This article is part of our Drake's Takes series.
Youssef Zalal (10-5-0) v. Da'Mon Blackshear (12-4-0)
Youssef Zalal - Height: 5'10" - Reach: 72" - Switch
~ Low volume
~ Plus wrestling/grappling
~ 7 finishes in 10 wins
Da'Mon Blackshear - Height: 5'10" - Reach: 72" – Switch
~ Moderate volume
~ Plus wrestling/grappling
~ 9 finishes in 10 wins
DFS Perspective: Zalal is dropping a division where he should look more comfortable and get back to winning ways. He should have an advantage anywhere the fight goes and emerge the victor. Blackshear will have his chances as an experienced grappler in his own right but has not faced the same level of competition. I do not trust either guy for cash contests, but the winning fighter could smash value with an early finish, so GPP is the way to go.
UFC San Diego Pick: Zalal
Jason Witt (19-8-0) v. Josh Quinlan (5-0-0, 1NC)
Jason Witt - Height: 5'10" - Reach: 70" - Orthodox
~ Low volume
~ Plus wrestling/grappling
~ 11 finishes in 19 wins
Josh Quinlan - Height: 6'0" - Reach: 72" – Orthodox
~ High volume
~ Plus wrestling/grappling
~ 5 finishes in 5 wins
DFS Perspective: Witt's only path to victory is snaring the neck of Quinlan in a grappling exchange. He has horrible defensive tendencies, and I expect Quinlan to exploit them. Quinlan will have a massive edge on the feet and can match Witt on the mat. I expect a quick finish, with Quinlan finding something early. He is a solid play in cash and GPP contests. Witt can be used as a GPP dart throw in mass entry tournaments for that hail mary submission.
UFC San Diego Pick: Quinlan
Ode Osbourne (11-4-0, 1NC) v. Tyson Nam (20-12-1)
Ode Osbourne - Height: 5'7" - Reach: 73" - Southpaw
~ Moderate volume
~ Decent wrestling/grappling
~ 9 finishes in 11 wins
Tyson Nam - Height: 5'7" - Reach: 68" – Orthodox
~ Moderate volume
~ Minimal wrestling/grappling
~ 13 finishes in 20 wins
DFS Perspective: Osbourne will have the edge everywhere the fight goes, particularly on the mat. He will also have a five-inch reach advantage. Nam can push the pace and record a knockout if he can work inside the pocket but will have difficulty doing so with Osbourne's range. I like Osbourne for cash and GPP contests.
UFC San Diego Pick: Osbourne
Gabriel Benitez (22-11-0) v. Charlie Ontiveros (11-8-0)
Gabriel Benitez - Height: 5'8" - Reach: 71" - Southpaw
~ Moderate volume
~ Plus grappling
~ 18 finishes in 22 wins
Charlie Ontiveros - Height: 6'2" - Reach: 78" – Switch
~ Moderate volume
~ Minimal wrestling/grappling
~ 6 finishes in 11 wins
DFS Perspective: I am still not high on Ontiveros and do not think he should be in the UFC. He has an outside shot to record an early finish, but after he gasses, he will be done. Benitez should take this fight to the ground early, where he holds a massive advantage, and cruise to a relatively easy win. Benitez is high-priced, but I think he pays it off and is safe for cash and GPP contests.
UFC San Diego Pick: Benitez
Cynthia Calvillo (9-4-1) v. Nina Nunes (10-7-0)
Cynthia Calvillo - Height: 5'4" - Reach: 64" - Orthodox
~ Moderate volume
~ Plus wrestling/grappling
~ 5 finishes in 9 wins
Nina Nunes - Height: 5'5" - Reach: 64" – Orthodox
~ Moderate volume
~ Decent wrestling/grappling
~ 6 finishes in 10 wins
DFS Perspective: Either fighter could be looking at a pink slip with another loss, so both will likely come out looking for a fast start. If the fight stays on the feet, it is likely to be a close decision. However, if Calvillo uses her wrestling and gets this to the mat, I expect her to dominate multiple rounds and take it unanimously. I would not trust either in cash, but Calvillo makes an exciting play for GPP contests if she gets this down and controls Nunes.
UFC San Diego Pick: Calvillo
Martin Buday (10-1-0) v. Lukasz Brzeski (8-1-1, 1NC)
Martin Buday - Height: 6'4" - Reach: 77" - Orthodox
~ Moderate volume
~ Minimal wrestling/grappling
~ 8 finishes in 10 wins
Lukasz Brzeski - Height: 6'4" - Reach: 78" – Orthodox
~ High volume
~ Plus wrestling/grappling
~ 7 finishes in 8 wins
DFS Perspective: I expect this to be a one-sided fight with Buday having his way with Brzeski until he finishes him. He will have the edge on the feet and should be the one initiating takedowns with better ground control. Brzeski can be used as a longshot GPP punt seeing you never know with heavyweights, but I prefer Buday for cash and GPP.
UFC San Diego Pick: Buday
Angela Hill (13-12-0) v. Lupita Godinez (8-2-0)
Angela Hill - Height: 5'3" - Reach: 64" - Orthodox
~ High volume
~ Plus wrestling
~ 5 finishes in 13 wins
Lupita Godinez - Height: 5'2" - Reach: 61" – Orthodox
~ Low volume
~ Plus wrestling/grappling
~ 2 finishes in 8 wins
DFS Perspective: These two ladies are in opposite positions, with Hill struggling to three losses in a row and Loopy having two consecutive dominant outings. I expect Loopy to come out hot and ragdoll Hill for 15-minutes. This could very well be Hill's last fight, so she could have a little extra, but I do not think anything she does will be enough to win this one. Loopy makes an excellent play for cash and GPP contests.
