DraftKings MMA: UFC 223 Preview

DraftKings MMA: UFC 223 Preview

This article is part of our DraftKings MMA series.

Edit (4/6): Max Holloway has been declared medically unfit to fit, thus cancelling his lightweight title fight against Khabib Nurmagomedov. After a much scrambling, Al Iaquinta will step in to replace Holloway in the matchup, though the belt is only on the line for Khabib.

Edit (4/5): Since the posting of this article, fights between Chiesa & Pettis, Lobov & Caceres and Borg & Moreno have been pulled from the card, per the UFC's official statement. Please be sure to double check lineups prior to lock Saturday afternoon.

Another 2018 pay-per-view lost its main event, but UFC 223 packs no shortage of fan-friendly fights. The long layoff between events left plenty of time for DFS players to reserve entries on DraftKings, where the featured MMA Uppercut is handing out a $25,000 top prize.

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 six fighters, and the scoring is distributed as follows:

(Please note that DraftKings altered their scoring system in December 2016 to add a new fighter to the lineup and adjust scoring. The most recent point values are listed below.)

Moves Scoring
Significant Strikes (SS): +0.5 PTS
Advance (ADVC): +3 PT
Takedown (TD): +5 PTS
Reversal/Sweep (REV): +5 PTS
Knockdown (KD): +10 PTS

Fight Conclusion Bonuses
1st Round Win (1rW+): +90 PTS
2nd Round Win (2rW+): +70 PTS
3rd Round Win (3rW+): +45 PTS
4th Round Win (4rW+): +40 PTS
5th Round Win (5rW+): +40 PTS
Decision Win (WBD+): +30 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 Championship

Al Iaquinta (13-3-1) v. Khabib Nurmagomedov (25-0-0)
DraftKings Salaries: Iaquinta ($8,200), Nurmagomedov ($9,100)
Vegas Odds: Iaquinta (+400), Nurmagomedov (-600)
Odds to Finish: Not Listed
THE PICK: Nurmagomedov

Co-Main Event - Women's Strawweight Championship

(C) Rose Namajunas (8-3-0) v. Joanna Jedrzejczyk (14-1-0)
DraftKings Salaries: Namajunas ($7,900), Jedrzejczyk ($8,300)
Vegas Odds: Namajunas (+110), Jedzejczyk (-120)
Odds to Finish: -125

Few saw Namajunas defeating Jedrzejczyk for the championship in November, and virtually no one saw her defeating the former champ at her own game. Rose popped Joanna on the feet over and over until she could no longer continue. It was the most shocking outcome imaginable. For one, it was the first knockout win of Namajunas' career and it came against the best striker in the division by a wide margin. The challenge for Rose will be duplicating that success again on Saturday.

Prior to the first meeting between the two women, Namajunas was viewed as a submission specialist that could hold her own, but not excel in the striking game. Thug Rose is deceptively strong and a pretty good wrestler as well. Yet her striking in the previous fight was an entirely different level than we had ever seen before. The question is, are Rose's advancements legitimate or did Jedrzejczyk just have an off night?

My guess is the truth lies somewhere in the middle. Joanna looked calm and confident heading into the fight and there was no reason whatsoever to see this dud coming. It was the first loss of her professional career and it came on the heels of five consecutive title defenses. Jedrzejczyk would be happy to engage in another kickboxing match despite the fact she came up on the short end of the first one.

Fighters handle defeat differently and we will have no idea of Jedrzejczyk's state of mind until she steps into the cage. My guess is that she is more determined than ever but we don't know that for sure. Either way, I think it would be a monumental mistake for Rose to try to knock her out again. She needs to lean on her grappling and wrestling and let the rest of the fight materialize. I have enough faith in Joanna's mental makeup to pick her again. Namajunas is terrific, but I need to see her beat Jedrzejczyk again before I believe it.

THE PICK: Jedzejczyk

Featherweight

Renato Moicano (11-1-0) v. Calvin Kattar (18-2-0)
DraftKings Salaries: Moicano ($7,500), Kattar ($8,700)
Vegas Odds: Moicano (+120), Kattar (-140)
Odds to Finish: +160

This figures to be a very entertaining fight, albeit one that isn't going to interest the casual MMA fan. The company can get away with that given how loaded the rest of this card is. Moicano won his first three fights with the company (including a win over Jeremy Stephens) before being submitted by future title challenger Brian Ortega last July. A ground specialist by trade, Moicano needs to do whatever is necessary to get this fight to the mat. Kattar has legitimate power in his hands and although Moicano did a nice job in the Ortega fight with his striking, that is not his path to victory in this one.

