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

Fight Night 123: MMA Main Card Predictions and DFS Picks

What's up RotoBallers. In this column, I will be taking a look at the main card for Fight Night 123. Our analysis will help you with your DraftKings MMA lineups. I will be keeping track based on picking winners and losers. I will also predict how the fight will be finished, but that will not reflect in the records (Justin's Record: 173-86).

MMA has one of the best sweats in DFS. Two fighters compete at a time with only one coming out as the winner. It's the best feeling in the world when you are watching the main event of a show and know you need a first round knockout to win the entire tournament. And nothing feels worse than when you need a first round knockout by Stipe Miocic to win thousands of dollars in a tournament, but when he lands that knockout punch, you realize that you placed 14th because Jacare Souza was too dominant in a previous fight. This was a serious scenario that I had to live through when Miocic won the Heavyweight Championship. Without anymore waiting, here are our DFS lineup picks and DraftKings analysis for the main card at Fight Night 123.

Editor's Note: Interested in RotoBaller's MMA DFS Cheat Sheet with advanced fighter statistics, deep analysis and detailed insights from MMA DFS Expert Justin Bales? Let us know here.

 

Albert Morales vs Benito Lopez

This main card is filled with close fights, starting with Morales and Lopez. Morales has been in the UFC since 2016, recording a 1-2-1 record, winning a split decision against an underwhelming opponent in Andre Soukhamthath. Lopez has not fought the same competition, but he has found more success. I expect Lopez to have the advantage on the feet, while Morales has the grappling advantage. With that being said, I don’t believe either advantage is by more than a slight margin. Both fighters have ways to finish this fight, but they also can go three rounds, as well. I feel Lopez has the potential to keep this fight standing, making him a slightly more appealing option.

Benito Lopez, TKO, 3rd Round

 

Eryk Anders vs Markus Perez

I could be slightly biased in this fight after seeing Anders fight live at UFC on Fox 25. He laid waste to a tough opponent in Rafael Natal, easily winning the fight in spectacular fashion. He is a fast, athletic, powerful fighter, who will continue to get better as he trains more. He was a former linebacker at Alabama, playing a key role in their National Championship team. Perez is a bit more of an unknown, but he looks to be a solid prospect. With that being said, I do not feel he is going to be able to matchup with Anders physically. Anders somewhat reminds me of Francis Ngannou at light heavyweight. Ngannou was a raw fighter with elite physical attributes, who is now the favorite to win the title in his next fight. I’m not saying Anders is in the same boat as Ngannou, but he is athletic enough to win this fight.

Eryk Anders, TKO, 2nd Round

 

Scott Holtzman vs Darrell Horcher

Neither of these two fighters are top prospects, but they are fairly evenly matched, making this a tough fight to judge. It will seemingly come down to whether or not Holtzman can get the takedown. If he can, he should be able to grind out a three round decision. If he cannot secure the takedown, Horcher has flashed the power to change this fight on the feet. With that being said, I feel Holtzman is the more active fighter and the easiest way to beat him is to take him down and record control time. I don’t necessarily think Horcher is going to be looking for a takedown in this fight, though. Holtzman should be able to throw enough volume on his feet to sway the judges, while also mixing in takedowns for top control.

Scott Holtzman via Unanimous Decision

 

Marlon Moraes vs Aljamain Sterling

Moraes is 1-1 in the UFC, winning and losing a split decision. Sterling has been fighting in the UFC for a significantly longer time, recording a 6-2 record, losing two split decisions. Both fighters possess tremendous striking defense. Moraes is the more hittable fighter of the duo, but he is also the better striker. He has struggled at times to defend the takedown, but fighters have trouble keeping him down. Sterling is one of the better wrestlers in this division, though. I was extremely impressive with Sterling in his last fight against Barao, and I feel his grappling could be the difference in this fight. The striking should be similar, while Sterling’s takedowns should be enough to win on the judge’s scorecards.

Aljamain Sterling via Unanimous Decision

 

Jason Knight vs Gabriel Benitez

It seems as if the UFC is giving Knight a fight to get back on track after losing to Ricardo Lamas. Knight will have a significant grappling advantage in this fight. I don’t believe Benitez’s striking advantage is big enough to change this fight before Knight can land a takedown. He should be able to control this fight for three rounds, while searching for a finish, which he is generally good at finding. There are a lot of close fights on this main card, but this is no one of them. Knight should be able to get back on track here.

