This article is part of our DraftKings MMA series.
The next challenger for the light heavyweight title should emerge after all is said on done on Saturday in New Jersey.
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
Johny Hendricks (17-3-0) v. Stephen Thompson (11-1-0)DraftKings Salaries: Hendricks ($10,400), Thompson ($9,000)
Vegas Odds: Hendricks (-210), Thompson (+175)
This fight may have seemed a bit underwhelming as far as a potential co-main event of a pay-per-view, but it's a heck of a bout to headline a free Fight Night card. Hendricks is only 2-2 in his last four fights, although those two loses came against current champion Robbie Lawler and former champion Georges St. Pierre. He's clearly one of the top two or three welterweights in the world. Thompson has only one loss in his pro career, and that came way back in April 2012 against Matt Brown. Thompson, a former world champion amateur kickboxer, has the tools to beat any 170-pounder in the world in a striking battle, which is why it seems like a near certainty that Hendricks is going to attempt to turn this into a wrestling match. Wonderboy trains a lot with former middleweight champion Chris Weidman, who undoubtedly helped him with his wrestling for this fight. The problem that Thompson faces is that not only is Hendricks a terrific wrestler, he has a chin seemingly made of granite. Hendricks has never been stopped in his pro career and that's a real issue in a fight where it's unlikely that Thompson is going to out point Hendricks for 25 minutes. Hendricks certainly has more than enough power and skill to win a fight on the feet, but he would be foolish if he attempted to engage in prolonged striking exchanges with Wonderboy. As long as Hendricks doesn't come into this fight with a foolish game plan, he's a clear favorite. I think even Lawler would be a better matchup for Thompson than Hendricks because the champion is pretty much strictly a banger at this point in his career. My guess is that Thompson's wrestling looks better than we think it will, but it still isn't enough from stopping Hendricks from controlling the pace of the fight.
THE PICK: Hendricks
Co-Main Event – Heavyweight
Roy Nelson (21-12-0) v. Jared Rosholt (14-2-0)DraftKings Salaries: Nelson ($10,200), Rosholt ($9,200)
Vegas Odds: Nelson (-160), Rosholt (+140)
A real argument can be made at this point that Rosholt has become the most boring fighter in the UFC. He is 6-1 in the UFC, but five of those wins were unanimous decision victories. Rosholt tends to drag his opponents to the mat and then just lay on top of them for the majority of the fight. Nelson has lost three fights in a row and five of his last six. At age 39, Nelson's poor conditioning is really starting to hurt him. Although I like Rosholt a bit better than the Vegas odds indicate, fantasy owners can't roster him in a DK lineup because if he wins, it is almost certainly to be via decision. I really don't know what to expect from Nelson anymore. He has been fighting the best in the world for nearly a decade and his game has dipped noticeably of late. Big Country still has the power to finish Rosholt in an instant, so he still makes for a halfway decent DK play. I'm taking Rosholt in an upset, but Nelson is the fighter of the two that should be in a fantasy lineup. It's a strange fight that seemingly only has two potential finishes: a Nelson stoppage win or a boring Rosholt decision victory.
THE PICK: Rosholt
Light Heavyweight
Ovince St. Preux (18-7-0) v. Rafael Calvalcante (12-6-0, 1NC)DraftKings Salaries: St. Preux ($10,700), Calvalcante ($8,700)
Vegas Odds: St. Preux (-440), Calvalcante (+350)
OSP's two losses in the UFC have come against Glover Teixeira and Ryan Bader, and he was taken down a combined 14 times in those two fights. He has easily handled every other man he's faced since joining the promotion in April 2013. Cavalcante has one win since September 2011 and that came against Igor Pokrajac. He isn't deserving of fighting a guy like OSP, but the depth of the light heavyweight division is quite possibly the worst in all the UFC, and as a result, UFC fans end up with matchups like this one. I am still not entirely convinced that OSP is anything more than an elite athlete masquerading as an MMA fighter, but I would be shocked if he didn't have enough to defeat Feijao. Prospective fantasy owners always have to insert an underdog or two in their lineups, but Calvalcante isn't an option. Anything can happen in MMA, but I don't see any way he wins this fight. He isn't a good wrestler and that's the only thing that OSP has struggled with in his UFC days.
THE PICK: St. Preux
Flyweight
Joseph Benavidez (23-4-0) v. Zach Makovsky (19-6-0)DraftKings Salaries: Benavidez ($10,800), Makovsky ($8,600)
Vegas Odds: Benavidez (-470), Makovsky (+375)
Benavidez is the best flyweight in the world not named Demetrious Johnson, but he has lost to the champion twice and is going to have to continue to rack up wins against lower-ranked opponents until he gets a third opportunity. Makovsky doesn't have a prayer of matching Joe B's speed and power on the feet, so he will have to rely on his wrestling game if he hopes to win this one. Benavidez's last three fights have gone the distance and since Makovsky tends to be very conservative in the striking game, I think there is a good possibility this will be another fight that lasts the entire 15 minutes. Minus-470 is an awfully big line, but taking into account the fact that Joe B's four career losses have come against Johnson (twice) and current bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz (twice), it's not a surprise to see him as such as massive favorite. I would pick Benavidez over any flyweight in the world other than Johnson.
THE PICK: Benavidez
Other Bouts
Light Heavyweight
Misha Cirkunov (10-2-0) v. Alex Nicholson (6-1-0)DraftKings Salaries: Cirkunov ($11,000), Nicholson ($8,600)
Vegas Odds: Cirkunov (-1000), Nicholson (+650)
THE PICK: Cirkunov
Welterweight
Mike Pyle (26-11-1) v. Sean Spencer (12-4-0)DraftKings Salaries: Pyle ($9,400), Spencer ($10,000)
Vegas Odds: Pyle (+155), Spencer (-175)
THE PICK: Spencer/b>
Lightweight
Josh Burkman (28-12-0, 1NC) v. KJ Noons (12-7-0, 1NC)DraftKings Salaries: Burkman ($10,100), Noons ($9,300)
Vegas Odds: Burkman (-170), Noons (+150)
THE PICK: Burkman
Heavyweight
Derrick Lewis (13-4-0, 1NC) v. Damian Grabowski (20-2-0)DraftKings Salaries: Lewis ($9,700), Grabowski ($9,700)
Vegas Odds: Lewis (+145), Grabowski (-145)
THE PICK: Lewis
Flyweight
Ray Borg (9-1-0) v. Justin Scoggins (10-2-0)DraftKings Salaries: Borg ($10,500), Scoggins ($8,900)
Vegas Odds: Borg (-335), Scoggins (+275)
THE PICK: Scoggins
Featherweight
Noad Lehat (9-1-0) v. Diego Rivas (6-0-0)DraftKings Salaries:Lehat ($10,600), Rivas ($8,800)
Vegas Odds: Lehat (-325), Rivas (+265)
THE PICK: Lehat
Welterweight
Mickey Gall (1-0-0) v. Mike Jackson (11-10-0)DraftKings Salaries: Gall ($10,900), Jackson ($8,500)
Vegas Odds: Gall (-600), Jackson (+450)
THE PICK: Gall
Featherweight
Artem Lobov (12-11-1, 1NC) v. Alex White (10-2-0)DraftKings Salaries: Lobov ($9,800), White ($9,600)
Vegas Odds: Lobov (-140), White (+120)
THE PICK: Lobov