DraftKings MMA: UFC Fight Night 79 Preview

DraftKings MMA: UFC Fight Night 79 Preview

This article is part of our DraftKings MMA series.

For those of you who enjoy your MMA with your breakfast, the UFC heads to Seoul, South Korea on Saturday.

If you're hoping to turn the event into an opportunity to build your DFS bankroll, DraftKings.com has you covered with a full slate of contests. Players get a $50,000 budget to select five fighters, and the scoring is distributed as follows:

Moves Scoring
Significant Strikes (SS): +0.5 PTS
Advance (ADVC): +1 PT
Takedown (TD): +2 PTS
Reversal/Sweep (REV): +2 PTS
Knockdown (KD): +3 PTS

Fight Conclusion Bonuses
1st Round Win (1rW+): +100 PTS
2nd Round Win (2rW+): +70 PTS
3rd Round Win (3rW+): +50 PTS
4th Round Win (4rW+): +40 PTS
5th Round Win (5rW+): +40 PTS
Decision Win (WBD+): +25 PTS

Scoring Notes
Significant Strikes are any Distance Strike or Clinch/Ground Strikes that are considered "Power Strikes" by official scorers.

Advances include: To Half Guard, To Side Control, To Mount, To Back Control

Now, on to the fights...

Main Event – Welterweight

Benson Henderson (22-5-0) v. Jorge Masvidal (29-9-0)
DraftKings Salaries: Henderson ($10,800), Masvidal ($8,600)
Vegas Odds: Henderson (-260), Masvidal (+220)

This will be Henderson's second straight fight at welterweight. He submitted Brandon Thatch on Valentine's Day in his debut in the 170-pound division. Henderson was always big as a lightweight, so it certainly isn't a surprise to see him having success in a higher weight class. Masvidal is another guy who returned to welterweight in his last fight after a long run at lightweight, picking up a first-round KO win over Cezar Ferreira in July. I've always thought Benson was a little overrated, but he does have a solid all-around game. He has far better submission skills than Masvidal and tends to absorb less damage on the feet. Masvidal tends to be active in the striking game, but then he goes through these odd periods of time where he stands around and does nothing. The Al Iaquinta fight in April was a perfect example. Masvidal started out hot and was clearly on his way to winning, but he stood around for the final eight or nine minutes and it ended up costing him a split decision loss. I really don't think that Henderson is as good as the top guys in the welterweight division, but he's better than Masvidal. It's a fairly close fight, but one that Henderson should figure out a way to win. That being said, Masvidal isn't a bad value given his DK salary.
THE PICK: Henderson

Co-Main Event – Welterweight

Dong Hyun Kim (20-3-1, 1NC) v. Dominic Waters (9-3-0)
DraftKings Salaries: Kim ($11,100), Waters ($8,300)
Vegas Odds: Kim (-700), Waters (+500)

Everyone loves Diego Sanchez. I love Diego Sanchez, you love Diego Sanchez. Sanchez only knows one way to fight -- 100 percent non-stop, all the time. It makes for very entertaining fights to watch, but it leads to struggles against better fighters. Lamas certainly qualifies as a better fighter. Lamas' only losses in the last four-plus years are against Jose Aldo and Chad Mendes - two of the three best featherweights in the world. Lamas has a remarkably well rounded game. He can win on the feet or on the ground, while Sanchez does his best work in the striking game. Sanchez trains with Greg Jackson and Mike Winklejohn in New Mexico, who just last week devised the game plan that helped Holly Holm smash Ronda Rousey. While Sanchez is the more entertaining fighter to watch, Lamas is the better fighter. And while I think the Vegas odds are a bit much, there's no doubt that Lamas deserves to be the favorite in this one.
THE PICK: Kim

Welterweight

Yoshihiro Akiyama (14-5-0, 2NC) v. Alberto Mina (11-0-0)
DraftKings Salaries: Akiyama ($10,200), Mina ($9,200)
Vegas Odds: Akiyama (-160), Mina (+140)