Jason Knight, Sub, 2nd Round

 

Cub Swanson vs Brian Ortega

These are two of my favorite fighters to watch. Neither fighter gives up until after the fight is over, making all of their fights must see TV. Swanson has been in a few wars over the last two years, specifically with Artem Lobov and Doo Ho Choi. Ortega has also been in a few wars, finishing each of his last four fights. Ortega was arguably losing his last two fights before finding a knockout and submission in the third round. Quite frankly, Swanson will likely be winning rounds in this fight, but it only takes one mistakes for Ortega to capitalize. The big problem with Ortega for opponents is the fact that he wants to be taken down because his guard is so effective. That allows him to fight without any concerns of a takedown, making his strikes wild and somewhat out of control. I feel it will only be a matter of time before Ortega finds a finish, since he gets to work with five rounds for this weekend.

Brian Ortega, Sub, 4th Round

 




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

Rasmus Ristolainen7 mins ago

Not Expected To Return This Season
Ryan Preece9 mins ago

Has Three Straight Top-10 Finishes For First Time In His Career
Jesse Chavez10 mins ago

Called Up, Hector Neris Cut
Cameron Johnson11 mins ago

Ruled Out On Monday Night
Colton Sissons12 mins ago

Likely Out For Rest Of The Season
Sean Murphy17 mins ago

Starting Rehab Assignment On Tuesday
NASCAR19 mins ago

Bubba Wallace After Third-Place Finish At Martinsville: "What a Great Day"
Jonathan Marchessault21 mins ago

Day-To-Day With Lower-Body Injury
Jose Altuve22 mins ago

Returns To Second Base On Monday
Todd Gilliland24 mins ago

Has Mistake-Free Day At Martinsville, Grabs Another Top-10 Finish
Jo Adell24 mins ago

Remains Out Against Cardinals
Kevin Durant27 mins ago

Out At Least One Week
Francisco Lindor31 mins ago

Out On Monday For Birth Of His Son
Brandon Moreno34 mins ago

Wins Back-To-Back Fights
Steve Erceg45 mins ago

Losses Third Consecutive Fight
Drew Dober55 mins ago

Gets Knocked Out At UFC Mexico City
Manuel Torres1 hour ago

Gets Back In The Win Column
Harry Hall1 hour ago

Bounces Back In Houston Last Week
Denver Broncos1 hour ago

Denver To Take A Running Back In The Draft
CJ Vergara1 hour ago

Gets Submitted
Ryan Fox1 hour ago

Showing Improvement Heading Into The Valero Texas Open
Édgar Cháirez1 hour ago

Edgar Chairez Gets Submission Win At UFC Mexico City
Courtland Sutton2 hours ago

"No Timeline" On Courtland Sutton Extension
Dairon Blanco2 hours ago

Placed On 10-Day Injured List
Vince Morales2 hours ago

Drops Decision At UFC Mexico City
Raul Rosas Jr.2 hours ago

Gets Decision Win At UFC Mexico City
New York Jets2 hours ago

Jets To Wait On Contract Extensions For Garrett Wilson, Sauce Gardner
Tobias Myers2 hours ago

