Welcome back everyone to another Saturday night of MMA action. We are graced this time with a solid 13 fight card taking place from Wichita, Kansas. The nice thing about this card is it’s a non-PPV card. So, while contest payouts are smaller this week in tournaments, I still think it’s a solid week to build your bankroll in cash games.
For you 1st time readers, welcome and I hope you enjoy the article. For all you regular readers, you will notice a change. Moving forward I am going to gear this article for cash games. If you want my full thoughts on the entire card, you can find them in our MMA coaches notes Yes, I know everyone wants to win that big tournament win! But a major point we make here at DFS Army is proper bankroll management. A major part of that is, of course, cash games. It may not be the sexiest way to build your bankroll but, over time it can be the most consistent. I would love to hear any feedback on this new format, and I look forward to helping everyone learn the art of creating a solid cash game lineup.
We have been on a huge run in all sports at DFS Army! We have kicked off the new NASCAR season right where we left off last season! To go along with that and of course our phenomenal NBA content we have NHL. You name the sport we cover it! If you want to join in on the winning use promo code “FORSLUND” to save 20% on your membership.
As always have some fun in tournaments this week. Just remember the Golden Rule! While chasing after the big payout is enticing always remember bankroll management. I am a firm believer in the 80-20 rule. Which is 80% of your allocated bankroll for the night in cash games and 20% in tournaments. Remember to take advantage of our Research Station and Domination Station. Plus check out the podcast, and follow me on Twitter (@MMACashAssassin) for the latest MMA and DFS Army news!
For those of you new to MMA here is a breakdown of the scoring used on Draftkings.
MMA Cash Game Basics for DFS
In cash games, unlike tournaments, we are trying to build a solid floor with our lineups. Many times that may mean using a fighter with great odds to win a match or taking someone who is severely mispriced in a solid spot. Cash games are often times card dependent. For example, if a fighter is expected to be chalky in cash games and I feel they are in a good spot I have no problem eating the chalk and just rostering him. After all, he’s chalky for a solid reason. One major difference between cash and tournament play is getting past your aversion to play the chalk. Often times, the chalk makes a lot of sense. (I’m going to use the word “chalk” a lot, if new, chalk is slang for “popular player.”) If, you ever have any questions pertaining to cash games feel free to reach out to me on Twitter or if you are a VIP shoot me a dm.
DFS MMA UFC On ESPN+ 4 Cash Core Plays
Tim Means (-210) 8.8k
Means is popping off as a great play on our DFS Army Exclusive MMA Research Station. When we look at the numbers he is the 3rd best value play on the entire card but, on draftkings he is the 7th most expensive fighter. Right away that screams solid play to us. His opponent Niko Price is decent overall but, nothing that scares me off of Means. Vegas is expecting this fight to end Inside The Distance (ITD) (-240) and in this scenario the winner being Means (+130). The volume that Means lands his strikes (4.78 Significant Strikes per minute) at is a bonus. So, even if this fight ends up going the distance I still think Means will put up a solid score in a win.
Yana Kunitskaya (-175) 8.9k
In cash games, whenever possible I try and target fighters that have the ability to land takedowns and other grappling points. That’s exactly what we have here with Yana. Through 2 UFC fights she averages 4.89 TD”s per fight. Thrown in the fact that her opponent Marion Reneau has shown an inability to avoid takedowns and we have the recipe for a solid floor and huge upside for us on Draftkings! Each TD is worth 5 Draftkings points plus, throw in some advances and some striking (4.18 Significant Strikes per minute) in there and you have 100+ point upside. Looking at Yana’s odds to win and her salary I am not even sure she will be that popular in any format on draftkings especially cash games. I don’t even mind the fact that Vegas has this fight pegged to go to decision (-245). I just can’t ignore her safety in getting the win (Vegas agrees with this (-119 to win via decision) and the upside she provides through her takedowns.
Dan Moret (+120) 7.6k
Obviously, in any lineup it’s not possible to roster only favorites in our lineups. For that reason, you need to take some calculated risks on 1 or 2 underdogs in your lineup depending on your overall roster construction. Welcome to the chalk cash punt on the card. Often times you hear the word chalk and you want to look to avoid it in tournaments. In cash games that’s a different story. Sometimes you need to learn to embrace it. That’s exactly the case with Moret. Most of the sharp players will have him in their cash builds. The best thing to do in this instance is to just eat the chalk and be different in your lineup elsewhere. The match up here is pretty much a coin flip. As long as Moret can avoid getting hit with the big shot here he has a distinct advantage on the ground. His opponent has shown to be very inept on the ground which is something I want to take advantage of at Moret’s cheap salary.
Sure, these are MY favorite cash game plays, but maybe you play GPPs or like others. That’s fine…..you need tools, though. Our MMA Research Station is locked and loaded with every related statistic in an easy to read, color coded fashion that cuts your research time down. It allows several fighters, like the ones I mentioned, to really pop at you and make DFS life easier. But, to access this beast, you need to become a member at DFSA…
And, if you are already a member, we have podcasts related to this UFC MMA card, as well as premium articles breaking down strategy and advice even further to #RaiseYourEdge over your competition. I’m sure you’ve seen our army helmets all over the leaderboards. We have not one, not two, but THREE of the top-ranked MMA players in the world coaching our members up on a weekly basis and helping them become better MMA DFS players. See Marley’s UFC Breakdown article here.
Fight To Target In Hybrids/Tournaments
Now that we covered some cash plays. Let’s breakdown 1 fight I really think you should get exposure to in your hybrid and tournament lineups.
Curtis Millender (-120) 8.2k vs Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos (+100) 8k
Both fighters have been on solid runs as of late. Millender has yet to lose in the UFC and boasts a record of 3-0. While dos Santos after losing his debut fight in the UFC has since gone on to register 6 wins in a row. When looking at all the numbers both have very similar statistics and even our Research Station has virtually identical projections. I think both have bright futures in the UFC. But, everyone at some point (unless they are Jon Jones) has to take their 1st loss. I think this could very well be that time for Millender. For that reason I am going to side with dos Santos in this match-up. If, you are building multiple lineups than obviously you will want exposure to both fighters. Overall this is a great fight to target in general in tournaments with both of these fighters in the mid-range and the winner expected to put up a very solid score.
DFS MMA Standing 8-Count
Ok, that was a boxing reference to make sure you are still paying attention. I hope you all enjoyed the new format and I look forward to hearing your feedback. Be sure you check out our VIP Podcast! If you are new to the sport of MMA, let us teach you the fundamentals. Become a VIP at DFS Army right now!! Our mixture of content, tools, and coaching can take the best NBA player and teach him MMA like a boss in a very short time. We have NFL guys learning Nascar, and we even have people learning how to dominate the silent sport of tennis! That’s right…..major edge in tennis, and I help out there, too.
If you are still on the fence, remember, my code FORSLUND knocks 20% off the cover price as long as you remain a member. It’s not a one month code….it’s permanent. And, are a couple quick notes from our members….
Good Luck Army!