Akiyama certainly has the advantage of having faced the better competition of the two fighters. Although he's been in the octagon against guys such as Vitor Belfort, Jake Shields and Michael Bisping, the 40-year-old Akiyama has just one win since July 2009. Mina picked up a Performance of the Night bonus for his first-round KO win over Shinsho Anzai in his UFC debut in August of 2014. Both guys have quality ground games and they both rarely go the distance, so if you can somehow get the winner into your lineup, you may have a real chance to score some points. Who will be the winner? Good luck trying to figure that out. I'm going to go with the younger and cheaper Mina (although he is also up there at 33 years old) because neither of these guys have any real skill that stands out and gives them a real, clear advantage over the other.
THE PICK: Mina

Featherweight

Doo Ho Choi (12-1-0) v. Sam Sicilia (15-5-0)
DraftKings Salaries: Choi ($10,500), Sicilia ($8,900)
Vegas Odds: Choi (-230), Sicilia (+190)

This is a quietly terrific fight. Sicilia, who fights out of the Miesha Tate/Michael Chiesa camp in Spokane, and is known for his big power. He is constantly moving forward and loves to bang it out with his opponents. His wrestling is underrated, but his power is his greatest asset. Choi is probably the best active fighter to come out of South Korea. At just 24 years old, Choi is another guy who relies on his power, but his footwork tends to be better than Sicilia. As a result, I think Sicilia is going to struggle a bit to constantly apply pressure to Choi. Sicilia certainly has the power to end this fight with one punch or one combination, but I think that may be his only way to win. I have a hard time seeing him taking a decision.
THE PICK: Choi

Other Bouts


Middleweight

Dongi Yang (12-3-0) v. Jake Collier (9-2-0)
DraftKings Salaries: Yang ($9,400), Collier ($10,000)
Vegas Odds: Yang (+115), Collier (-135)
THE PICK: Collier

Featherweight

Yui Chul Nam (18-5-1) v. Mike De La Torre (13-5-0, 1NC)
DraftKings Salaries: Nam ($9,800), De La Torre ($9,600)
Vegas Odds: Nam (-120), De La Torre (+100)
THE PICK: De La Torre

Lightweight

Tae Hyun Bang (17-9-0) v. Leo Kuntz (17-2-1)
DraftKings Salaries: Bang ($10,100), Kuntz ($9,300)
Vegas Odds: Bang (-165), Kuntz (+145)
THE PICK: Bang

Women's Strawweight

Seohee Ham (15-6-0) v. Cortney Casey (4-2-0)
DraftKings Salaries: Ham ($9,100), Casey ($10,300)
Vegas Odds: Ham (+145), Casey (-165)
THE PICK: Casey

Flyweight

Yao Zhukui (2-3-0) v. Fredy Serrano (2-0-0)
DraftKings Salaries: Zhikui ($9,000), Serrano ($10,400)
Vegas Odds: Zhikui (+165), Serrano (-190)
THE PICK: Serrano

Bantamweight

Ning Guangyou (6-2-1) v. Marco Beltran (6-4-0)
DraftKings Salaries:Ning ($10,600), Beltran ($8,800)
Vegas Odds: Ning (-230), Beltran (+190)
THE PICK: Ning

Welterweight

Dominique Steele (13-6-0) v. Dong Hyun Kim (13-6-0)
DraftKings Salaries: Steele ($9,900), Kim ($9,500)
Vegas Odds: Steele (-135), Kim (+115)
THE PICK: Kim

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire. Jon Litterine plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: DraftKings: JLitterine.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jon Litterine
Jon Litterine is RotoWire's lead MMA Writer and MMA Editor. He has covered numerous MMA events live. He's also RW's NHL Prospect Analyst. Jon has been writing for RotoWire since 2005. He is a graduate of U Mass-Lowell.
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