Throws Sim Game, Nearing Rehab Assignment
Saimon Oliveira2 hours ago

Still Winless In The UFC
Brandon Woodruff2 hours ago

Set For Sim Game On Tuesday
David Martinez2 hours ago

Wins His UFC Debut
Jameson Williams2 hours ago

Detroit To Exercise Jameson Williams' Fifth-Year Option
Aaron Civale2 hours ago

Placed On 15-Day Injured List
Colton Cowser2 hours ago

To Miss At Least Six Weeks
Kevin Borjas2 hours ago

Earns His First UFC Win
Gunnar Henderson2 hours ago

Expected To Return On Thursday
Brandon Aiyuk2 hours ago

49ers Expected To Hold Brandon Aiyuk
Ronaldo Rodríguez2 hours ago

Ronaldo Rodriguez Suffers His First UFC Loss
Joel Dahmen3 hours ago

Scores Top-20 Finish At Texas Children's Houston Open
Jacob Bridgeman3 hours ago

Had Some Rest Heading Into The Valero
Sami Valimaki3 hours ago

Finishes Fourth At Texas Children's Houston Open
Maverick McNealy3 hours ago

Finishes Tied For 32nd At Texas Children’s Houston Open
Tom Kim3 hours ago

Finishes Tied For 36th At Valspar Championship
Rickie Fowler3 hours ago

Finishes Tied For 52nd At Texas Children’s Houston Open
Bud Cauley3 hours ago

Finishes Tied For Fourth At Valspar Championship
Sam Burns3 hours ago

Misses The Cut At Valspar Championship
Daniel Berger3 hours ago

Finishes Tied For 20th At The PLAYERS Championship
Ludvig Aberg3 hours ago

Misses The Cut At The PLAYERS Championship
Kyle Teel4 hours ago

Enjoys Strong Debut Weekend In Charlotte
J.T. Realmuto4 hours ago

Batting Fourth On Monday
Jacob Misiorowski4 hours ago

Strikes Out Seven Across Five Shutout Frames
Trea Turner4 hours ago

Still Out With Back Spasms
Drew Gilbert5 hours ago

Hits 7-Day Injured List
Heston Kjerstad5 hours ago

Due For More Action Against Righties
Treylon Burks5 hours ago

Unlikely To Be Ready For Training Camp
Colby Thomas5 hours ago

Enjoying Hot Start
Rhett Lowder5 hours ago

Throwing Off Mound
Ryan O'Hearn5 hours ago

Out Of The Lineup Against Lefty
Keenan Allen5 hours ago

Chargers Not Ruling Out Reuniting With Keenan Allen
Adrian Del Castillo5 hours ago

Placed On 7-Day Injured List
Breece Hall5 hours ago

Could Be Part Of Committee In 2025
James Cook5 hours ago

Bills Not Close To Extension With James Cook
Tyreek Hill5 hours ago

Dolphins Planning On Tyreek Hill Being Part Of Their Future
Baltimore Ravens5 hours ago

Ravens Expected To Draft A Kicker
Mark Andrews5 hours ago

Ravens Expect Mark Andrews Back In 2025
Lamar Jackson5 hours ago

Ravens Have Had Early Extension Talks With Lamar Jackson
Christopher Bell6 hours ago

Powers His Way To A Second-Place Finish At Martinsville
Chase Elliott6 hours ago

Strong Martinsville Performance Ends With A Top-Five Finish
Kyle Larson7 hours ago

Collects A Top-Five Finish At Martinsville
William Byron7 hours ago

Places 22nd After Struggles At Martinsville
Joey Logano7 hours ago

Claims His First 2025 Top-10 Finish After Up-And-Down Performance
Tyler Reddick8 hours ago

Fails To Place In The Top 10 At Martinsville
Joseph Woll11 hours ago

Stands Tall On Sunday
UTA11 hours ago

Alex Kerfoot Leads The Way In Sunday's Victory
Tristan Jarry11 hours ago

Shuts The Door On Ottawa On Sunday
Sebastian Aho11 hours ago

Busy In Sunday's Victory
Anze Kopitar11 hours ago

Tallies Three Helpers On Sunday
Troy Terry11 hours ago

Exits Early On Sunday
Denny Hamlin13 hours ago

Silences Doubters After Crew-Chief Change
Ty Gibbs13 hours ago

Earns Best 2025 Finish At Martinsville Despite Failing Cool Suit
Ross Chastain13 hours ago

Has A Great Day At Martinsville
Chase Briscoe13 hours ago

Has Solid Run At Martinsville
Erik Jones13 hours ago

Disqualified At Martinsville For Weight Violation
Isaiah Hartenstein20 hours ago

Listed As Questionable For Monday
Jaylin Williams20 hours ago

Could Miss Monday's Game
Chet Holmgren20 hours ago

Uncertain For Monday
Jonathan Kuminga20 hours ago

Won't Return On Sunday
LeBron James20 hours ago

Expected To Suit Up Monday
Zach Wilson22 hours ago

Still Views Himself As A Starter
New York Giants22 hours ago

Victor Dimukeje Signs With Giants
Dallas Cowboys22 hours ago

Brian Schottenheimer Optimistic About Deal With Micah Parsons
Lane Hutson24 hours ago

