This article is part of our Drake's Takes series.
Erin Blanchfield (8-1-0) v. JJ Aldrich (11-4-0)
Erin Blanchfield - Height: 5'4" - Reach: 66" - Orthodox
~ High volume
~ Plus wrestling/grappling
~ 3 finishes in 8 wins
JJ Aldrich - Height: 5'5" - Reach: 67" – Southpaw
~ Moderate volume
~ Plus wrestling
~ 2 finishes in 11 wins
DFS Perspective: I will continue riding Blanchfield until she gives me a reason not to. Aldrich has good striking and solid wrestling, but Blanchfield has shown an aggressiveness I do not think she will be able to handle. I expect the striking to be even and Blanchfield to completely take over the fight when she takes it to the mat. Blanchfield is the top-priced fighter on Draftkings and would need to continue her work from the first two fights to hit value, and I think she does, making her safe for cash and GPP contests.
UFC Vegas 56 Pick: Blanchfield
Rinat Fakhretdinov (20-2-0) v. Andreas Michailidis (13-5-0)
Rinat Fakhretdinov - Height: 6'0" - Reach: N/A - Orthodox
~ Moderate volume
~ Plus wrestling/grappling
~ 16 finishes in 18 wins
Andreas Michailidis - Height: 6'0" - Reach: 76" – Orthodox
~ Moderate volume
~ Plus wrestling
~ 11 finishes in 13 wins
DFS Perspective: Fakhretdinov is making his UFC debut and gets a solid matchup in Michailidis. I expect the majority of this fight to take place on the feet, with Fakhretdinov pushing the pace and racking up volume. He has also shown a knack for body lock takedowns and dismantling fighters on the mat. Michailidis has been less than impressive in three UFC fights, and I think he gets dominated in this one. Look for an early finish from Fakhretdinov, making him safe for cash and GPP contests.
UFC Vegas 56 Pick: Fakhretdinov
Jeffrey Molina (10-2-0) v. Zhalgas Zhumagulov (14-6-0)
Jeff Molina - Height: 5'6" - Reach: 69" - Orthodox
~ High volume
~ Minimal wrestling/grappling
~ 8 finishes in 10 wins
Zhalgas Zhumagulov - Height: 5'4" - Reach: 66" – Switch
~ Moderate volume
~ Plus wrestling
~ 8 finishes in 14 wins
DFS Perspective: Molina has primarily impressed in two UFC fights, while Zhumagulov has not looked the part in four fights. Molina comes out fast, throwing a ton of volume while keeping constant forward pressure. Zhumagulov is more technical, leading with a strong jab and looking to outpoint opponents. He does have some power and could find a knockout, but I think that is the only way he wins this fight. Molina will easily have the edge in pressure and volume, and he could also find a finish himself. I like Molina for both cash and GPP.
UFC Vegas 56 Pick: Molina
Johnny Munoz (11-1-0) v. Tony Gravely (22-7-0)
Johnny Munoz - Height: 5'9" - Reach: 71" - Orthodox
~ Low volume
~ Plus wrestling/grappling
~ 9 finishes in 11 wins
Tony Gravely - Height: 5'5" - Reach: 69" – Orthodox
~ Moderate volume
~ Plus wrestling
~ 12 finishes in 22 wins
DFS Perspective: I expect this fight to primarily play out on the mat as both guys are solid wrestlers. Munoz has not shown me enough to give me a reason that he can take the more experienced Gravely on. Gravely will have the advantage everywhere this goes, and I can see him chaining multiple takedowns again to crush value at his price on Draftkings. I love Gravely for both cash and GPP.
UFC Vegas 56 Pick: Gravely
Niklas Stolze (12-5-0) v. Benoit Saint Denis (8-1-0, 1NC)
Niklas Stolze - Height: 6'0" - Reach: 75" - Switch
~ Low volume
~ Plus wrestling/grappling
~ 9 finishes in 12 wins
Benoit Saint-Denis - Height: 5'11" - Reach: 73" – Southpaw
~ Moderate volume
~ Plus wrestling/grappling
~ 8 finishes in 8 wins
DFS Perspective: Stolze has not looked good in two UFC fights and now draws Saint-Denis, who took nearly 150 SS in his debut fight. The takedown defense from Stolze will determine this fight. Saint-Denis was relentless in shooting for takedowns in his debut, and I do not see this being any different. He could break the slate with a staggering score if he finds success chaining takedowns and controlling the mat. If he is unable to, we could be looking at a slower-paced striking match resulting in a low-scoring decision. For that reason, the only play I would make is Saint Denis for GPP contests.
