This article is part of our Drake's Takes series.
Jessica Penne (14-6-0) v. Emily Ducote (11-6-0)
Jessica Penne - Height: 5'5" - Reach: 67" - Orthodox
~ Low volume
~ Plus wrestling
~ 10 finishes in 14 wins
Emily Ducote - Height: 5'2" - Reach: 63" – Orthodox
~ Moderate volume
~ Minimal wrestling/grappling
~ 7 finishes in 11 wins
DFS Perspective: I expect a slower-paced fight with plenty of control in the clinch. Penne will be looking to kick from range and clinch up early against the cage. She can also look for takedowns and control on the mat. Ducote is making her debut after successfully becoming the Invicta FC Strawweight Champion. She looks to have a solid overall game but has not faced anyone with Penne's experience. I see this going one of two ways; Penne gets early control and wins round on the mat/clinch, or Ducote avoids the clinch and wins rounds with volume. I like the former and lean with experience. A high score is unlikely to come out of this fight, so both fighters are better used in GPP contests.
UFC Long Island Pick: Penne
Dwight Grant (11-5-0) v. Dustin Stoltzfus (13-4-0)
Dwight Grant - Height: 6'1" - Reach: 76" - Switch
~ Low volume
~ Decent wrestling
~ 7 finishes in 11 wins
Dustin Stoltzfus - Height: 6'0" - Reach: 75" – Orthodox
~ Low volume
~ Plus wrestling/grappling
~ 7 finishes in 13 wins
DFS Perspective: Both fighters have their backs against the wall, and I expect both guys to come out hot. Grant will be looking for the kill shot on the feet, while Stoltzfus will be looking for takedowns and either control or a submission. Grant's style worries me in this fight; if he cannot defend the takedowns, he will get dominated on the mat. I like Stolzfus to finally get that first UFC win, making for a solid play in GPP contests.
UFC Long Island Pick: Stoltzfus
Dustin Jacoby (17-5-1) v. Da Un Jung (15-2-1)
Dustin Jacoby - Height: 6'3" - Reach: 76" - Orthodox
~ High volume
~ Decent wrestling
~ 11 finishes in 17 wins
Da Un Jung - Height: 6'4" - Reach: 78" – Orthodox
~ Moderate volume
~ Plus wrestling
~ 13 finishes in 15 wins
DFS Perspective: I expect this fight to be a striking match for as long as it lasts. Jacoby is technical and patient with a solid counter. On the other hand, Jung loves to apply heavy forward pressure and hunt for the knockout early. If this goes three rounds, Jacoby is the likely winner. However, Jung is more likely to record a finish. I like Jung to come out on top, but either guy can be used for GPP contests.
UFC Long Island Pick: Jung
Bill Algeo (15-6-0) v. Herbert Burns (11-3-0)
Bill Algeo - Height: 6'0" - Reach: 73" - Switch
~ High volume
~ Plus wrestling
~ 9 finishes in 15 wins
Herbert Burns - Height: 5'9" - Reach: 73" – Orthodox
~ Low volume
~ Plus wrestling/grappling
~ 9 finishes in 11 wins
DFS Perspective: Algeo will look and try to keep this fight on the feet with all his might. He holds a significant edge in volume and will need to fight from range to get the win. Burns is a mat specialist who continually looks for takedowns, control and submissions. He has excellent cardio and can chain takedowns or grapple for a full 15 minutes. Burns does tend to take a fair amount of damage going for takedowns, but Algeo does not offer much power. I expect Burns to get score takedowns early and often and score an upset. He is my favorite dog on the card, and I will use him in cash and GPP.
UFC Long Island Pick: Burns
Ricky Simon (19-3-0) v. Jack Shore (16-0-0)
Ricky Simon - Height: 5'6" - Reach: 69" - Orthodox
~ Low volume
~ Plus wrestling /grappling
~ 9 finishes in 19 wins
Jack Shore - Height: 5'8" - Reach: 71" – Orthodox
~ Moderate volume
~ Plus wrestling/grappling
~ 12 finishes in 16 wins
DFS Perspective: There's Fight of the Night potential here between two up-and-comers. Both guys are excellent wrestlers, averaging four takedowns in each fight, and have the cardio to do it for 15 minutes. Simon features an edge in power, while Shore holds a slight edge in volume. I think this fight gets decided by who can score takedowns and keep the other on the mat. A decision would likely be a tightly-contested split between the two future stars. I lean the way of Simon, as I feel his toughness becomes the difference-maker here, but either guy could take this and make great GPP or cash options.