Continues Special Campaign With Hat Trick Of Assists
Trae Young24 hours ago

Playing Versus Milwaukee
Anfernee Simons24 hours ago

Cleared For Action Versus The Knicks
Giannis Antetokounmpo24 hours ago

Available On Sunday Night
Nick Suzuki24 hours ago

Notches Three Points In Sunday's Win
Robby Fabbri1 day ago

Not Expected To Return This Season
Jacob Trouba1 day ago

Could Be An Option Sunday
Jalen Brunson1 day ago

Cleared For Basketball Activities
Jordan Staal1 day ago

Will Not Play On Sunday
Jerami Grant1 day ago

Out Again On Sunday
Evgeni Malkin1 day ago

Out Against Senators
Tobias Harris1 day ago

Probable Versus Minnesota
Justin Fields1 day ago

Aaron Glenn Thinks Justin Fields Is Ready To Break Out
Dennis Schröder1 day ago

Dennis Schroder Expected To Face The Timberwolves
Cade Cunningham1 day ago

Doubtful For Sunday Night
Mark Williams1 day ago

Ruled Out Versus The Pels
Dak Prescott1 day ago

"Doing Great" In Rehab From Hamstring Surgery
Jacksonville Jaguars1 day ago

Fred Johnson Signs With Jacksonville
Tennessee Titans1 day ago

Titans Still Entertaining Calls For No. 1 Overall Pick
Karel Vejmelka1 day ago

Makes 17th Consecutive Start Sunday
Arvid Soderblom1 day ago

Tries To End Four-Game Skid Sunday
Alec Martinez1 day ago

Misses Fourth Consecutive Game
Robert Bortuzzo1 day ago

Activated From Injured Reserve
Olli Määttä1 day ago

Olli Maatta Considered A Game-Time Call Sunday
Logan Thompson1 day ago

Starts Against Sabres Sunday
Cameron Payne1 day ago

Ruled Out On Sunday
Miles McBride1 day ago

Remains Out On Sunday
Scoot Henderson1 day ago

Out On Sunday
Brandon Aiyuk1 day ago

Deadline Coming For Brandon Aiyuk
Anfernee Simons1 day ago

May Miss Sunday's Game
Ty Jerome1 day ago

Out Again On Sunday
Josh Berry1 day ago

Has Top-10 Upside At Martinsville
Joey Logano1 day ago

Don't Overlook Joey Logano This Weekend
Ryan Preece1 day ago

Could Get First Three-Race Top-10 Streak Of His Career
Chase Elliott1 day ago

Looking To Continue Great Runs At Martinsville
Christopher Bell1 day ago

Wins Pole At Martinsville, But Can He Stay Up There?
Ryan Blaney1 day ago

Fast In Practice But Skeptical About Car
Denny Hamlin1 day ago

New Crew Chief Has Terrible Martinsville Record
Steve Erceg3 days ago

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Brandon Moreno3 days ago

A Favorite At UFC Mexico City
Manuel Torres3 days ago

Set For Co-Main Event
Drew Dober3 days ago

An Underdog At UFC Mexico City
Joe Pyfer3 days ago

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Kelvin Gastelum3 days ago

Set For Middleweight Matchup
Vince Morales3 days ago

In Dire Need Of Victory
Raul Rosas Jr.3 days ago

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Saimon Oliveira3 days ago

Looks For His First UFC Win
Jhonattan Vegas5 days ago

Not A Good Play At Houston Open
Gary Woodland5 days ago

A Dark-Horse Candidate At Houston Open
Nick Taylor5 days ago

Keep An Eye On Nick Taylor At Houston Open
Mackenzie Hughes5 days ago

Avoid Mackenzie Hughes At Houston Open
Nicolai Hojgaard5 days ago

Looking To Rebound At Houston Open
Scottie Scheffler5 days ago

Returns To Houston Looking For Year's First Victory
Rory McIlroy5 days ago

Making Additional Start At Houston Open To Prepare For Augusta
Doug Ghim5 days ago

Looking For Iron Form In Houston
Aaron Rai5 days ago

Keep An Eye On Aaron Rai At Houston Open
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
J.J. McCarthy - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Draft Sleepers

Five Fantasy Football Superflex Quarterback Breakouts, Draft Targets (2025)

If you’ve ever played in a Superflex fantasy football league, then you know how important quarterbacks are in this format. The ability to start multiple stud quarterbacks can carry you to a Superflex title. Unfortunately, finding two such players isn’t so easy. All the top signal-callers come off draft boards first, and that makes it […]


Omarion Hampton - College Football Rankings, NCAA CFB DFS Lineup Picks - NFL Draft

Ideal Landing Spots For The Top 12 Fantasy Football Rookies - 2025 NFL Draft

Then, the NFL Draft continues to inch closer and closer. This is a very interesting class, with a handful of players who could be stars in the NFL and reshape fantasy football leagues going forward. Here are the ideal landing spots for the top 12 fantasy football rookies. These picks exist in conversation with each […]


