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UFC 264 had plenty of excitement, although the main event between Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor didn't live up to the hype. After McGregor broke his leg and could not continue, it is safe to assume that a fourth encounter between these two could occur somewhere down the line, primarily since bad blood remains. However, it may be a while before "The Notorious" one is back inside the octagon, especially since a rod and screws were needed to repair his broken tibia and fibula. As a result, Poirier should receive a title shot somewhere in the near future, perhaps even before the end of the year.
With that event now in the rearview mirror, the organization will head back to the UFC Apex for another Fight Night. The card features an abundance of compelling bouts, including the returning Miesha Tata squaring off against Marion Reneau. To finish off the night, the surging Islam Makhachev will go toe-to-toe with Thiago Moises.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy MMA lineup picks on FanDuel for UFC Vegas 31: Makhachev vs. Moises on 7/17/2021. These DFS lineup picks can vary from higher-priced players and elite options to lower-priced fighters and value picks on FanDuel. You can check out our DraftKings MMA DFS picks as well. Give me a follow on Twitter @DennisMClausen.
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FanDuel MMA Lightweight - UFC DFS Lineup Picks
Islam Makhachev, $23 - vs. Thiago Moises
There is a reason why Makhachev is the most expensive roster option on Saturday, pure dominance. The Russian has lost just once during his tenure as a professional mixed martial artist, losing to Adriano Martins at UFC 192 via knockout.
Since then, he hasn't looked back and will be entering Fight Night, having won each of his previous seven bouts, including most recently submitting Drew Dober back in March at UFC 259. He is also a -500 favorite, according to our friends in Vegas.
Now the No. 9 ranked lightweight on the planet, at least according to the Ultimate Fighting Championship official publication, the 29-year-old has a chance to catapult himself into the top-five and potentially set himself up for a title fight by the end of 2021--or at least shortly after.
Makhachev has all of the tools necessary to be a world champion. He has a background in Sambo and Wrestling, and he also has the benefit of training with arguably the greatest fighter of all time, Khabib Nurmagomedov. If he does have any weaknesses, it's undoubtedly as a striker.
However, he has offset that "shortcoming” over the years by being really good at what he's really good at, taking people to the mat, and keeping them there. He averages nearly 3.5 takedowns per 15 minutes, and he should have no problem asserting his dominance over Moises.
FanDuel MMA Bantamweight - UFC DFS Lineup Picks
Daniel Rodriguez, $20 - vs. Preston Parsons
Rodriguez's tenure inside the octagon has been relatively stable. Holding a 4-1 record in the organization dating back to February of last year, his most recent defeat was by unanimous decision, falling to Nicolas Dalby at UFC 256.
However, the slugger avenged that loss by going the distance against fellow knuckler Mike Perry during the UFC on ABC event in April, gaining the victory thanks to the judge's scorecards to finish with 103 fantasy points.
"D-Rod" is a worthy player for anyone, especially those who are looking to throw hands. He averages nearly eight significant strikes per minute, and he is hard as hell to get to the mat, currently sporting a 90 percent takedown defense. The takedown statistic is vital, primarily because his opponent has made a living submitting his opponents.
Parsons, who will be making his big league debut on Saturday evening, will enter the octagon as a late replacement for Abubakar Nurmagomedov. The 26-year-old out of Jacksonville, Florida, has a 9-2 professional record, scoring submissions in all over his victories.
Although it isn't known exactly how tough Parsons' chin is, it is safe to assume that the chin of all of Rodriguez's opponents is never safe, especially since he is one of the hardest hitters in the business. Parsons’ day will come, without a doubt. However, his inexperience at this point of his career is a concern, and he is likely in over his head in this one. As a result, there is a good chance Rodriguez will punch his way to another win, possibly even within the first round.
FanDuel MMA Bantamweight - UFC DFS Lineup Picks
Marion Reneau, $15 - vs. Miesha Tata
This fight features a compelling narrative as Tate will be fighting for the first time since un-retiring, while Reneau could be hanging up her gloves for good after Saturday night. Although Reneau has stated in the past that she would be calling it quits, and obviously, she hasn't, the veteran has a chance to finish her career with a win over a fighter who hasn't competed in nearly five years. The 44-year-old has dropped her previous four bouts. However, beating Reneau is never easy for any opponent, primarily since all of her losses have come by decision and nothing else.
Both of these women match up relatively well, making this co-main event a toss-up. While "The Belizean Bruiser" is likely the better hitter, averaging 3.42 significant strikes per minute, 1.24 more than her adversary, "Cupcake" has the edge as a wrestler, though she will likely have a tough time submitting Reneau, a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt.
This fight has a chance to go one of two ways. One would see Tate avoiding a submission and keeping Reneau on the ground for most of the contest en route to a decision win. The other may result in Reneau avoiding the former champ's takedown attempts and punching her way to a stoppage, which is plausible given Tate’s history. While either is equally possible, fantasy managers looking for upside should keep Reneau on the radar, especially since most will naturally gravitate toward Tate based on her popularity over the years.
Also Consider: Amanda Lemos ($22), Rodrigo Nascimento Ferreira ($21), Mateusz Gamrot ($19), Rodolfo Vieira ($19), Gabriel Benitez ($18), Khalid Taha ($17), Miesha Tate ($13), Jeremy Stephens ($12)
