DraftKings MMA: UFC Fight Night 101 Preview

DraftKings MMA: UFC Fight Night 101 Preview

This article is part of our DraftKings MMA series.

Arguably the two hottest fighters in the UFC's middleweight division get the headlining spot on Saturday in Melbourne, Australia.

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:

(Please note that DraftKings has altered their scoring system. The new point values are listed below and the rosters will now expand from 5 to 6 fighters).

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 – Middleweight

Robert Whittaker (17-4-0) v. Derek Brunson (16-3-0)
DraftKings Salaries: Whittaker ($7,400), Brunson ($8,800)
Vegas Odds: Whittaker (+120), Brunson (-140)

This is a matchup of my two favorite up-and-coming fighters in the UFC's middleweight division and I'm honestly a little bit bummed out that I have to pick against one of them.

Let's start with Whittaker. The 25-year-old is currently riding a five-fight winning streak, including four-straight since moving up to middleweight. He looks far healthier and much more explosive at 185 pounds. Whittaker is a BJJ purple belt, but his entire offense is built upon his ability to consistently pressure his opponents on the feet. Whittaker isn't blessed with much one-punch knockout power, but his hand speed and combinations more than make up for that.

Brunson has also won five-straight, including four consecutive first-round KO/TKO stoppage wins. Although he never gets talked about as one of the top middleweights in the world, Brunson has just two losses in the past five and a half years, and they both came against top-ranked fighters in Yoel Romero and Jacare Souza. Even at age 32, Brunson may be the most explosive athlete in the UFC's middleweight division. If you give him an opening, he will pounce and finish the fight.

Brunson has averaged nearly 3.6 takedowns a fight over his UFC career, but Whittaker's takedown defense is better than 93 percent, so that area figures to be a complete wash. Whittaker has youth on his side, and although I really don't want to pick against him, Brunson looks borderline unstoppable at the moment. It's not going to get much publicity, but this fight is better than 75 percent of the bouts that the UFC puts on their pay-per-views. I'm shocked Brunson's salary is so much higher than Whittaker's. I'm picking Brunson, but either man could easily win.

THE PICK: Brunson

Co-Main Event – Lightweight

Jake Matthews (11-2-0) v. Andrew Holbrook (11-1-0)
DraftKings Salaries: Matthews ($9,300), Holbrook ($6,900)
Vegas Odds: Matthews (-300), Holbrook (+250)

Long viewed as one of the best prospects in the sport, the stock of the 22-year-old Matthews dipped considerably following a first-round knockout loss at the hands of the talented Kevin Lee in June. The Australian is an MMA prodigy with a potentially elite all-around game, but he can struggle during stretches of fights -- something that isn't the least bit surprising given his age. Matthews also has the advantage of fighting in his native Australia.

Holbrook is 1-1 in the UFC, having taken a split decision from Ramsey Nijem, and suffering a first-round knockout loss at the hands of Joaquim Silva. Holbrook is a decent mat specialist, but he can't match Matthews in that one particular area. He also tends to get hit far too much during striking exchanges, which is always an issue for a guy with a limited amount of power in his hands. At age 30, he figures to have already reached his athletic ceiling.

There's nothing in Holbrook's background that suggests he is ready for a high-profile fight, but we are seeing more and more of these type of fights on the international cards that the UFC holds. There just aren't enough quality fighters to go around. Matthews has more ways to win a fight, a much higher upside, and he doesn't have to fly halfway around the world to get to the arena. He's the clear choice here.

THE PICK: Matthews

Welterweight

Kyle Noke (22-9-1) v. Omari Akhmedov (16-3-0)
DraftKings Salaries: Noke ($7,600), Akhmedov ($8,600)
Vegas Odds: Noke (+155), Akhmedov (-175)

Noke's UFC debut came nearly six and a half years ago, and he has suffered through many ups and downs since then. The 36-year-old has been a long-time member of the JacksonWink camp, and he keeps himself in terrific shape, especially for an aging fighter. Noke's striking defense is terrific, and he's only been knocked out once in 32 professional fights. While his movements have understandably slowed, he still has a decent chance in just about any fight he is in.

Akhmedov has also worked with Jackson in the past, although he now spends most of his time with American Top Team. Like Noke, he is currently riding a two-fight losing streak, and he has been far from impressive in his first six UFC bouts. Akhmedov has fairly limited power. Although he tends to throw a ton of strikes, though he doesn't land at a particularly good clip (35 percent), and that figures to be a problem against a seasoned veteran like Noke.

