is one of a small group of younger UFC fighters who appear to have the necessary skills to be a potential future title contender down the road. Poirier is no easy mark. He is 10-3 in the UFC, and his three losses came against McGregor, Cub Swanson and Chan Sung Jung. Poirier struggled in the McGregor fight because he couldn't match Conor's quickness on the feet. Duffy has that same ability. It wouldn't be the upset of the century or anything if Poirier won, but I'd be surprised if it happened. It just seems like a bad matchup for him. A victory over Poirier at roughly this time last year launched McGregor's path to superstardom and I think the same thing will happen with Duffy.
THE PICK: Duffy

Co-Main Event – Flyweight

Paddy Holohan (12-1-1) v. Louis Smolka (9-1-0)
DraftKings Salaries: Holohan ($9,600), Smolka ($9,800)
Vegas Odds: Holohan (-105), Smolka (-115)

The above is not a misprint. A fight between Holohan and Smolka is indeed serving as the co-main event of a UFC card. Both fighters here are fairly decent wrestlers, but the biggest difference between the two is on the feet. Smolka throws (and lands) far more than Holohan, but he also gets hit way more often. While Smolka has submission skills of his own, they aren't on the level of Holohan's. Paddy's best hope of winning this fight is to get it to the mat and try to finish it via submission. Both guys are 3-1 in their UFC careers, so there shouldn't be any experience edge either way. Smolka is a better striker and although he gets hit a lot, Holohan doesn't have the knockout power to take advantage of that. Holohan will have the crowd behind him, but I think Smolka is just a better all-around fighter.
THE PICK: Smolka

Lightweight

Norman Parke (21-4-1) v. Reza Madadi (13-3-0)
DraftKings Salaries: Parke ($10,800), Madadi ($8,600)
Vegas Odds: Parke (-300), Madadi (+250)

Parke has been a constant underachiever in his UFC career. He is 1-2-1 in his last four fights and his three UFC wins are against fighters who could charitably be termed as roster depth, at best. Madadi's story is far more interesting. In August 2013, Madadi was charged with burglary in his native Sweden and sentenced to 18 months in prison. He filed and appeal and was awarded a second trial, but he was found guilty once again. He ended up serving 14 months and was released in March. This will be his first fight since April 2013. An explosive wrestler, the biggest concern surrounding Madadi is the fact that he is already 37 years old and has been inactive for two-plus years. I think this is more of a pick 'em fight than the odds would suggest. Parke will have the crowd behind him, but I think a case can be made that Madadi has more ways to win. Remember, this is a guy who submitted Michael Johnson in his last UFC Fight. I also wouldn't be shocked if Madadi looked rusty and Parke jumped on him quickly, but I think Madadi is a good value, both on DK and in the Vegas odds.
THE PICK: Madadi

Welterweight

Nicolas Dalby (14-0-0) v. Darren Till (13-0-0)
DraftKings Salaries: Dalby ($10,100), Till ($9,300)
Vegas Odds: Dalby (-140), Till (+120)

This is a solid, yet extremely underrated fight. It will be the second UFC bout for both men, and each were victorious their first time out. Dalby should have the advantage in the wrestling game and on the mat, but Till is a terrific kickboxer and he should be able to do his fair share of damage on the feet. While their records are nearly identical, their ages are not. Dalby is already 30 years old, while Till is just 22. I think there's a very good chance that when all is said and done, Till will be the better fighter of the two. That being said, I think Dalby is better right now. Till will have a shot if this turns into an extended kickboxing match, but he's in trouble if this fight ends up on the mat..
THE PICK: Dalby

Other Bouts


Lightweight

Stevie Ray (18-5-0) v. Mickael Lebout (14-4-1, 1NC)
DraftKings Salaries: Ray ($11,000), Lebout ($8,400)
Vegas Odds: Ray (-550), Lebout (+425)
THE PICK: Ray

Flyweight

Neil Seery (15-11-0) v. Jon Delos Reyes (8-4-0)
DraftKings Salaries: Seery ($10,400), Delos Reyes ($9,400)
Vegas Odds: Seery (-155), Delos Reyes (+135)
THE PICK: Seery

Women's Strawweight

Aisling Daly (15-5-0) v. Ericka Almeida (7-1-0)
DraftKings Salaries: Daly ($9,900), Almeida ($9,500)
Vegas Odds: Daly (-135), Almeida (+115)
THE PICK: Daly

Middleweight

Scott Askham (13-1-0) v. Krzysztof Jotko (15-1-0)
DraftKings Salaries: Askham ($9,700), Jotko ($9,700)
Vegas Odds: Askham (-135), Jotko (+115)
THE PICK: Askham

Welterweight

Cathal Pendred (17-4-1) v. Tom Breese (8-0-0)
DraftKings Salaries: Pendred ($8,800), Breese ($10,600)
Vegas Odds: Pendred (+220), Breese (-260)
THE PICK: Breese

Featherweight

Darren Elkins (19-5-0) v. Rob Whiteford (12-2-0)
DraftKings Salaries: Elkins ($10,200), Whiteford ($9,200)
Vegas Odds: Elkins (-145), Whiteford (+125)
THE PICK: Whiteford

Middleweight

Bubba Bush (8-3-0) v. Garreth McLellan (11-3-0)
DraftKings Salaries: Bush ($10,500), McLellan ($8,900)
Vegas Odds: Bush (-260), McLellan (+220)
THE PICK: Bush

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire. Jon Litterine plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: DraftKings: JLitterine.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jon Litterine
Jon Litterine is RotoWire's lead MMA Writer and MMA Editor. He has covered numerous MMA events live. He's also RW's NHL Prospect Analyst. Jon has been writing for RotoWire since 2005. He is a graduate of U Mass-Lowell.
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