UFC Vegas 56 Pick: Saint Denis
Damon Jackson (20-4-1, 1NC) v. Daniel Argueta (8-0-0)
Damon Jackson - Height: 5'11" - Reach: 71" - Switch
~ Low volume
~ Plus wrestling/grappling
~ 18 finishes in 20 wins
Daniel Argueta - Height: 5'7" - Reach: 70" – Southpaw
~ Moderate volume
~ Plus grappling
~ 6 finishes in 8 wins
DFS Perspective: Jackson seems to improve with each passing fight, and his ground game is carrying the way. Argueta has done well on the regional scene and is now making his UFC debut on short notice. Jackson should be better everywhere this fight goes and will make an excellent piece in cash and GPP spots. Argueta is hittable on the feet but is a solid grappler in his own right and could make things interesting if he can find a choke.
UFC Vegas 56 Pick: Jackson
Joe Solecki (11-3-0) v. Alex Da Silva (21-3-0)
Joe Solecki - Height: 5'9" - Reach: 70" - Orthodox
~ Low volume
~ Plus wrestling/grappling
~ 8 finishes in 11 wins
Alex da Silva - Height: 5'8" - Reach: 73" – Orthodox
~ Moderate volume
~ Plus wrestling/grappling
~ 20 finishes in 21 wins
DFS Perspective: This sets up to be a fun fight. I expect most of the fight to play out on the mat as both guys are proficient wrestlers. However, I would give Solecki a slight advantage on the mat and da Silva a small advantage on the feet. I would say Solecki has fought the better competition as well. I anticipate Solecki initiating the takedowns and finding control more often, making him a slight lean for the win. A decision is likely, and it could be lower-scoring without a bunch of takedowns and control time.
UFC Vegas 56 Pick: Solecki
Felice Herrig (14-9-0) v. Karolina Kowalkiewicz (13-7-0)
Felice Herrig - Height: 5'4" - Reach: 65" - Orthodox
~ Moderate volume
~ Decent wrestling
~ 5 finishes in 14 wins
Karolina Kowalkiewicz - Height: 5'3" - Reach: 64" – Orthodox
~ High volume
~ Minimal wrestling/grappling
~ 3 finishes in 12 wins
DFS Perspective: Kowalkiewicz is riding a five-fight losing streak, with her last win being against Herrig by split decision. Herrig is also riding a three-fight losing streak but has only fought twice since her fight with Kowalkiewicz. These ladies match up nicely, but I imagine it going how it did the first time out. Kowalkiewicz throws more volume and has better composure in the pocket. However, I do not see a high score coming out of the fight, so I would only use her for GPP contests.
UFC Vegas 56 Pick: Kowalkiewicz
Ode Osbourne (10-4-0) v. Zarrukh Adashev (4-3-0)
Ode Osbourne - Height: 5'7" - Reach: 73" - Southpaw
~ Moderate volume
~ Decent wrestling/grappling
~ 8 finishes in 10 wins
Zarrukh Adashev - Height: 5'5" - Reach: 65" – Southpaw
~ Moderate volume
~ Minimal wrestling/grappling
~ 2 finishes in 4 wins
DFS Perspective: Osbourne has a massive reach advantage and should look to use it and avoid brawling with Adashev. He could also look for a takedown and use his length to sprawl and keep control on the mat. Adashev will be looking to work his way into the pocket and use his power to land on the soft chin of Osbourne, but without a finish, I do not see him winning this fight. Neither guy scores well in a decision, and I would only use either guy in GPP if you think they score an early finish.
UFC Vegas 56 Pick: Osbourne
Alonzo Menifield (11-3-0) v. Askar Mozharov (N/A)
Alonzo Menifield - Height: 6'0" - Reach: 76" - Orthodox
~ Moderate volume
~ Minimal wrestling/grappling
~ 10 finishes in 11 wins
Askar Mozharov - Height: 6'3" - Reach: N/A – Orthodox
~ Moderate volume
~ Plus grappling
~ 19 finishes in 21 wins
DFS Perspective: There is a lot of controversy circling Mozharov and his record, so it is hard to grasp this fight. He looks to have solid pressure and loves to brawl in the pocket. Menifield has fought better competition, and so long as he avoids a big shot, I think he wins this by knockout. I like Menifield for cash and GPP. Mozharov has an uncanny ability to finish fights in the first round and can be used for GPP in larger contests.
UFC Vegas 56 Pick: Menifield
Karine Silva (14-4-0) v. Poliana Botelho (14-4-0)
Karine Silva - Height: 5'5" - Reach: 67" - Orthodox
~ Moderate volume
~ Plus wrestling/grappling
~ 14 finishes in 14 wins
Poliana Botelho - Height: 5'8" - Reach: 67" – Orthodox
~ Low volume
~ Plus wrestling
~ 6 finishes in 8 wins
DFS Perspective: The only knock you can have on Silva at this very moment is the competition level faced. She has dominated her way to earn his spot and matches up well against Botelho. I would give Botelho a slight advantage on the feet, with Silva having a considerable advantage on the mat. The step-up in competition leads me to think this could be close to a split decision type of fight, but the pedigree of Silva is something to watch for as she is a finisher. I lean Silva's way, as I think she has more ways to win, and Botelho is not a top-tier fighter.