Jalen Coker - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Eight Best Ball Late Round Value Fantasy Football Players To Target For 2025

Fantasy football is the most popular game in all of sports. It has gone from a paper-and-pen game to a multi-million dollar-a-year one. While redraft leagues are the most popular form of fantasy football, best ball leagues are quickly gaining steam. The best part of best ball leagues is the ability to draft thousands of […]


Abdul Carter - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2025 NFL Draft Rankings: Top 10 Fantasy Football Edge Rusher Prospects

Edge rusher is the most important, most coveted, and most highly-paid position on defense in the NFL. It stands to reason that the most important position in the entire game being quarterback, and by a wide margin, means the most important position on defense are the players that are tasked with disrupting opposing QBs as […]


Brock Purdy - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Picks

Brock Purdy Dynasty Fantasy Football Outlook and Trade Value

Despite becoming the all-time leading passer for the Iowa State Cyclones, Brock Purdy wasn't a highly touted prospect due to his perceived lack of athleticism. The 49ers picked him with the final pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, but Mr. Irrelevant quickly proved everyone wrong. In his first two years, he started in back-to-back NFC […]


Michael Florio's Football Show - Podcast RotoBaller Network

Florio's Football Show: Scouting NFL Draft Prospects!

Michael F Florio goes over some of the top prospects from this years NFL Draft. Florio talks about what he looks for when watching prospect tape and explains what traits translate best to the NFL level. Be sure to also tune into RotoBaller Radio on SiriusXM (SiriusXM channel 87) on Sundays from 6-7 am. You can […]


Najee Harris - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Dynasty Fantasy Football Buy or Sell: Najee Harris, Rico Dowdle, Jordan Mason

One year ago, we discussed the futures of Josh Jacobs, Derrick Henry, Saquon Barkley, and Aaron Jones as those free agents found new homes. This year's headliners are Najee Harris, Rico Dowdle, and Jordan Mason. Not quite the same. Still, with every transaction come implications for dynasty fantasy football rosters across the globe. Below, we […]


Romeo Doubs - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Early 2025 Fantasy Football Sleepers: Undervalued NFC Draft Targets

While the 2025 fantasy football redraft season is still several months away, there is no such thing as being too prepared for your fantasy draft. Fantasy football is year-round, even for those who only play in redraft leagues. The landscape of fantasy football will change between today and the start of redraft season, with the […]


Detroit Lions Defense, Aidan Hutchinson - Fantasy Football DST Rankings, Streamers, IDP Sleepers

2025 Fantasy Football IDP Sleepers: Five Draft Targets

It's notably difficult to identify sleepers in fantasy football IDP leagues. The skill of the players in question is very important, but situation also plays a large factor, as does a recent history of injuries. Rather than bucketing them into groups, it's better to analyze each one individually, look at where they are in terms […]


Ashton Jeanty - College Football Rankings, NCAA CFB DFS Lineup Picks

Ashton Jeanty's Top Potential Landing Spots For 2025: Fantasy Football NFL Draft Outlook

Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty will enter the 2025 NFL Draft as one of the best prospects in the class. Jeanty just ran for 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns across 14 games this past college season. Those 2,601 rush yards were the second-most of all-time in FBS history, only behind Barry Sanders's 2,628 rush yards […]


Bhaysul Tuten - NFL Draft Prospects, Rookie Rankings

2025 Fantasy Football Rookie Mock Draft: 12-Team, Single QB

The 2025 NFL Combine has now been completed, so it's worth doing another mock draft to see where everyone stands after the league's pre-draft testing event. Overall, there were a few surprises, but the order of many players will remain the same. The mental domain of the original rankings, which have been fairly set in […]


Rashid Shaheed - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2025 Fantasy Football Sleepers: Later-Career Breakout Candidates

Typically, most NFL players break out in the early parts of their careers. Between the ages of 20 and 25 is when you expect to see the majority of players have their first big season. Some waste no time and put together excellent years while they're rookies, while some need more time to develop. These […]


Davante Adams - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

NFL Free Agency Tracker - Updates On Every Free Agent Signing (2025)

HuThe NFL offseason is starting to heat up, and the league's legal tampering period is set to begin on March 10 at noon Eastern. Free agents cannot officially sign until the new league year begins on March 12 at 4 p.m. Eastern, but deals will be agreed to, and news will be coming in quickly […]