UFC Long Island Pick: Simon
Punahele Soriano (8-2-0) v. Dalcha Lungiambula (11-4-0)
Puna Soriano - Height: 5'11" - Reach: 72" - Southpaw
~ Moderate volume
~ Plus wrestling
~ 7 finishes in 8 wins
Dalcha Lungiambula - Height: 5'8" - Reach: 76" – Orthodox
~ Low volume
~ Plus wrestling
~ 6 finishes in 11 wins
DFS Perspective: I expect the majority of this fight to play out on the feet. Both guys are capable of takedowns and wrestling, but I do not think we see much of it. Soriano will have an edge in technical striking, volume and cardio. Lungiambula likes to push the pace and will have a slight advantage in power and reach. Either guy could land something big and score an early knockout, but I think Soriano has the tools to edge this out. I like Soriano in cash and GPP contests. Lungiambula makes a solid GPP dart.
UFC Long Island Pick: Soriano
Lauren Murphy (15-5-0) v. Miesha Tate (19-8-0)
Lauren Murphy - Height: 5'5" - Reach: 67" - Orthodox
~ Low volume
~ Plus wrestling
~ 9 finishes in 15 wins
Miesha Tate - Height: 5'6" - Reach: 65" – Orthodox
~ Low volume
~ Plus wrestling/grappling
~ 11 finishes in 19 wins
DFS Perspective: This should be a classic striker vs. grappler match. Murphy will have an edge on the feet with power and volume. She will need to defend takedowns and keep the fight at range. Tate will have a significant advantage grappling on the mat. She needs to work inside the pocket and time takedowns to find control on the mat. Tate is dropping down a weight class and losing her speed advantage at 135, but I think she has the skills to win this fight. However, I am unsure if a high score comes out of this fight, and it is better left for GPP contests.
UFC Long Island Pick: Tate
Shane Burgos (14-3-0) v. Charles Jourdain (13-4-1)
Shane Burgos - Height: 5'11" - Reach: 75" - Orthodox
~ High volume
~ Minimal wrestling/grappling
~ 10 finishes in 14 wins
Charles Jourdain - Height: 5'9" - Reach: 69" – Switch
~ High volume
~ Minimal wrestling/grappling
~ 12 finishes in 13 wins
DFS Perspective: This is another fight with potential fight or Finish of the Night honors. It should be a war on the feet for as long as it lasts. Burgos will have the edge in power and volume. However, Jourdain has shown extreme toughness in his UFC fights and does not stop plodding forward. We could see 100+ strikes for each guy or a knockout in the first 60 seconds. I think Burgos is the better overall fighter and like him in cash and GPP contests. Jourdain is a solid GPP dart throw.
UFC Long Island Pick: Burgos
Matt Schnell (15-6-0) v. Su Mudaerji (16-4-0)
Matt Schnell - Height: 5'8" - Reach: 70" - Orthodox
~ Moderate volume
~ Plus grappling
~ 10 finishes in 15 wins
Su Mudaerji - Height: 5'8" - Reach: 69" – Orthodox
~ Moderate volume
~ Decent wrestling/grappling
~ 14 finishes in 16 wins
DFS Perspective: Another striker vs. grappler match that could go either way. Schnell excels in grappling and submissions and will need to find a way to get this to the mat. On the other hand, Mudaerji will hold a considerable advantage on the feet with immense power and solid striking/takedown defense. Either guy could finish the fight early, but I think Mudaerji is the better overall fighter and should be able to grab this win. Schnell does not have the best takedowns, and if he cannot get this fight to the mat, he gets pieced up on the feet. I like Mudaerji for cash and GPP contests.
