UFC Apex was specially built for the famed mixed martial arts company to host its own events during the coronavirus pandemic, and the smaller Octagon could change the dynamic of UFC DFS tournaments, cash games and 50-50s on sites like FanDuel and DraftKings. Tyron Woodley and Gilbert Burns will go head-to-head in the main event of UFC Fight Night: Woodley vs. Burns on Saturday, and the two technicians may be forced to maneuver in a space that's five feet smaller than normal.
Meanwhile, Katlyn Chookagian will look to earn a women's flyweight title shot with a win over Antonina Shevchenkov during the prelims of the UFC Fight Night card, and she could be among the popular UFC DFS picks on Saturday. Who should you target in the MMA DFS fighter pool, and where can you find value to afford the card's big names? Before locking in any UFC Fight Night DFS picks, be sure to check out the optimal UFC Fight Night DFS strategy and advice from SportsLine's Mike McClure.
McClure is a predictive data engineer and DFS pro with almost $2 million in career winnings. He's crushed his DFS selections recently, producing tournament rosters that have cashed huge in multiple sports over the past few years.
At UFC Fight Night: Teixeira vs. Smith on May 13, McClure was all over Glover Teixeira as one of his top picks. The result: Teixera scored a fifth-round TKO to upset Anthony Smith, and anybody who followed McClure's advice was poised for a profitable day.
Now, McClure has set his sights on UFC Fight Night: Woodley vs. Burns and locked in his top MMA daily Fantasy picks. You can only see them here.
Top UFC Fight Night DFS predictions
For UFC Fight Night: Woodley vs. Burns, McClure is high on Jamahal Hill ($8,400 on DraftKings, $17 on FanDuel) as he takes on Klidson Abreu in a heavyweight battle. Hill earned his way into the UFC with an impressive knockout win in Dana White's Contender Series last year and then earned a convincing decision in his first official UFC bout.
Now, the undefeated (7-0) fighter will try to utilize a five-inch reach and a 3.5-inch leg advantage to say "Sweet Dreams" to Abreu on Saturday night. Abreu (15-4) is a submission specialist who hasn't managed a takedown in three career UFC fights. Hill is unlikely to take the fight to the ground, so Abreu will be forced to stand and jab with a much more talented striker.
Part of McClure's optimal UFC Fight Night DFS strategy also includes rostering Mackenzie Dern ($9,300 on DraftKings, $19 on FanDuel) as she takes on Hannah Cifers in a women's strawweight battle. Dern (7-1) is coming off a decision loss to Amanda Ribas in October, while Cifers (10-4) was knocked out by Angela Hill in January.
Dern should look to take this fight to the ground, where her jiu-jitsu background should give Cifers problems. Dern's slight reach advantage and overall size advantage will help her avoid Cifers' power shots when the fight is standing. Three of Dern's four career submission wins have come in the first round, so look for her to go for a hold early on Saturday night.
How to make UFC DFS picks
McClure is also targeting a value fighter who is a must-roster because his fight is a huge mismatch. This pick could be the difference between cashing huge in MMA DFS or going home with nothing. You can see all of McClure's MMA DFS picks and advice here.
So what are the optimal DraftKings and FanDuel picks for UFC Fight Night: Woodley vs. Burns? And which value fighter needs to be in your lineup? Visit SportsLine now to see DFS millionaire Mike McClure's complete optimal picks for Saturday's UFC Fight Night, and cash in big on MMA DFS.
