Welcome again fellow fight fans to another Saturday night of UFC action. This time we have a 12-fight card taking place in Sacramento, California. There are several very close matches on this card which will make for some interesting choices in your tournament builds. But, that’s not what this article is about. My goal is to help navigate you through this interesting card and find some solid fighters to begin your cash game construction with.
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! Plus the new NASCAR season has started off right where we left off last season. We just had a huge win by a member last Saturday in MMA! 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+ 13 Cash Core Plays
Mike Rodriguez (-450) 9.4k
Rodriguez is the most expensive fighter on the entire card. He is also coincidentally the biggest favorite as well. He has great odds to win Inside The Distance (ITD) (-180). Factor in that Rodriguez lands 4.17 Significant Strikes (SS’s) per minute and it’s hard to ignore his solid floor in cash games in a fight he should control from the get go.
Ricky Simon (-380) 9.3k
Simon is the kind of fighter I love to roster on draftkings. He typically pushes a good pace throughout his fights and he is relentless in his pursuit of getting take downs (TD’s) which is evident when you see he averages 4.33 per fight. He is facing an opponent in Faber that is well past his prime and fighting in front of his home crowd. That still doesn’t scare me off Simon. I like the fact that Vegas is expecting this fight to go to decision (-275) because that actually helps Simon’s scoring on draftkings. Simon is a fighter I am locking into my cash lineups this week.
Nicco Montano (+170) 7.2k
If you want to fit the fighters listed above in your cash lineups you are going to have to punt with an underdog. Montano is a good a punt as anyone. In just 2 UFC fights she is averaging 7.44 SS’s per minute. Than factor in that her opponent hasn’t fought in 2 1/2 years and Vegas is fully expecting this fight to go to the judges scorecards (-265 to go to decision). I think in a decision loss we can expect to get 30-35 draftkings points.
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.
Mirsad Bektic (-160) 8.8k vs Josh Emmett (+140) 7.4k
This is a solid match to get exposure to tournaments. Both fighters have paths to victory that are worth considering. Emmett’s is with his striking and he has shown the ability to have that 1 punch knockout power. Bektic’s path is through is TD’s (3.59 per fight) and his ability to advance his position once he has his opponent on the mat. I think getting exposure to both fighters is a must if you are running multiple lineups in tournaments. My preferred play is going to be Bektic.
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!
