DFSR is proud to bring you Shaun Ihasz. He'll be providing MMA picks, analysis, and breakdowns to help you cash on DraftKings. Give him a follow on Twitter @ShaunEyeHas
Want to get full statistical research and Shaun's top cash & GPP plays as well as fades & contrarian picks? Shaun is selling all of that info in a cheat sheet for only $5. Just click the button below, this is a separate service than our traditional monthly membership.
What a fantastic time to be alive - there’s basically a UFC card every week until the end of the year! Honestly, outside of the main and co-main events, UFC Fight Night 94 has a bunch of no-names, close fights, and uncertainty. But it’s a good card for the hardcore fans, like me, and those who like to make money on DraftKings, like you. This is especially true with the uptick in casual players thanks to the beginning of football season.
We broke our undefeated streak last week but are still 10-1 over the last four cards and the cheat sheet paid off huge as I finished in a three-way tie in a qualifier for the $100K Rumble in Gotham event. So this week is huge, below are three fighters who will end up in my lineups, and hopefully DFSR as a representative at the first-ever MMA qualifier only event. If you want to follow along in my tiebreaker, make sure to follow me on Twitter – I’m sure I’ll be pretty pumped up. Let’s get to it!
Note – I’ll be checking the comments section right until lineup lockup, so let’s get the conversation going. I mean, what’s better than talking daily fantasy?
Evan Dunham ($10,700)
Vegas Line: -350
Finish Prop: +249
Career Record: 17-6
UFC Record: 10-6
Record In Last 5: 3-2
Strikes Landed Per Minute: 5.37
Finishes: 3 KO / 6 Subs / 4 First-Round
Losses by Stoppage: 2 KO / 1 Sub
Last Time Out: W, Unanimous Decision – Joe Lauzon
Making your UFC debut on short notice is tough, making it against a grizzled veteran like Evan Dunham just seems plain wrong. But that’s the task in front of UFC newcomer Rick Glenn and I don’t like his chances. Dunham is on a three fight win streak, including victories over Joe Lauzon and Ross Pearson. When you look at his last three losses, you see big names like Edson Barboza, Donald Cerrone, and Rafael Dos Anjos.
Dunham is a legit fighter and this will be a significant step up in competition for Glenn. Though he isn’t a scary finisher, Dunham has plenty of volume at 5.37 significant strikes landed per minute and he is a capable veteran who can jump on any number of openings. I just think he overmatches Glenn and a short-notice UFC debut is something I love to target. Dunham is in play in both cash games and GPP.
Prediction: Dunham – 2nd Round TKO
Dustin Poirier ($10,400)
Vegas Line: -165
Finish Prop: +126
Career Record: 20-4
UFC Record: 12-3
Record In Last 5: 4-1
Strikes Landed Per Minute: 4.82
Finishes: 10 KO / 6 Sub / 12 First-Round
Losses by Stoppage: 1 KO / 1 Sub
Last Time Out: W, 1st Round KO – Bobby Green
Dustin Poirier was $100 away from being the pick in the last section but I can’t write this article without talking about the favorite in the main event. Poirier will be popular, but with good reason and I think not rostering him would be a mistake. Poirier has been a man on a mission since his loss to Conor McGregor, rattling off four straight wins, including three by first-round knockout. His opponent, Michael Johnson, has lost back-to-back fights and has just one finish in the last three years (eight fights). Poirier has the second best prop to win by stoppage on the card at +126 but even in a decision I expect him to score enough points to reach value. Again, another guy I like in all formats.
Prediction: Poirier - 4th Round TKO
Kenny Robertson ($9,300)
Vegas Line: -120
Finish Prop: +248
Career Record: 15-4
UFC Record: 4-4
Record In Last 5: 3-2
Strikes Landed Per Minute: 4.10
Finishes: 4 KO / 9 Subs / 10 First-Round
Losses by Stoppage: 1 KO
Last Time Out: L, Split Decision – Ben Saunders
I expect some to agree with this pick and others to start blankly at me. For those of you who like the value of a -120 favorite at $9,300 – so do I. But the reason some will avoid this fight is both guys have predominately had success on the ground and that can lead to a low scoring fantasy fight. Kenny Robertson should be on a four-fight win streak but he lost a curious, to me, split decision last time out. Robertson does have 13 stoppage wins in his career and should have plenty of tools to fend of Roan Carneiro if the fight goes to the ground. Carniero was knocked out by Derek Brunson seven months ago and is fighting for just the third time in the last two years. This fight is close to a coin flip but that can be said for a lot of bouts on this card - I prefer Robertson overall and his price tag of $9,300 seals the deal for me.
Prediction: Robertson - Unanimous Decision
Want to get full statistical research and Shaun's top cash and GPP plays as well as fades and contrarian picks? Shaun is selling all of that info in a cheat sheet for only $5. Fill out the form below or click here to purchase using PayPal this is a separate service than our traditional monthly membership.
/strong>
UFC Fight Night 94
image sources
Week 12 DraftKings and FanDuel cash game NFL plays.
DraftKings and FanDuel Week 11 cash game NFL plays
Week 10 NFL cash game picks for DraftKings and FanDuel
Daily Fantasy DraftKings and FanDuel NBA Picks & Projections Playing NBA DFS Nightly? Join one…
Week 9 NFL DFS plays for DraftKings and FanDuel
Packed slate of NBA action on FanDuel and DraftKings
View Comments
For those who want to share my sweat for a Gotham spot, I'm CactusJack2 - https://www.draftkings.com/contest/gamecenter/28049075?uc=478072223
Came down to the co-main event, didn't go my way, fun sweat and we go on to next week.