UFC San Diego Pick: Godinez
Bruno Silva (22-7-0) v. Gerald Meerschaert (34-15-0)
Bruno Silva - Height: 6'0" - Reach: 74" - Orthodox
~ Moderate volume
~ Plus wrestling
~ 19 finishes in 22 wins
Gerald Meerschaert - Height: 6'1" - Reach: 77" – Southpaw
~ Low volume
~ Plus wrestling/grappling
~ 32 finishes in 34 wins
DFS Perspective: This fight should be a standard striker vs. grappler match. Silva will hold an edge on the feet, while Meerschaert will have an advantage on the feet. Both guys have a path to an early finish; Silva has been submitted five times in seven losses, and Meerschaert has been knocked out three times in 15 losses. Either guy could wind up with a finish, making the winner a big play for GPP contests.
UFC San Diego Pick: Silva
Ariane Lipski (14-7-0) v. Priscila Cachoeira (11-4-0)
Ariane Lipski - Height: 5'6" - Reach: 67" - Orthodox
~ Low volume
~ Decent wrestling/grappling
~ 9 finishes in 14 wins
Priscila Cachoeira - Height: 5'7" - Reach: 65" – Orthodox
~ Moderate volume
~ Minimal wrestling/grappling
~ 6 finishes in 11 wins
DFS Perspective: I expect the majority of this fight to play out on the feet. Both ladies square up well in striking, with Cachoeira having slightly more volume and power. However, Lipski would have a significant edge on the mat if she chooses to take it there. I like Cachoeira the longer this stays on the feet, making her a solid GPP play. With her takedowns and control potential, Lipski is the safer play for cash contests.
UFC San Diego Pick: Lipski
Devin Clark (13-6-0) v. Azamat Murzakanov (11-0-0)
Devin Clark - Height: 6'0" - Reach: 75" - Orthodox
~ Low volume
~ Plus wrestling
~ 5 finishes in 13 wins
Azamat Murzakanov - Height: 5'10" - Reach: 71" – Southpaw
~ Low volume
~ Decent wrestling
~ 9 finishes in 11 wins
DFS Perspective: I think this could be a smash spot for Clark. He looked phenomenal in his most recent fight, and so long as he avoids the one-shot power of Murzakanov, I think he dominates this fight as well. Murzakanov is a first-round threat and will be looking for a finish, but tires quickly, and it could be even quicker with Clark's wrestling. I expect Clark to avoid the knockout and wrestle his way to an upset victory, making him an excellent play for cash and GPP contests.
UFC San Diego Pick: Clark
Yazmin Jauregui (8-0-0) v. Iasmin Lucindo (13-4-0)
Yazmin Jauregui - Height: 5'3" - Reach: N/A - Orthodox
~ Moderate volume
~ Plus grappling
~ 6 finishes in 8 wins
Iasmin Lucindo - Height: 5'3" - Reach: N/A – Orthodox
~ Low volume
~ Plus wrestling/grappling
~ 10 finishes in 13 wins
DFS Perspective: A clash between two debuting fighters from different promotions. Jauregui has excellent pressure and striking. Lucindo looks to have a solid ground game with powerful ground and pound. This will easily be the best competition either fighter has faced, and it is difficult to predict how this plays out. I would not use either in cash, but either could surprise in GPP contests.
UFC San Diego Pick: Jauregui
Nate Landwehr (15-4-0) v. David Onama (10-1-0)
Nate Landwehr - Height: 5'9" - Reach: 72" - Orthodox
~ High volume
~ Plus wrestling
~ 9 finishes in 15 wins
David Onama - Height: 5'11" - Reach: 74" – Orthodox
~ High volume
~ Plus wrestling/grappling
~ 10 finishes in 10 wins
DFS Perspective: This should be an action-packed striking match for as long as it lasts. Both guys will stand in and trade blows until someone goes down, and it could go either way. I have a slight lean towards Onama due to his monstrous power and excellent pressure. If you are going to play one in cash, it would be Onama. Either guy would make a solid GPP play in a win.
UFC San Diego Pick: Onama
Marlon Vera (19-7-1) v. Dominick Cruz (24-3-0)
Marlon Vera - Height: 5'8" - Reach: 70" - Switch
~ Moderate volume
~ Plus grappling
~ 15 finishes in 19 wins
Dominick Cruz - Height: 5'8" - Reach: 68" – Orthodox
~ Moderate volume
~ Plus wrestling
~ 8 finishes in 24 wins
DFS Perspective: This fight should easily end with Fight of the Night honors. I expect this matchup to go five rounds and see it playing out with Cruz leading in volume and Vera leading with power strikes. If that is the case, the judges will have a tough decision. Cruz is aging but still an exceptional fighter with some of the best footwork in the UFC. Vera continues to prove he belongs among the best in the division, and a case can be made for him finishing this fight early. I like Vera to win, but do not count Cruz out as he will likely have a strong game plan coming into this fight. If it goes five rounds, a stack in cash contests is plausible. Either guy could shatter value through five hard-fought rounds in a win.
UFC San Diego Pick: Vera
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FANDUEL MMA 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 MMA 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.