UFC Vegas 56 Pick: Silva
Michael Trizano (10-2-0) v. Lucas Almeida (13-1-0)
Mike Trizano - Height: 5'11" - Reach: 71" - Orthodox
~ Moderate volume
~ Decent wrestling
~ 4 finishes in 9 wins
Lucas Almeida - Height: 5'11" - Reach: 71" – Orthodox
~ High volume
~ Minimal wrestling/grappling
~ 12 finishes in 13 wins
DFS Perspective: Almeida is a brawler and loves to box it out in the pocket. He swings wild and is loaded with power, but his cardio tends to fade as the fight goes on. Trizano has faced better competition and should look to keep the fight at range or on the mat with him in top control. Trizano typically does not score well in decision wins, and given his price point on Draftkings, I want no part of him. Almeida, on the other hand, I love for GPP tournaments as he has a chance for an early finish that would smash his value.
UFC Vegas 56 Pick: Almeida
Dan Ige (15-5-0) v. Movsar Evloev (15-0-0)
Dan Ige - Height: 5'7" - Reach: 71" - Orthodox
~ Moderate volume
~ Decent wrestling
~ 9 finishes in 15 wins
Movsar Evloev - Height: 5'7" - Reach: 72" – Orthodox
~ Moderate volume
~ Elite wrestling/grappling
~ 7 finishes in 15 wins
DFS Perspective: Ige has one path to victory, and that's by knockout. Evloev is a problem in this division, and I expect it to stay that way for a long time. He is solid on the feet but thrives with takedowns and keeping the fight in control on the mat. Ige has decent takedown defense, but the endless attempts and cardio that threaten him will eventually cause him to drop. Evloev should dictate everywhere this fight goes and win a solid-scoring decision, if not an early finish by submission, making him solid for cash and GPP.
UFC Vegas 56 Pick: Evloev
Alexander Volkov (34-10-0) v. Jairzinho Rozenstruik (12-3-0)
Alexander Volkov - Height: 6'7" - Reach: 80" - Orthodox
~ High volume
~ Minimal wrestling/grappling
~ 25 finishes in 34 wins
Jair Rozenstruik - Height: 6'2" - Reach: 78" – Orthodox
~ Low volume
~ Minimal wrestling/grappling
~ 11 finishes in 12 wins
DFS Perspective: Rozenstruik has the power to put anyone's lights out, and I think it is his only path to winning here. Volkov has looked less than great in his last couple of fights, but he has a significant volume edge. So long as Volkov avoids taking too many direct shots to the chin, he should be able to pile up volume and win by decision or finish. Rozenstruik only needs one hard shot to land for a massive knockout, making him a solid GPP play. I prefer Volkov for both cash and GPP due to his volume potential.
UFC Vegas 56 Pick: Volkov
FANDUEL SCORING
Moves Scoring
Significant Strikes = 0.6 pts
Takedown = 6 pts
Takedown Defense = 3 pts
Knockdown = 12 pts
Submission Attempt = 5 pts
Fight Conclusion Bonuses
1st Round Win = 100 pts
2nd Round Win = 75 pts
3rd Round Win = 50 pts
4th Round Win = 35 pts
5th Round Win = 25 pts
Decision Win = 20 pts
Scoring Notes
- Significant Strikes are distance strikes or clinch/ground strikes that are considered "power strikes" by official scorers.
- A knockdown is awarded to a fighter who knocks his/her opponent down due to debilitation for what the official scorers consider a substantial time.
DRAFTKINGS SCORING
Moves Scoring
Strikes: +0.2 pts
Significant Strikes (SS): +0.5 pts
Control Time: +0.03 pts/Second
Takedown (TD): +5 pts
Reversal/Sweep (REV): +5 pts
Knockdown (KD): +10 pts
Fight Conclusion Bonuses
1st Round Win (1rW+): +90 pts
2nd Round Win (2rW+): +70 pts
3rd Round Win (3rW+): +45 pts
4th Round Win (4rW+): +40 pts
5th Round Win (5rW+): +40 pts
Decision Win (WBD+): +30 pts
Quick Win Bonus: +25 pts
(fight is finished in 60 seconds or less)
Scoring Notes
- Significant Strikes are any distance strikes or clinch/ground strikes that are considered "power strikes" by official scorers.
- A Significant Strike will count as both a strike and a significant strike and will be worth a total of 0.4 pts.
- Control Time is the time spent in the dominant position on the ground or in the clinch. +0.03 points are awarded per second.
- A Knockdown is awarded to a fighter who knocks his/her opponent down due to debilitation for what the official scorers consider an appreciable time.
- A Quick Win Bonus is awarded to the winning fighter if they win in the first round in 60 seconds or less.
