This article is part of our DraftKings MMA series.
UFC Vegas 60 takes place Saturday, and Jon Litterine is back to break down the top fights, plus offer his DFS picks and predictions for the key matchups on the card.
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, including a $450k MMA Throwdown with $100k to first place. Players get a $50,000 budget to select six fighters, and the scoring rules are noted at the bottom of the column. Let's get to the action...
Main Event - Bantamweight
Cory Sandhagen (14-4-0) v. Yadong Song (19-6-1)
DK Salaries: Sandhagen ($9,200), Song ($7,000)
Vegas Odds: Sandhagen (-190), Song (+160)
Odds to Finish: +115
A loser of back-to-back fights and three of his last five, Sandhagen finds himself in must-win territory here. Yes, those three setbacks came against current UFC Bantamweight Champion Aljamain Sterling, and a pair of former champions in TJ Dillashaw and Petr Yan, but you are what your record says you are in this sport, and Cory's record says he needs to do whatever is necessary to find a victory here.
Song may not be on quite the same level as the guys Sandhagen has gone up against of late, but he's darn good and seemingly always improving each and every time we see him inside the Octagon. Song has won four of five dating back to May 2020. Included in that stretch is a unanimous decision victory over Marlon Vera (which looks excellent right about now). Song won't turn 25 years of age until early-December, and his long-term upside is through the roof.
Both of these men can mix in a takedown, but I primarily expect this to be a back-and-forth stand-up affair, which should be highly intriguing.
Sandhagen is primarily a volume guy. He keeps himself in excellent shape and averages a whopping 6.42 significant strikes per minute. I'm guessing he'll have a cardio edge in the later rounds. Sandhagen can negate Song's power edge with constant movement.
Song is giving up three inches in both the height and reach departmentm, but his edge in power is the ultimate difference-maker. He doesn't need many clean looks to close the show, although Sandhagen has displayed no durability issues in his career, having never been knocked out, which would appear to be Song's greatest impediment to emerging victorious in this fight.
Song appears to be undervalued from a DK perspective simply because a fighter with his abilities shouldn't be available at such a low cost, but I don't think he wins. That said, I wouldn't be the least bit shocked if Song kept this fight competitive and stole a round or two. His power is a real difference-maker. I just think Sandhagen has more ways to win and more experience against top-flight competition.
UFC VEGAS 80 PICK: Sandhagen
Co-Main Event - Middleweight
Chidi Njokuani (22-7-0, 1NC) v. Gregory Rodrigues (12-4-0)
DK Salaries: Njokuani ($8,000), Rodrigues ($8,200)
Vegas Odds: Njokuani (-115), Rodrigues (-105)
Odds to Finish: -215
Rodrigues is the rare fighter who actually lost (in his case, knocked out) on Dana White's Contender Series and has since gone on to a successful run with the company. He fought four times in almost exactly a year since debuting in early June 2021, with three victories and a split decision defeat on his resume. The Brazilian won't be 31 years of age until this coming February, so there should be a bit more runway here.
A long time member of the Bellator roster, Njokuani lost three of his final four fights with that promotion before appearing on the Contender Series in September of 2021. He won that fight via knockout and then went on to knock out each of his first two opponents (Marc-Andre Barriault, Dusko Todorovic) in the UFC. The staying power is likely limited here due to the fact Njokuani will be 34 years old on New Year's Eve, but he's been impressive thus far.
The power edge in this fight clearly goes to Njokuani. Rodrigues better be careful, because he's the type of guy who is willing to eat a strike in order to land two of his own, and that could spell major trouble against Chidi.
That said, although Rodrigues works off of his boxing, he can certainly wrestle if needed. In an admittedly-small sample size, "Robocop" is averaging 2.4 takedowns per 15 minutes. It would seem to be the safest and cleanest path to victory for Rodrigues considering Njokuani has all of one submission win in 30 professional fights.
