DraftKings MMA: UFC Fight Night 74 Preview

DraftKings MMA: UFC Fight Night 74 Preview

This article is part of our DraftKings MMA series.

Two of the best featherweights in the world headline a rare Sunday UFC event in rural Canada.

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 – Featherweight

Max Holloway (13-3-0) v. Charles Oliveira (20-4-0)
DraftKings Salaries: Holloway ($10,600), Oliveira ($8,800)
Vegas Odds: Holloway (-220), Oliveira (+180)

This fight features two of the best featherweights in the world, albeit two with contrasting styles. Holloway does his best work on the feet. He's tall (5-foot-11), lanky and aggressive, and likes to throw shots from distance. He's won six fights in a row and nine of his last 11 overall, with his only losses coming against Conor McGregor and Dennis Bermudez. Oliveira is one of the best submission specialists in the world. Of his 20 career wins, 12 are by submission, including three of his last four victories. Holloway should have a clear advantage on the feet, while Oliveira will definitely have a big advantage on the mat. Oliveira is the better wrestler, but Holloway has better takedown defense. I like Holloway to pull out a decision, but Oliveira's DK salary is very reasonable. I don't think there's a ton separating these two fighters. I would by no means consider Holloway a lock here.
THE PICK: Holloway

Co-Main Event – Welterweight

Neil Magny (15-5-0) v. Erick Silva (18-5-0, 1NC)
DraftKings Salaries: : Magny ($9,000), Silva ($10,400)
Vegas Odds: Magny (+155), Silva (-175)

Magny steps in here as a late replacement for Rick Story. It will be just three weeks in between fights for Magny. Demian Maia dominated him at UFC 190, ending a seven-fight winning streak for Magny. I picked him to win that fight and I was obviously incorrect in doing so. Magny has certainly improved over the years, but he still doesn't have any elite attributes. Maia embarrassed him on the mat. It wasn't even competitive. Silva combines a solid striking base, mostly kicks, with elite submission skills. He's been inconsistent in his career, but he has abilities that Magny does not. 11 of Silva's 18 career wins are via submission. His problem has long been that he absorbs too much damage on the feet. Magny is also the better wrestler, but he's immediately at risk of being submitted if he gets the fight to the mat. Magny couldn't handle the ground game of Maia and I don't think he can handle Silva's either.
THE PICK: Silva

Welterweight

Patrick Cote (21-9-0) v. Josh Burkman (28-12-0, 1NC)
DraftKings Salaries: Cote ($9,400), Burkman ($10,000)
Vegas Odds: Cote (+115), Burkman (-135)

This is a battle between two of the real veterans of the sport. Both Cote and Burkman are 35 years old. Quietly, Cote has won four of his last five fights. He hasn't exactly been facing top-flight competition, but has gotten the job done more often than not. Cote has always had big time power, but he's certainly lost some of that at his advanced age. Burkman returned to the UFC in January after nearly seven years away from the company. He has been beaten by Hector Lombard and Dong Hyun Kim since returning, although the Lombard loss was turned into a no contest after Lombard failed a post-fight drug test. Burkman is a tough, well-rounded fighter. He can win the fight anywhere, although he isn't a great athlete. Cote's biggest advantage, as ridiculous as this sounds, is that he is a Canadian fighter and the fight is in Canada. This figures to be a close fight, one that may very well go the distance. In that case, I give the edge to the guy who will have the crowd (and his country) behind him.
THE PICK: Cote

Lightweight

Chad Laprise (11-0-0) v. Francisco Trinaldo (17-4-0)
DraftKings Salaries: Laprise ($10,700), Trinaldo ($8,700)
Vegas Odds: Laprise (-335), Trinaldo (+275)

Laprise, who is undefeated, fights like the majority of his TriStar teammates -- methodically, boring, and effectively. He is 3-0 in his UFC career, with all three wins coming via decision. Laprise isn't much of a mat fighter. He's never even attempted a submission in his UFC career. Trinaldo has won three in a row, including a commendable effort in a unanimous-decision win over Norman Parke in his last bout in May. Trinaldo is a former Brazilian kickboxing champion, so this figures to be a fight that stays on the feet. Trinaldo's biggest issue is that he's already 36 years old. He's looked good lately, but his skills could start to erode at anytime. When you combine that with the fact Laprise is a native Canadian, he's my pick.
THE PICK: Laprise

Lightweight

Olivier Aubin-Mercier (7-1-0) v. Tony Sims (12-2-0)
DraftKings Salaries: Aubin-Mercier ($10,800), Sims ($8,600)
Vegas Odds: Aubin-Mercier (-240), Sims (+200)

This fight was originally scheduled to be Aubin-Mercier vs. New York's Chris Wade, which would have been a terrific fight, but Wade had to withdraw due to injury. Sims is a competent replacement, but he isn't on Wade's level. To say that Aubin-Mercier is a submission specialist would be an understatement. All seven of his wins are via submission. Sims is dropping down to lightweight after winning his UFC debut in June at welterweight by knocking out Steve Montgomery in the first round. Sims showed huge power, which isn't a surprise considering he has 10 knockout wins in his career. Aubin-Mercier trains with a much better team (TriStar) and I think his mat skills will be too much for Sims, who almost certainly will have to score a knockout to win.
THE PICK: Aubin-Mercier

Other Bouts

Women's Strawweight

Maryna Moroz (6-0-0) v. Valerie Letourneau (6-3-0)
DraftKings Salaries: Moroz ($10,500), Letourneau ($8,900)
Vegas Odds: Moroz (-185), Letourneau (+160)
THE PICK: Moroz

Lightweight

Sam Stout (21-11-1) v. Frankie Perez (9-2-0)
DraftKings Salaries: Stout ($9,700), Perez ($9,700)
Vegas Odds: Stout (+115), Perez (-135)
THE PICK: Perez

Bantamweight

Yves Jabouin (20-9-0) v. Felipe Arantes (16-7-1, 2NC)
DraftKings Salaries: Jabouin ($9,100), Arantes ($10,300)
Vegas Odds: Jabouin (+165), Arantes (-190)
THE PICK: Arantes

Light Heavyweight

Marcos Rogerio de Lima (13-3-1) v. Nikita Krylov (18-4-0)
DraftKings Salaries: Rogerio de Lima ($9,900), Krylov ($9,500)
Vegas Odds: Rogerio de Lima (-140), Krylov (+120)
THE PICK: Krylov

Flyweight

Chris Kelades (8-2-0) v. Chris Beal (10-1-0)
DraftKings Salaries: Kelades ($9,300), Beal ($10,100)
Vegas Odds: Kelades (+145), Beal (-165)
THE PICK: Beal

Lightweight

Shane Campbell (11-2-0) v. Elias Silverio (11-1-0)
DraftKings Salaries: Campbell ($8,400), Silverio ($11,000)
Vegas Odds: Campbell (+210), Silverio (-250)
THE PICK: Silverio

Light Heavyweight

Misha Cirkunov (9-2-0) v. Daniel Jolly (5-0-0)
DraftKings Salaries: Cirkunov ($11,100), Jolly ($8,300)
Vegas Odds: Cirkunov (-400), Jolly (+325)
THE PICK: Cirkunov

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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