X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

DraftKings MMA Preview and UFC DFS Picks: Cormier vs. Gustafsson

Last week was about as perfect as a week as we could have hoped for, as all four of my targets won, and several were in some of the winning tournament lineups across the industry. My "avoid" pick also turned out well, as Gegard Mousasi took a spinning kick to the face to end his night early, along with anyone's who had him for the high price.

This week we have a top-notch card in UFC 192, as Daniel Cormier takes on Alexander Gustafsson. Hopefully we can continue to nail some of the top plays on the weekend!

As usual, I’ve broken down my DraftKings MMA picks into thee sections: Cash game targets, GPP targets and fighters to avoid. I’ll explain what each category signifies below:

  • Cash Game: These fighters are great targets in 50/50 or H2H contests, where 50 percent of the field wins money.
  • GPP: These fighters are great targets in GPPs (Guaranteed Prize Pools) or tournaments, which require riskier selection in order to win first place.
  • Avoid: These are fighters who I will be staying away from.

 

MMA DFS for DraftKings – Cash Game Targets

1. Sage Northcutt (10.5k)

You haven't heard of Sage Northcutt? Well, no biggie, but you probably should know his name heading into UFC 192. Northcutt is a 19-year-old MMA prospect making his UFC debut, and he's got a real chance to be a threat in the division, even if it comes several years down the road.

The kid is a world-champion karate-style striker, but his overall game is more than solid, and he faces a relatively lackluster opponent in Francisco Trevino. Normally I wouldn't jump on someone in his situation, but the pricing is well off on DraftKings.

When salaries were released, Northcutt was a -250 favorite, but he's since climbed to -470, making the biggest favorite on the board and an easy value to target.

 

2. Albert Tumenov (10.3k)

Albert "Einstein" Tumenov will probably be making quite a few appearances in my lineups this weekend, as he gets a tough but solid DFS matchup in Alan Jouban. What I mean by that is Jouban is a good fighter and possess dangerous power in his hands, but Jouban's approach to fighting isn't always the smartest, and he'll probably choose to stand and try to beat Tumenov on the feet.

That's not a great idea.

Tumenov is a super-talented and technical kick boxer, and he's put on impressive performances already in the UFC. I think he'll have the advantage on the feet, and since the fight will should primarily take place on the feet, I expect him to earn a solid amount of points. He has the capability of finishing the fight early, which is great for all formats, but he's also a safe play for the price.

 

MMA DFS for DraftKings – GPP Targets

1. Rose Namajunas  (10.6k)

I've listed Rose Namajunas as one of my favorite GPP plays because I think she has a clear route to a finish. If she doesn't finish this fight against Angela Hill, I'm a little concerned about her point total, and for the price, she might not be worth it.

She'll probably have a decent shot in the stand up, but that's where Hill is at her best, and Namajunas will more than likely look to take the fight to the ground. That's where I think she'll have the true advantage and a great chance to earn a submission.

Namajunas is coming off a poor loss to Carla Esparza in the 115 title fight, and I'm not sure if she'll be heavily targeted. But I do know that she has potential to earn a first round finish, so she's definitely going to be a target of mine.

 

2. Alexander Gustafsson (8.4k)

Whoa, now I'm really going out on a limb here and taking one of the biggest underdogs on the board in Alexander Gustafsson. I actually don't mind Gustafsson in cash, because I think there's a reasonable chance he could get the fight to a decision, and if that's the case, he should more than pay off his 8.4k of salary.

In GPPs you need the win though, and this is more of a gut call, but I think he has a real shot. Yes, Daniel Cormier probably has the overall advantage and certainly has the wrestling advantage, but I'm not as confident as many that Cormier will be able to get the fight to the ground so easily.

I think there's a reasonable chance that Gustafsson can avoid the takedown in a few rounds, and if he can stay on the feet, he should be at a striking advantage. He's so cheap that he allows you to spend up on several fighters, and here's hoping he can pull three rounds out of nowhere and earn a decision victory.

 

MMA DFS for DrafKings – Fighters to Avoid

1. Joseph Benavidez (10.9k)

Joseph Benavidez comes in as the second-most pricey fighter at 10.9k, and he is a -340 favorite. He seems safe for the win, kind of like Mousasi did last week, but I'm just not sure he can pay off the price.

If I'm spending up that high, I want a finish, and I think it's relatively unlikely that Benavidez gets one. His best shot is probably to grab hold of a guillotine against Ali Bagautinov, but submission grappling is also Bagautinov's strong point.

If the fight goes to a decision, I just don't see Benavidez scoring enough. I'd much rather spend the extra $100 to take a chance on Cormier or drop down and save some cap.