This is the very definition of a pick 'em for me. I'm worried about the Brazilian's brawling stand-up style. On the flip side, I could see Njokuani being pinned to the mat for long stretches at a time by his opponent. I'll take Njokuani and save a couple hundred bucks in DK salary, but I have no significant lean here.
UFC VEGAS 80 PICK: Njokuani
Heavyweight
Tanner Boser (20-8-1) v. Rodrigo Nascimento (9-1-0)
DK Salaries: Boser ($8,800), Nascimento ($7,400)
Vegas Odds: Boser (-165), Nascimento (+145)
Odds to Finish: -235
This fight was originally due to happen in lateApril. Nascimento backed out first, before Boser pulled the plug due to an injury.
Sporting a 4-3 mark over the course of his first seven UFC bouts, Boser is coming off the biggest win of his career, a knockout of Ovince Saint Preux back in June 2021. To be perfectly honest, Boser has performed better than I would have expected given his limited offensive arsenal. Like many heavyweights, he's entirely reliant on his power for success. Although, to his credit, Boser has been durable, being knocked out just once in nearly 30 professional fights.
In what projects as a significant clash of styles, Nascimento is the rare heavyweight who does his best work on the mat. He has six career submission wins, yet just two knockouts. Nascimento earned his UFC opportunity with a submission win on Dana White's Contender Series. He followed that up with a submission win in his official company debut over Don'Tale Mayes in May 2020. He has since been knocked out by Chris Daukaus in 45 seconds and fought Alan Baudot to a no-contest. Rodrigo knocked Baudot out in Round 2 before his failing of a post-fight drug test, which changed the result to a no-contest.
I'm curious to see how each man here goes about attacking the other. Nascimento enters with a significant five-inch edge in the reach department, but every single moment this fight remains standing is a major plus for Boser. Rodrigo looks legitimately uncomfortable in prolonged striking exchanges.
Even though I like Boser to win outright, I don't advise you roster him in a significant portion of your lineups. A fighter who checks in at -165 on the Vegas odds shouldn't have a DK salary of $8,800. I could easily see Nascimento getting this fight to the mat and earning a submission win. With 13 other fights on this card, I'd look elsewhere if possible.
UFC VEGAS 80 PICK: Boser
Women's Bantamweight
Aspen Ladd (9-3-0) v. Sara McMann (13-6-0)
DK Salaries: Ladd ($8,400), McMann ($7,800)
Vegas Odds: Ladd (-130), McMann (+110)
Odds to Finish: +155
This fight was scheduled to happen about a month ago before Ladd contracted COVID-19, forcing the bout's postponement.
Ladd won't be 28 years of age until next March, but she's clearly in a must-win situation here on the heels of three losses in her past four fights. Included in that stretch was a near two-year layoff from December 2019 to October 2021 due to a serious knee injury. She's fought twice since returning, dropping unanimous decisions to Raquel Pennington and Norma Dumont. The Dumont fight took place at featherweight.
McMann has no room for error, either, but that's because she will be 42 years of age exactly one week after this event takes place. Sara hasn't competed much of late, fighting once in 2018, 2020, and 2021, while missing all of 2019 due to the birth of her child. Her most recent bout was a unanimous decision win over Karol Rosa this past March.
As most of you know, McMann won a silver medal in Freestyle Wrestling at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. And, as all of you know, that was nearly 20 years ago now. McMann keeps herself in terrific shape, and her wrestling skills haven't diminished, but she's understandably far less athletic than her peak years. It's difficult to see how she can consistently win fights if her takedowns aren't landing.
This seems like a pretty lousy matchup for Ladd from a stylistic standpoint. Her wrestling is also her greatest asset, but engaging McMann in a grappling contest sounds like a terrible idea. Ladd is nearly 15 years (!!!!) younger than Sara, but she hasn't looked like the same fighter since returning from the knee injury.
