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Second-to-last Fight Island event before we come back to the UFC APEX, and the appetizer for what is coming a week from now when Kahbib faces Gaethje on October 24th. But let's not get ahead of ourselves, please. Keep calm, folks. We won't have any fans in attendance once more (meh) but hey, we gotta keep those safe-distances up and that's what it takes. As was the case last weekend, US-based people won't have a problem as they'll catch the event in prime time, while poor Abu Dhabi locals will need to stay up at 3 am to watch the main card start. Yikes.
Anyways, this one boasts a pretty-heavy headliner: Ortega faces The Korean Zombie in the main event, and both men rank inside the top-4 (no. 2 and no. 4 respectively) of the FW weight class, aiming at current belt-holder Alexander Volkanovski and inching closer to the champ. While Jessica Andrade ranks as the no. 2 Strawweight, she is not in the Flyweight ranks though she will be fighting against no. 1 contender Katlyn Chookagian at the latter's weight class. Uh, oh. Expect some fireworks all around the card, friends.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy MMA, UFC lineup picks for DraftKings for UFC Fight Night 180: Ortega vs. The Korean Zombie on 10/17/20. You can check out our FanDuel MMA DFS picks as well. These DFS lineup picks can vary from higher-priced players and elite options to lower-priced fighters and value picks on DraftKings. Give me a follow on Twitter @chapulana. Good luck!
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DraftKings MMA Featherweight - UFC DFS Lineup Picks
Brian Ortega, $7600- vs. Chang Sung Jung
When it comes to UFC fighting, Ortega's and Korean Zombie's careers can't be closer. Both of them have fought 8 times inside the Octagon, they are 6-1-1 and 6-2 respectively, and both men had a chance at a belt... that both ended dropping via KO against Max Holloway (Ortega) and Jose Aldo (Zombie).
That being said, though, it is Ortega who comes in hot as he lost that title-fight just at the end of 2018 compared to Chang Sung Jung's 2013 chance. It's been seven years since that moment, and although Korean Zombie enters this fight with a two-fight winning streak, it is Ortega who got the last call for the gold.
Ortega has been out since that fight, though, while Korean has fought two times in 2019, both times finishing with a round-one KO. Chang Sung Jung is a master of the knockout, but I'm betting on Ortega getting back to the winning column and relaunching his bid for the FW belt against the Korean Zombie this weekend.
DraftKings MMA Women's Flyweight - UFC DFS Lineup Picks
Jessica Andrade, $8400- vs. Katlyn Chookagian
You must have heard of Andrade by now. Jess is entering the Octagon for the 18th time in his career this weekend, and she's doing after dropping two fights in a row for the first time in her career, which started more than 7 (!) years ago with a loss. Andrade got the Strawweight division belt from Rose Namajunas in May 2019 but lost it to Zhang Weili three months later, and is now trying to build a Flyweight resume.
Katlyn, on the other hand, is a FW vet with 10 fights under her belt but no literal belt to boast about. She had a chance against Valentina Shevchenko earlier this year, but she was KO'd in barely a minute of time. She got to rebound with a win against Antonina Shevchenko in his last outing, though, winning via decision this past month of May.
While Andrade has both grappling and striking abilities, Chookagian is all about them strikes. Andrade got absolutely demolished in her last two fights (2 DKFP against Namajunas in 15 minutes; 2 DKFP against Weili in 0:42 seconds before getting KO'd). That's far from Andrade's best version and ceiling, which I'm betting on here reaching here within a full 15-minute bout with Chookagian. Katlyn will rack up points via volume, but I think Andrade earns a KO victory getting back to his winning ways.
DraftKings MMA Light Heavyweight - UFC DFS Lineup Picks
Jimmy Crute, $9000- vs. Modestas Bukauskas
The first time we saw any of these two inside an Octagon wasn't earlier than 2018 when Crute won his first UFC-fight that December against Paul Craig. Since then, he's fought three more times currently holding a 3-1 record and having won his last bout almost eight months ago.
Bukauskas, on the other hand, debuted last July and things couldn't have gone better for him: five minutes of fighting time, a victory, and a KO to add to his resume. Not bad for a start.
Crute has landed 9 of the 11 takedowns he's attempted in the Octagon, and given his short-lasting fights (three of the four ended before hitting the four-minute mark) it is hard to predict what could happen here. The same goes for Bukauskas, who only has five minutes of fighting time. Given that Crute has finished all of his foes in his three wins via two Subs and one KO, I'm leaning Jimmy here. Bukauskas was a menace though, and there is nothing really indicating that he will drop his second UFC fight. Close call.
DraftKings MMA Featherweight - UFC DFS Lineup Picks
Jonathan Martinez, $8000 - vs. Thomas Almeida
While Thomas Almeida has taken on foes eight times already under the UFC banner starting in 2014, Jonathan Martinez is facing his sixth opponent in Almeida when time comes next Saturday, and all of Martinez's fights have come since October 2018.
Almeida started with a bang, winning four-of-four before posting a 3-1 record starting in 2016 and has not fought since January of 2018, even earlier than Martinez debuted in the UFC... Martinez himself is 3-2 since he got it going, and KO'd his last opponent in just over 10 minutes two months ago.
This is the closest of fights in the main card per Vegas odds, but everything points into Martinez's direction to snatch the win here. He's KO'd his rivals in the last two wins, uses both striking and grappling, and Almeida got KO'd in his last fight two years ago. Side with Jonathan here.