 

Hope you enjoy! Follow me on Twitter @BrettAppley and @DailyFanMMA

 

MMA & UFC Live Chat DFS Advice

[iflychat_embed id="c-63" hide_user_list="yes" hide_popup_chat="no" height="400px"]




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Jonathan Taylor

Still Headlines Colts Backfield
Troy Terry

Wins it for Anahiem
Tyler Reddick

Overcomes Adversity for Fourth Victory of the Season At Darlington
Brad Keselowski

Falls Short of Darlington Victory Despite Domination
Ryan Blaney

Recovers From Pit-Road Struggles to Score Career-Best Darlington Finish
Carson Hocevar

Rallies to Finish Fourth at Darlington
Kyle Larson

Decent Performance Ends with Technical Issues At Darlington
Ilya Sorokin

Earns Shutout Over Columbus
Jalen Coker

Clock Ticking on Jalen Coker's Buy-Low Window?
DJ Moore

an Appealing Dynasty Target After Trade to Bills?
Keon Coleman

Falling Out of Favor Despite Head-Coaching Change?
George Pickens

Is George Pickens' Rumored Holdout a Concern for Dynasty Managers?
Derrick Henry

Continues to Face Minimal Competition
Bobby Portis

is Cleared for Monday's Game
Jarquez Hunter

Not Close to Having Fantasy Relevance?
Kawhi Leonard

Holds Questionable Tag for Monday
Danny Wolf

Suffers Ankle Injury on Sunday
Killian Hayes

Exits in First Half
Nique Clifford

Exits Early on Sunday
Royce O'Neale

is Ruled Out on Sunday
Kevin Porter Jr.

to Miss Third Straight Game
Collin Murray-Boyles

Remains Out Sunday
Jalen Johnson

Could Miss Second Straight Game
Joel Embiid

Remains Sidelined Monday
Grayson Allen

to Miss Fourth Straight Game
Naz Reid

Back in Action Sunday
Josh Hart

Good to Go Sunday
Jaylen Brown

Available Sunday Against Timberwolves
Ethen Frank

Sustains Lower-Body Injury Sunday
Grayson Rodriguez

to Open Season on Injured List
Jalen Williams

Cleared for Monday Return
Brett Pesce

Questionable to Return This Season
Stefan Noesen

Done for the Season
Luka Dončić

Luka Doncic Set to Play Monday Against Pistons
Yan Kuznetsov

Misses Fourth Consecutive Game Sunday
Connor Zary

Out Sunday
Mike Trout

Returns on Sunday
Anthony Duclair

Misses Sunday's Game
Ryan Pulock

Unavailable Sunday
Nick Lodolo

Exits Early With a Blister
Dontayvion Wicks

Still Buried in Crowded Receiver Room?
Feleipe Franks

Panthers Signing Feleipe Franks
Cameron Jordan

Linked to the Chiefs
Chris Rodriguez Jr.

No Clear Frontrunner Between Chris Rodriguez Jr. and Bhayshul Tuten?
Green Bay Packers

Packers Expected to Draft a Running Back?
Tyrod Taylor

Cooper Rush, Tyrod Taylor Could be Options for Jets
Jimmy Garoppolo

Rams Interested in Bringing Back Jimmy Garoppolo
Los Angeles Rams

Rams to Target a Receiver in the First Round?
Terrance Ferguson

Should See "Significant Uptick" in Snap Share
Chris Rodriguez Jr.

the Early Leader to be No. 1 Back in Jacksonville?
Ladd McConkey

Could Bounce Back in Mike McDaniel's Offense
Kenny McIntosh

Could Kenny McIntosh Lead the Seahawks' Backfield?
Washington Commanders

Jeremiyah Love an Option for the Commanders at No. 7 Overall?
Ryan Flournoy

Projected as Cowboys' No. 3 Wide Receiver in 2026
Jeremy Peña

Astros Not Ruling Out Jeremy Pena for Opening Day
Cristopher Sánchez

Phillies Sign Cristopher Sanchez to a Six-Year Extension
Tyler Reddick

the Clear Favorite at Darlington
Kyle Stowers

Placed on Injured List with Hamstring Strain
Kyle Larson

a High-Risk, High-Reward Driver at Darlington
Ryan Blaney

Is Getting Better at Darlington
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Not Slowing Down at Darlington
Chris Buescher

