RADIO
Initially scheduled for April 18th at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, UFC 249 will now resonate from the VyStar Veteran's Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida. After the anticipated bout between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson was canceled once again, the Lightweight Championship will be defended, with "El Cucuy" now squaring off with Justin Gaethje.
The latter is coming off a victory over "Cowboy" Cerrone in September of last year. The card will also feature plenty of hard-hitting as Ryan Spann, Greg Hardy, and Francis Ngannou will all be in action. In a Bantamweight Title Bout, Henry Cejudo will battle Dominick Cruz.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy MMA lineup picks for FanDuel for UFC 249 on 5/9/20. You can check out our DraftKings MMA DFS picks as well. These DFS lineup picks can vary from higher-priced players and elite options to lower-priced fighters and value picks on FanDuel. Give me a follow on Twitter @DennisMClausen. Good luck.
UFC 249 Light Heavyweight - MMA DFS Lineup Picks
Ryan Spann ($22) vs. Sam Alvey
Spann is the heavy favorite heading into this one, with Superman having won seven-straight fights, a streak that spans back to his days in Legacy Fighting. While Spann has won most of his fights via submission over the years, he also has developed a reputation as a legit banger, having won three of those fights during that span within the first round.
Alvey, who hasn't won a contest in almost two years, is a capable striker in his own right. However, he is a guy who has floated between Middleweight and Light Heavyweight over the years and will be giving up plenty of size and power to Spann, who is a massive 205 pounder, to begin with. Smile'N is also only a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu purple belt, and will also have his work cut out for him defending submission attempts from Spann, making it highly possible that this could end very quickly.
UFC 249 Heavyweight - MMA DFS Lineup Picks
Fabricio Werdum ($21) vs. Aleksei Oleinik
This will be an exciting fight featuring two men who are both Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belts. Though this battle may go all three rounds, you can bet that there will be plenty of submission attempts to go around as both fighters will likely spend some time on the octagon floor.
"Vai Cavalo" will be looking to get back on track after getting dropped by punches in the fourth round of his most recent fight against Russian hard-hitter Alexander Volkov. Oleinik, on the other hand, is fresh off a January victory over the lengthy striker Maurice Green. Both are undoubtedly talented on the mat; however, the "Boa Constrictor" has shown weakness on his feet, which will favor Werdum if this fight stays vertical.
UFC 249 Heavyweight - MMA DFS Lineup Picks
Francis Ngannou ($20) vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik
This bout may not last long as both big men can make anyone's eyes roll into the back their heads very quickly. This is also a matchup to pay attention to as the winner will probably punch their ticket for a Heavyweight title bout somewhere down the line, possibly even before the year is over.
Both combatants are coming off some impressive victories, with Ngannou most recently dispatching Junior dos Santos by TKO and Cain Velasquez by KO in his last two fights while Rozenstruik knocked out the legendary Alistair Overeem back in December.
Rozenstruik is undefeated, but Ngannou, whose previous three fights have lasted a combined 142 seconds, may have the heaviest hands in the history of the sport along with an iron chin to back it up. While both men can land thunderous blows, "The Predator" may be slightly more talented between the two, giving him the narrow edge.
UFC 249 Lightweight - MMA DFS Lineup Picks
Tony Ferguson ($17) vs. Justin Gaethje
In the main event for the interim Lightweight Championship, Ferguson and Gaethje will surely deliver. Ferguson, an Eddie Bravo Black Belt, has not lost since 2012 and will be riding a 12 fight win streak. "The Highlight" hasn't been too shabby either, winning his last three fights, with those victories occurring within the first round.
Both men are competent wrestlers, but Gaethje won't have an easy time submitting the 10th Planet Disciple, giving the edge to Ferguson. Expect both men to hit the mat, with "El Cucuy" having a good shot to finish Gaethje with a submission. Either way, the winner of this one will surely have their hands full against Khabib Nurmagomedov (when possible).
UFC 249 Heavyweight - MMA DFS Lineup Picks
Yorgan De Castro ($12) vs. Greg Hardy
De Castro will put his undefeated record on the line when he goes up against the controversial Greg Hardy at UFC 249. Expect both men to land some solid shots as these two bulls have been known to throw heavy hands over the years.
While the former NFL superstar will have the strength and size advantage, De Castro may be the more talented fighter overall between the two, making it possible that the 33-year-old could score the upset. It isn't likely that De Castro is strong enough to put Hardy to sleep, but the ref may step in if he can land enough shots in succession.
Hardy is also taking this fight on short notice, and his cardio may not be up to par as a result. This pick is risky as this contest could go the distance, but if it doesn't, De Castro could walk away from this one with another victory in the Heavyweight Division.