Betting on McMann given her advanced age is a terrible idea, and I really don't want to do it, but I'm fully fading Ladd until I see some sort of rebound. It's entirely possible the knee injury sapped her athleticism, making it virtually impossible for Ladd to compete at a UFC-caliber level.
UFC VEGAS 80 PICK: McMann
Other Bouts
Featherweight
Andre Fili (21-9-0, 1NC) v. Bill Algeo (16-6-0)
DK Salaries: Fili ($8,300), Algeo ($7,900)
Vegas Odds: Fili (-125), Algeo (+105)
Odds to Finish: +160
UFC VEGAS 80 PICK: Algeo
Middleweight
Anthony Hernandez (9-2-0, 1NC) v. Marc-Andre Barriault (14-5-0, 1NC)
DK Salaries: Hernandez ($8,700), Barriault ($7,500)
Vegas Odds: Hernandez (-180), Barriault (+155)
Odds to Finish: -140
UFC VEGAS 80 PICK: Hernandez
Featherweight
Damon Jackson (21-4-1, 1NC) v. Pat Sabatini (17-3-0)
DK Salaries: Jackson ($7,200), Sabatini ($9,000)
Vegas Odds: Jackson (+155), Sabatini (-180)
Odds to Finish: +165
UFC VEGAS 80 PICK: Sabatini
Welterweight
Trevin Giles (14-4-0) v. Louis Cosce (7-1-0)
DK Salaries: Giles ($9,100), Cosce ($7,100)
Vegas Odds: Giles (-205), Cosce (+175)
Odds to Finish: -165
UFC VEGAS 80 PICK: Giles
Middleweight
Joe Pyfer (9-2-0) v. Alen Amedovski (8-3-0)
DK Salaries: Pyfer ($9,700), Amedovski ($6,500)
Vegas Odds: Pyfer (-450), Amedovski (+360)
Odds to Finish: -400
UFC VEGAS 80 PICK: Pyfer
Women's Strawweight
Denise Gomes (6-1-0) v. Loma Lookboonmee (6-3-0)
DK Salaries: Gomes ($6,700), Lookboonmee ($9,500)
Vegas Odds: Gomes (+190), Lookboonmee (-225)
Odds to Finish: +180
UFC VEGAS 80 PICK: Lookboonmee
Lightweight
Trey Ogden (15-5-0) v. Daniel Zellhuber (12-0-0)
DK Salaries: Ogden ($6,800), Zellhuber ($9,400)
Vegas Odds: Ogden (+230), Zellhuber (-255)
Odds to Finish: -120
UFC VEGAS 80 PICK: Zellhuber
Women's Flyweight
Mariya Agapova (10-3-0) v. Gillian Robertson (10-7-0)
DK Salaries: Agapova ($7,700), Robertson ($8,500)
Vegas Odds: Agapova (+125), Robertson (-145)
Odds to Finish: -175
UFC VEGAS 80 PICK: Agapova
Bantamweight
Tony Gravely (23-7-0) v. Javid Basharat (12-0-0)
DK Salaries: Gravely ($7,600), Basharat ($8,600)
Vegas Odds: Gravely (+135), Basharat (-155)
Odds to Finish: -140
UFC VEGAS 80 PICK: Basharat
Lightweight
Nikolas Motta (12-4-0) v. Cameron VanCamp (15-6-1, 1NC)
DK Salaries: Motta ($9,300), VanCamp ($6,900)
Vegas Odds: Motta (-205), VanCamp (+175)
Odds to Finish: -175
UFC VEGAS 80 PICK: Motta
Note: All odds accurate as of time of posting, and taken from the DraftKings Sportsbook, if available, before searching elsewhere. Stay up to date for UFC Vegas 60 with more MMA betting content.
DraftKings MMA Scoring
Note: Scoring has been updated as of early-2021! Please review the scoring changes below.
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 Strike 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 amount of time.
- A Quick Win Bonus is awarded to the winning fighter if they win in the first round in 60 seconds or less.
