This article is part of our DraftKings MMA series.
A stacked main card is the talk of UFC 280, and while there are plenty of exciting fights leading to the lightweight title match, we have 12 other bouts on which prospective bettors and DFS players can set their sights. We'll take a look at everything across four platforms, including a sophomore performer worthy of a second look and a former champion looking to reclaim gold.
Plays to Consider on DraftKings
Muhammad Mokaev ($9,600)
Mokaev has piled on the DraftKings points in his UFC career, putting up at least 120 in both his bouts, including a 12-takedown performance against Charles Johnson in July. Malcolm Gordon is a tricky black belt, but was controlled and submitted rather easily in his debut fight against Amir Albazi, so I don't expect many surprises here.
Belal Muhammad ($8,000)
Sean Brady is thought of as a rising star in the welterweight division, but it's hard to ignore just how tired he was in his third-round victory against Michael Chiesa, as the fight ended with a spent Brady absorbing punishment on the mat. Muhammad is known for his cardio and will look to pour on the pressure from the opening bell. We have never seen "Remember The Name" controlled on the mat for an extended period of time, which gives me confidence that the bout will take place on his terms.
Caio Borralho ($9,000)
The explosive power in Borralho's hands won't be the only danger to Makhmud Muradov, as the Brazilian fighter secured four takedowns and 10 minutes of control time in July. Muradov is a slick boxer but hasn't shown himself to be much of a finisher at this level, meaning he will have to fade his opponent's strengths for 15 minutes. "Mach" was clearly getting the better of Gerald Meerschaert early in their bout, but all it took was a little persistence for "GM3" to get the fight to the mat and find a submission.
Nikita Krylov ($8,600)
Krylov's relentless style should be difficult for Volkan Oezdemir to deal with, as we have seen "No Time" run out of gas if he is unable to finish his opponent early. Oezdemir's limitations on the mat have been exposed by the likes of Anthony Smith, so Krylov shouldn't have to worry about the former title challenger threatening offense off of his back.
Abubakar Nurmagomedov ($8,700)
Gadzhi Omargadzhiev was the recipient of the grappling clinic put on by Caio Borralho that we mentioned above, and it seems likely that Nurmagomedov can accomplish the same feat. Abubakar is well-rounded enough to strike with most fighters in the division, but he's unlikely to want to test his skills at range against a powerful kickboxer like Omargadzhiev, particularly when we saw how easy it was to control him on the ground.
A.J. Dobson ($7,100)
Dobson was expected to breeze past Jacob Malkoun in his UFC debut, and though he came up short, it seems he is being overlooked here. Armen Petrosyan was another victim of the grapple-heavy Borralho, and Dobson is a lifelong wrestler with fast hands and power in his strikes. This means that Dobson should be competitive no matter where the fight takes place while having a particular edge when he looks to take the fight to the floor.
Like one of these plays? Try it out on DraftKings by first putting together a lineup with our MMA DFS Lineup Optimizer.
Plays to Consider on Prize Picks
Karol Rosa UNDER 73.5 Significant Strikes and Zubaira Tukhugov UNDER 45.5 Significant Strikes
Rosa generally puts a tremendous amount of volume on her opponents, but that may be difficult against Lina Lansberg, who looks to grind her adversaries against the fence and wear them down with clinch strikes. I still expect Rosa to take the victory but am predicting a low significant strike total simply due to the lack of time the Brazilian fighter will find herself at range.
Tukhugov is a grappler who likes to throw big, single shots. This keeps his significant strike totals down generally, but he will need to be especially careful against Lucas Almeida, a fighter with fast hands who will be looking for countershots. This should lead to even less output from "Zuba," with much of the bout taking place in close quarters.
Petr Yan OVER two Takedowns and Manon Fiorot UNDER 1.5 Takedowns
Yan's grappling is a relatively new wrinkle in his game, but there's reason to believe we will see it on full display here, as he will need to get past a five-inch reach advantage from Sean O'Malley. The Russian fighter will perpetually press forward with offense, which should allow him to initiate clinch situations against the fence. O'Malley has shown prowess off of his back, but Yan possessed excellent scrambling ability in his first fight with Aljamain Sterling, which should keep him safe from an offensive guard.
Fiorot is strong for this division, but the speed and footwork of Katlyn Chookagian should serve her well, as she looks to stay on the outside and use her jab to score points with the judges. "Blonde Fighter" sports just a 46 percent takedown defense rate, but should be able to avoid clinch situations using her agility and length.
Plays to Consider on SuperDraft
TJ Dillashaw – 2.05 X Multiplier
Say what you will about his lengthy USADA suspension, but Dillashaw doesn't appear to have lost a step in terms of quickness and agility, nor has his aggressiveness waned. All three of these attributes should pay dividends against Aljamain Sterling, who tends to get flustered when opponents bear down on him with pressure. There is no doubt that "The Funkmaster" will look to take this fight to the ground, but Dillashaw hasn't been put on his back more than once since his 2016 bout with Dominick Cruz, where he spent just 1:12 on the mat despite being grounded four times. If Sterling can't control this fight on the ground, I expect Dillashaw to take it over with his pace down the stretch.
Charles Oliveira – 2.05 X Multiplier
While no longer officially the champion, Oliviera has defeated all comers on his path to lightweight immortality and will take an 11-fight win streak into the bout with Islam Makhachev. Most of his recent fights have been one-way traffic, but we can't exactly ignore the Dagestani's knockout loss to Adriano Martins in 2016, as it suggests that he can be wild and sloppy when forced to stand for extended periods of time. "Do Bronx" will crowd Makhachev from the opening bell, and we have never seen him face resistance from a sharp jiujitsu player on the ground. Makhachev has been a dominant force, but this fight should be closer to an even pick, which has me gravitating to Oliviera here.
Plays to Consider on Monkey Knife Fight
Beneil Dariush UNDER 70.5 Strikes and Mateusz Gamrot UNDER 72.5 Strikes
These totals may seem conspicuously low, but I expect to see so many scrambles and 50/50 positions here that much of the fight will revolve around each man trying to hold his opponent in place. We have witnessed Gamrot force his opponent into an all-out grappling match in the past, and the veteran blackbelt will likely be more than happy to oblige him here. While the action on the mat should be exciting, it won't necessarily lend itself to many strikes landed.