Akhmedov is seven years younger than his opponent, and he theoretically has a higher ceiling, but I don't expect much from either man in the future. Give me Noke as an underdog in front of the hometown crowd, but it may be best for all DFS players to stay away from this fight. A 15-minute decision seems like a very realistic outcome.

THE PICK: Noke

Middleweight

Daniel Kelly (11-1-0) v. Chris Camozzi (24-11-0)
DraftKings Salaries: Kelly ($7,100), Camozzi ($9,100)
Vegas Odds: Kelly (+205), Camozzi (-245)

A four-time Australian Olympian in judo, Kelly's UFC has been far more productive than anyone could have possibly realized. He has wins in four of his five fights, including a shocking TKO win over the much bigger and stronger Antonio Carlos Junior in his last fight in March. Getting into a ground battle against Camozzi could be a dangerous proposition, but that is Kelly's strength and I doubt he will change his game plan. As long as he protects himself on the feet, Kelly has a chance to win.

Camozzi has spent a career beating up nobodies and failing when better competition is placed in front of him. He has seven career wins by knockout, although more than half of them came over nine years ago. He'll throw enough punches to keep you honest, but Camozzi's goal is to drag his opponents to the mat. He can win if you are foolish enough to allow him to attempt to clamp on repeated submission attempts, but his all-around game is lacking.

At age 39, it could all fall apart for Kelly at any moment. I'm honestly surprised he has done as well as he has in the top organization in the world, but Camozzi isn't a guy who will overwhelm you with his athleticism, and I think those are the kind of fighters that would give Kelly the most trouble. I've seen nothing from Camozzi that would lead me to believe he would really be any kind of favorite in this fight, let alone as massive one like he is.

THE PICK: Kelly

Other Bouts

Lightweight

Yasuke Kasuya (9-2-0) v. Alexander Volkanovski (13-1-0)
DraftKings Salaries: Kasuya ($7,000), Volkanovski ($9,200)
Vegas Odds: Kasuya (+140), Volkanovski (-160)
THE PICK: Volkanovski

Light Heavyweight

Khalil Rountree (5-1-0) v. Tyson Pedro (4-1-0)
DraftKings Salaries: Rountree ($8,700), Pedro ($7,500)
Vegas Odds: Rountree (-150), Pedro (+130)
THE PICK: Rountree

Women's Strawweight

Seohee Ham (16-7-0) v. Danielle Taylor (7-2-0)
DraftKings Salaries:Ham ($8,400), Taylor ($7,800)
Vegas Odds: Ham (-125), Taylor (+105)
THE PICK: Taylor

Lightweight

Damien Brown (16-9-0) v. Jon Tuck (9-3-0)
DraftKings Salaries: Brown ($7,200), Tuck ($9,000)
Vegas Odds: Brown (+120), Tuck (-140)
THE PICK: Tuck

Welterweight

Rich Walsh (9-5-0) v. Jonathan Meunier (7-1-0)
DraftKings Salaries: Walsh ($8,100), Meunier ($8,100)
Vegas Odds: Walsh (+115), Meunier (-135)
THE PICK: Walsh

Flyweight

Ben Nguyen (15-6-0) v. Geane Herrera (9-2-0)
DraftKings Salaries: Nguyen ($8,500), Herrera ($7,700)
Vegas Odds: Nguyen (+115), Herrera (-135)
THE PICK: Nguyen

Featherweight

Dan Hooker (14-6-0) v. Jason Knight (17-2-0)
DraftKings Salaries: Hooker ($8,900), Knight ($7,300)
Vegas Odds: Hooker (-150), Knight (+130)
THE PICK: Hooker

Bantamweight

Marlon Vera (7-3-1) v. Ning Guangyou (6-3-1)
DraftKings Salaries: Vera ($8,000), Guangyou ($8,000)
Vegas Odds: Vera (+120), Guangyou (-140)
THE PICK: Guangyou

Flyweight

Yao Zhikui (2-4-0) v. Jenel Lausa (6-2-0)
DraftKings Salaries: Zhikui ($7,900), Lausa ($8,300)
Vegas Odds: Zhikui (+115), Lausa (-135)
THE PICK: Lausa

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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