Should be a Top-10 Contender at Darlington
Austin Cindric

a Sleeper at Darlington
Erik Jones

Quickest in Practice at Darlington
Morgan Geekie

Records Three Assists Against Red Wings
Peyton Watson

Could Return Against Trail Blazers
Steven Stamkos

Notches Three Points in Win Over Golden Knights
Stephen Curry

to Miss Next Two Games
Cole Caufield

Records Career-High Five Points in Saturday's Win
Denny Hamlin

Qualifies Ninth for this Week's Cup Race at Darlington
Noah Clowney

to Miss Second Straight Game
Chase Briscoe

Is One of the Top DFS Options of the Week for Darlington
Nikita Kucherov

Takes Over Scoring Lead With Four-Point Effort
Nicolas Claxton

Won't Play Sunday
Tyler Tucker

Out Week-to-Week
Russell Westbrook

Out Against Brooklyn
Juuse Saros

to Remain Out Sunday
William Byron

Is William Byron A Playable DFS Option for Darlington Lineups?
Anthony Stolarz

Released From Hospital
Christopher Bell

Could Christopher Bell be Considered A Decent DFS Option for Darlington?
Chase Elliott

Is Chase Elliott Worth Rostering At Darlington This Week For DFS?
Joey Logano

May Not Have the Speed to Warrant A Darlington DFS Lineup Spot
Ross Chastain

Should DFS Players Trust Ross Chastain at Darlington?
Kyle Busch

Could Kyle Busch Be A Worthy DFS Option for Darlington?
Brad Keselowski

May be A Contriarian DFS Tournament Option At Darlington
Seiya Suzuki

Won't be Ready for Opening Day
Dylan Larkin

Remains Out Saturday
Jake Sanderson

Could Return in 7-10 Days
Morgan Rielly

Unavailable Saturday
Urho Vaakanainen

Considered Week-to-Week
Noah Laba

Out Week-to-Week
Gleyber Torres

Clear to Return on Monday
Konnor Griffin

Assigned to Minor-League Camp
Gleyber Torres

Scratched From Lineup on Saturday With Lower-Back Tightness
Tanner Bibee

to Take the Ball on Opening Day
Logan Webb

to Start on Opening Day for Giants
Cristopher Sánchez

Cristopher Sanchez to Start on Opening Day for Phillies
Chris Sale

Braves Name Chris Sale as Their Opening Day Starter
Kyle Stowers

Leaves Friday's Game With Hamstring Tightness
Jasson Domínguez

Jasson Dominguez Optioned to Triple-A
Jacob Misiorowski

Named Opening Day Starter
Mike Trout

X-Rays Come Back Negative on Mike Trout's Hand
Dylan Crews

Optioned to Triple-A Rochester
Lerone Murphy

Set For UFC London Main Event
Movsar Evloev

Looks To Remain Unbeaten
Michael Aswell

Jr. An Underdog At UFC London
Luke Riley

Set For UFC London Co-Main Event
Joe Ryan

Named Opening Day Starter for Twins
Sam Patterson

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Michael Page

Set For Welterweight Bout
Austen Lane

In Dire Need Of Victory
Iwo Baraniewski

A Favorite At UFC London
Francisco Alvarez

Pulled Early Thursday With Back Tightness
Akshay Bhatia

Withdraws From Valspar Championship
CFB

Alberto Mendoza Drawing Positive Reviews at Georgia Tech
CFB

Anthony Colandrea Impressing in Nebraska's Spring Practices
J.J. Spaun

Offers Upside Despite Poor Course History at Innisbrook
Aaron Rai

Looks to Bounce Back at Valspar Championship
Johnny Keefer

Brings Ball-Striking Upside to Valspar Championship
Billy Horschel

a Volatile Play at Valspar Championship
Ben Griffin

Looks to Rebound at the Valspar Championship
Corey Conners

Brings Elite Ball-Striking to Valspar Championship
Xander Schauffele

Trending In The Right Direction For Valspar Championship
Sahith Theegala

Has Shot to Challenge at Valspar Championship
Mackenzie Hughes

Looking to Bounce Back at Valspar Championship
Nicolai Hojgaard

Finding Rhythm For Valspar Championship
Matt Fitzpatrick

Continues Hot Start to 2026 Heading to Valspar Championship
Pierceson Coody

Heads to Valspar Championship Following Two Missed Cuts
Wyndham Clark

Searching for Momentum at Valspar Championship
Justin Thomas

Is Justin Thomas Back Ahead of This Week's Valspar Championship?
Jordan Spieth

to Bounce Back at Favored Valspar Championship?
Brooks Koepka

is Starting to Find His Groove Again Ahead of Valspar Championship
Viktor Hovland

is One of The Best DFS Plays at Innesbrook
Rasmus Hojgaard

to Get Back on Track at Valspar Championship
Tony Finau

is Again a Scary Option at Valspar Championship
Blades Brown

Continues PGA Tour Run at Valspar Championship
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF