This article is part of our DraftKings MMA series.
The UFC commences its busy summer schedule live on ESPN+ with a trip to Greenville, North Carolina, and there's a $25,000 top prize up for grabs on DraftKings.
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 six fighters, and the scoring is distributed as follows:
(Please note that DraftKings altered their scoring system in December 2016 to add a new fighter to the lineup and adjust scoring. The most recent point values are listed below.)
Moves Scoring
Significant Strikes (SS): +0.5 PTS
Advance (ADVC): +3 PT
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
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
Renato Moicano (13-2-1) v. Chan Sung Jung (14-5-0)
DK Salaries: Moicano ($8,600), Jung ($7,600)
Vegas Odds: Moicano (-200), Jung (+170)
Odds to Finish: -245
The UFC struggled for a long time to find a main event for this card and the Moicano/Zombie fight was announced less than eight weeks ago.
Moicano has been on the sidelines since a February knockout loss at the hands of Jose Aldo. It was the biggest spot of the Brazilian's career, and while he showed decently, he ultimately couldn't get the job done. Moicano's stock has been on the rise since debuting with the company in December 2014. His record with the UFC is an impressive 5-2 and his only two setbacks came at the hands of Aldo and top-ranked challenger Brian Ortega. Moicano is a wizard on the mat with limited finishing power in his hands. In fact, he doesn't have a knockout win in his nine-year pro career. Renato is a better striker than that stat would lead you to believe, but he makes his living on the mat, not with his fists.
Due to his mandatory military service with the South Korean army and a knee injury, Jung has fought just three times in the past seven-plus years. The Zombie was literally a second away from defeating Yair Rodriguez via decision in his most recent bout in November. However, Yair landed a miracle shot at 4:59 of Round 3 to earn the knockout victory in one of the most shocking finishes to a fight in UFC history. Jung is well-rounded and athletic. His chin is a mild concern (he's been knocked out in two of his past three fights) and the inactivity over the past few years is a major concern, but he's a no doubt top-10 featherweight based upon talent alone.
An extended striking battle favors Jung, despite Moicano's two-inch height advantage. A ground matchup favors Moicano, despite Jung's eight-career submission victories. I like Moicano to pick up the win if I'm forced to make a pick, but I actually think Jung is the better DraftKings play. The gap in both the odds and DraftKings salaries are a bit baffling here. I view this fight as closer to a pick 'em than both of those numbers would lead you to believe. Regardless of who you think will emerge victorious, this should be a good one.
THE PICK: Moicano
Co-Main Event - Bantamweight
John Lineker (31-9-0) v. Rob Font (16-4-0)
DK Salaries: Lineker ($8,900), Font ($7,300)
Vegas Odds: Lineker (-210), Font (+175)
Odds to Finish: +155
This is a rematch of a May 2016 fight which Lineker took via unanimous decision.
Hoping to avoid back-to-back losses for the first time in nearly a decade, Lineker is in for an injured Cody Stamann on just over two weeks notice. It's an interesting and risky move for a fighter who is coming of a split-decision loss to Cory Sandhagen in April. Although he has been around for seemingly ever, Lineker is still just 29 years old. He has 40 professional fights under his belt, but the Brazilian hasn't shown any signs of slowing down. He remains one of the division's most powerful and effective strikers. I'm not worried about Lineker following the Sandhagen loss, but he has to rebound here.
This is a bad situation for Font. He spent nearly his entire training camp prepping for a world-class wrestler in Stamman, and now he has to switch gears and take on a fellow boxer in Lineker. It won't be an easy task. Font is highly athletic. He possesses quick hands, quick feet, and displays excellent cardio. All that is well and good, but he doesn't have the pure power of Lineker (few in the division do) and that means Font will have to win this fight with volume and foot work.
Font has plenty of big wins over the course of his UFC career (Sergio Pettis, Thomas Almeida, Douglas Silva de Andrade), but he's facing an opponent here in Lineker who mirrors his greatest strengths. Font has the skill set to pull the upset, but I wouldn't bet on it happening. Lineker has been ridiculously good and ridiculously underrated the past several years. As long as he shows up ready to fight following a short training camp, he should be fine.
THE PICK: Lineker
Welterweight
Bryan Barberena (14-6-0) v. Randy Brown (10-3-0)
DK Salaries: Barberena ($9,200), Brown ($7,000)
Vegas Odds: Barberena (-270), Brown (+230)
Odds to Finish: -110
Nine fights and 4.5 years into his UFC run, Barberena remains an enigma. He's beaten a couple decent opponents (Sage Northcutt, Warlley Alves) and has managed to go the distance with some high-end opponents such as Colby Covington and Leon Edwards, but his record with the company is barely over .500 (5-4). Barberena has good size for the division at 6-0 and is durable. I like his aggressiveness and he definitely has power in his hands, but sooner or later the 30-year-old will have to put together a winning streak to make a serious run at 170 pounds.
Brown is another underachiever. Blessed with a ton of athletic ability and a respectable all around game, "Rude Boy" has alternated wins and losses in his last four fights dating back to December 2016. He followed up an extremely impressive unanimous decision win over Mickey Gall in November of 2017 with a knockout loss at the hands of Niko Price in July of 2018. Brown has a background in boxing and the vast majority of his struggles come when he gets lazy with his footwork.
This is a tough pick because these are two guys I expected more from the past couple years. Brown is three inches taller, has a six-inch reach edge and is the better athlete. Barberena has more ways to win a fight. When all was said and done, I just couldn't overlook the value Brown presents. Sure, he might deserve to be a slight underdog here, but Vegas has him as a massive underdog and the salaries reflect that. Brown stands a reasonable chance of winning this fight and using him in your DK lineup will allow you to gain salary relief elsewhere.
THE PICK: Brown
Women's Flyweight
Andrea Lee (10-2-0) v. Montana De La Rosa (10-4-0)
DK Salaries: Lee ($8,700), De La Rosa ($7,500)
Vegas Odds: Lee (-225), De La Rosa (+185)
Odds to Finish: +180
There is room for immediate advancement in the UFC's 125-pound women's division, and Lee and De La Rosa (who have combined to go a perfect 5-0 in the UFC) are in prime position to take advantage.
Lee is the bigger name and sports the more accomplished background. The former Legacy FC Women's Flyweight Champion, Lee has taken unanimous decisions from Ashlee Evans-Smith and Veronica Macedo in her two UFC bouts. Lee has a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and judo, as well as a black belt in karate. She's well-rounded, displays excellent cardio and is still just 30 years old. In a division that doesn't have a ton of depth, Lee has one of the division's highest ceilings.
A virtual unknown when she entered the company in December 2017, De La Rosa has scored submission victories in each of her first three bouts with the company. Montana and her husband, fellow UFC fighter Marc De La Rosa, are both mat specialists. Montana has very little power in her hands (she is without a knockout win her career), but her striking defense is respectable. As she looks uncomfortable on the feet in prolonged striking exchanges, I expect De La Rosa to do whatever is necessary to get this fight to the ground.
De La Rosa has looked far better in the early portion of her UFC career than I ever would have imagined. She's also just 24 years old and should continue to improve. Yet for all the positives we have seen from her, I simply don't think she's on Lee's level. Lee is stronger and fights with a physicality that De La Rosa simply cannot match. I'd much rather bet on that than De La Rosa being able to somehow pull out a submission.
THE PICK: Lee
Other Fights
Middleweight
Kevin Holland (14-4-0) v. Alessio Di Chirico (12-2-0)
DK Salaries: Holland ($8,800), Di Chirico ($7,400
Vegas Odds: Holland (-225), Di Chirico (+185)
Odds to Finish: +110
THE PICK: Holland
Women's Strawweight
Ashley Yoder (6-4-0) v. Syuri Kondo (6-2-0)
DK Salaries: Yoder ($8,200), Kondo ($8,000)
Vegas Odds: Yoder (-120), Kondo (+100)
Odds to Finish: +275
THE PICK: Kondo
Featherweight
Dan Ige (11-2-0) v. Kevin Aguilar (17-1-0)
DK Salaries: Ige ($7,800), Aguilar ($8,400)
Vegas Odds: Ige (+125), Aguilar (-145)
Odds to Finish: +140
THE PICK: Aguilar
Lightweight
Matt Wiman (16-7-0) v. Luis Pena (6-1-0)
DK Salaries: Wiman ($6,700), Pena ($9,500)
Vegas Odds: Wiman (+315), Pena (-380)
Odds to Finish: -105
THE PICK: Pena
Heavyweight
Allen Crowder (10-3-0) v. Jairzinho Rozenstriuk (7-0-0)
DK Salaries: Crowder ($7,200), Rozenstriuk ($9,000)
Vegas Odds: Crowder (+185), Rozenstriuk (-225)
Odds to Finish: -365
THE PICK: Rozenstriuk
Women's Flyweight
Ariane Lipski (11-4-0) v. Molly McCann (8-2-0)
DK Salaries: Lipski ($9,100), McCann ($7,100)
Vegas Odds: Lipski (-280), McCann (+240)
Odds to Finish: +145
THE PICK: Lipski
Bantamweight
Andre Ewell (14-5-0) v. Anderson Dos Santos (20-7-0)
DK Salaries: Ewell ($8,300), Dos Santos ($7,900)
Vegas Odds: Ewell (+100), Dos Santos (-120)
Odds to Finish: -135
THE PICK: Dos Santos
Middleweight
Deron Winn (5-0-0) v. Eric Spicely (12-4-0)
DK Salaries: Winn ($9,300), Spicely ($6,900)
Vegas Odds: Winn (-300), Spicely (+220)
Odds to Finish: -230
THE PICK: Winn