Kattar knocked out Shane Burgos in January at UFC 220 despite entering the bout as a significant underdog. He earned a $50,000 Fight of the Night bonus for that performance and displayed quick hands and feet along with a quality chin in the victory. Kattar, who checks in at 5-foot-11, is very tall for the division and he generally does a good job of using his length to his advantage, but Moicano is the exact same height and that means Kattar is going to have to do a good portion of his damage from the clinch. Kattar has yet to be taken down in his 3-fight UFC career and that is a trend that must continue on Saturday if he hopes to win.

Given the relatively few looks we have had at each man, this might be a good fight to avoid if at all possible. I'm going to take Kattar's striking skills over Moicano's submission game, but it's a close call. I'm not crazy about using Kattar at $8,700, either.

THE PICK: Kattar

Lightweight

Michael Chiesa (14-3-0) v. Anthony Pettis (20-7-0)
DraftKings Salaries: Chiesa ($8,600), Pettis ($7,600)
Vegas Odds: Chiesa (-140), Pettis (+120)
Odds to Finish: -120
THE PICK: Chiesa

Lightweight

Al Iaquinta (13-3-1) v. Paul Felder (15-3-0)
DraftKings Salaries: Iaquinta ($8,200), Felder ($8,000)
Vegas Odds: Iaquinta (-115), Felder (-105)
Odds to Finish: -125
THE PICK: Iaquinta

Other Bouts

Women's Strawweight

Karolina Kowalkiewicz (11-2-0) v. Felice Herrig (14-6-0)
DraftKings Salaries: Kowalkiewicz ($9,000), Herrig ($7,200)
Vegas Odds: Kowalkiewicz (-185), Herrig (+160)
Odds to Finish: +250
THE PICK: Kowalkiewicz

Flyweight

Ray Borg (11-3-0) v. Brandon Moreno (14-4-0)
DraftKings Salaries: Borg ($9,200), Moreno ($7,000)
Vegas Odds: Borg (-275), Moreno (+235)
Odds to Finish: +180
THE PICK: Borg

Lightweight

Joe Lauzon (27-15-0) v. Chris Gruetzemacher (13-3-0)
DraftKings Salaries: Lauzon ($8,900), Gruetzemacher ($7,300)
Vegas Odds: Lauzon (-170), Gruetzemacher (+150)
Odds to Finish: -145
THE PICK: Lauzon

Lightweight

Evan Dunham (18-6-1) v. Olivier Aubin-Mercier (11-2-0)
DraftKings Salaries: Dunham ($8,100), Aubin-Mercier ($8,100)
Vegas Odds: Dunham (-140), Aubin-Mercier (+120)
Odds to Finish: +160
THE PICK: Aubin-Mercier

Featherweight

Alex Caceres (13-11-0, 1NC) v. Artem Lobov (14-14-1, 1NC)
DraftKings Salaries: Caceres ($8,500), Lobov ($7,700)
Vegas Odds: Caceres (-135), Lobov (+115)
Odds to Finish: +150
THE PICK: Caceres

Women's Flyweight

Bec Rawlings (7-7-0) v. Ashlee Evans-Smith (5-3-0)
DraftKings Salaries: Rawlings ($7,400), Evans-Smith ($8,800)
Vegas Odds: Rawlings (+170), Evans-Smith (-200)
Odds to Finish: +240
THE PICK: Evans-Smith

Light Heavyweight

Devin Clark (8-2-0) v. Michael Rodriguez (9-2-0)
DraftKings Salaries: Clark ($8,400), Rodriguez ($7,800)
Vegas Odds: Clark (-115), Rodriguez (-105)
Odds to Finish: -170
THE PICK: Rodriguez

Featherweight

Zabit Magomedsharipov (14-1-0) v. Kyle Bochniak (8-2-0)
DraftKings Salaries: Magomedsharipov ($9,500), Bochniak ($6,700)
Vegas Odds: Magomedsharipov (-900), Bochniak (+600)
Odds to Finish: -150
THE PICK: Magomedsharipov

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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