UFC Long Island Pick: Mudaerji
Li Jingliang (18-7-0) v. Muslim Salikhov (18-2-0)
Li Jingliang - Height: 6'0" - Reach: 71" - Orthodox
~ Moderate volume
~ Plus wrestling
~ 13 finishes in 18 wins
Muslim Salikhov - Height: 5'11" - Reach: 70" – Orthodox
~ Low volume
~ Plus wrestling
~ 14 finishes in 18 wins
DFS Perspective: I expect this to be a close, 15-minute striking affair. Jingliang will have an advantage in volume, while Salikhov will have an advantage in power. I think the difference in this fight will be the striking defense and movement from Salikhov. Either guy could also shoot for takedowns, but I do not see many attempts coming in this fight. Without a finish, I do not see a high score coming out of this fight, but I like Salikhov for cash and GPP.
UFC Long Island Pick: Salikhov
Michelle Waterson (18-9-0) v. Amanda Lemos (11-2-1)
Michelle Waterson - Height: 5'3" - Reach: 62" - Orthodox
~ Moderate volume
~ Plus wrestling/grappling
~ 12 finishes in 18 wins
Amanda Lemos - Height: 5'4" - Reach: 65" – Southpaw
~ High volume
~ Plus wrestling
~ 9 finishes in 11 wins
DFS Perspective: I think this fight could be a good test for Lemos after her recent loss. Waterson is a tried and true veteran with loads of experience. She would be wise to hunt takedowns and get this fight down to the mat as soon as possible. Lemos will hold a significant edge in volume and power. She plods forward with massive pressure and packs on her power punches. If Lemos avoids getting put on her back, she could knock Waterson out early. On the other hand, if Waterson can succeed with takedowns and control Lemos, she could score a massive upset. I lean Lemos to get this but would not be surprised if Waterson pulled out a vintage performance and won. Lemos is safe for cash and GPP, while Waterson is a GPP dart throw.
UFC Long Island Pick: Lemos
Brian Ortega (15-2-0, 1NC) v. Yair Rodriguez (14-3-0, 1NC)
Brian Ortega - Height: 5'8" - Reach: 69" - Switch
~ Moderate volume
~ Plus grappling
~ 10 finishes in 15 wins
Yair Rodriguez - Height: 5'11" - Reach: 71" – Orthodox
~ Moderate volume
~ Plus wrestling/grappling
~ 7 finishes in 13 wins
DFS Perspective: This fight should bring fireworks to the ring, and it could go either way. Ortega has improved his striking tremendously to go with his elite grappling. Rodriguez has a slight edge in volume and power but needs exceptional takedown defense to keep his neck free from Ortega's grasp. If he avoids the takedowns and keeps the fight on the feet, I think he takes it. Ortega could land something flush but likely needs to get this down to the mat, where he holds a significant advantage. I like both guys as GPP targets, and you can also stack in cash contests, as it likely goes all five rounds.
UFC Long Island Pick: Rodriguez
FANDUEL SCORING
Moves Scoring
Significant Strikes = 0.6 pts
Takedown = 6 pts
Takedown Defense = 3 pts
Knockdown = 12 pts
Submission Attempt = 5 pts
Fight Conclusion Bonuses
1st Round Win = 100 pts
2nd Round Win = 75 pts
3rd Round Win = 50 pts
4th Round Win = 35 pts
5th Round Win = 25 pts
Decision Win = 20 pts
Scoring Notes
- Significant Strikes are distance strikes or clinch/ground strikes that are considered "power strikes" by official scorers.
- A knockdown is awarded to a fighter who knocks his/her opponent down due to debilitation for what the official scorers consider a substantial time.
DRAFTKINGS SCORING
Moves Scoring
Strikes: +0.2 pts
Significant Strikes (SS): +0.2 pts
Control Time: +0.03 pts/Second
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
Quick Win Bonus: +25 pts
(fight is finished in 60 seconds or less)
Scoring Notes
- Significant Strikes are any distance strikes or clinch/ground strikes that are considered "power strikes" by official scorers.
- A Significant Strike will count as both a strike and a significant strike and will be worth a total of 0.4 pts.
- Control Time is the time spent in the dominant position on the ground or in the clinch. +0.03 points are awarded per second.
- A Knockdown is awarded to a fighter who knocks his/her opponent down due to debilitation for what the official scorers consider an appreciable time.
- A Quick Win Bonus is awarded to the winning fighter if they win in the first round in 60 seconds or less.
