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UFC 264 will take place on Saturday night from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Main Event of the night will feature the highly anticipated contest between Dustin Poirier and Connor McGregor. Both men aren't too crazy about each other, which is always a good narrative for combat sports. Also on the card, Gilbert Burns will take on Stephen Thompson in a welterweight bout, while the big fellas will also be in action, with sluggers Tai Tuivasa and Greg Hardy duking it out. The ladies will also be in action as Irene Aldana will battle Yana Kunitskaya, and Sean O'Malley will take on the debuting Kris Moutinho in the opener of the evening.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy MMA lineup picks on FanDuel for UFC 264: Poirier vs. McGregor III on 7/10/2021. 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.
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FanDuel MMA Bantamweight - UFC DFS Lineup Picks
Sean O’Malley, $23 - vs. Kris Moutinho
This bout may be over before it even gets going, as O’Malley will enter the octagon as one of the brightest prospects in all of mix martial arts. The 26-year-old has made a name for himself over the years, thanks to his excellent striking ability. Nine of his 13 fights have come by knockout or TKO, and he has defeated eight of his opponents within the first round throughout his career.
His only defeat came against Marion Vera at UFC 252 in the Apex last Summer. However, he bounced back by taking care of Thomas Almeida at UFC 260 back in March to accumulate 128 fantasy points.
“Sugar” will be tasked with squaring off against the debuting Moutinho, who is filling in for Louis Smolka after he withdrew from the contest a few weeks ago. Although many were eager to take his place, the 28-year-old will have an uphill battle in his first fight inside the octagon.
Moutinho currently owns a professional record of nine wins and four losses, and he will be looking to make a name for himself by earning a victory and secure some more fights in the UFC moving ahead.
However, that likely won’t happen as O’Malley has been on a roll throughout his entire career. He is one of the most exciting, colorful fighters on the planet and should quickly get past his opponent. With that said, for those DFS managers who are feeling gutsy, a win by Moutinho on Saturday night will go a long way in large GPP contests.
FanDuel MMA Lightweight - UFC DFS Lineup Picks
Dustin Poirier, $20 - vs. Conor McGregor
The rivalry between these two began at UFC 178 back in September 2014 in what was labeled as the “Performance of the Night.” McGregor took home a win in that one, scoring a TKO over his opponent early in the first round.
The two would then go their separate ways before meeting up again this past January. However, this time, Poirier earned the victory by dispatching McGregor with punches in Round 2 and finishing with 124 fantasy points.
With each man holding a win over the other, the trilogy will come to a head at UFC 264 on Saturday night. Entering the bout, it is clear that McGregor has made a name for himself with his superior standing ability. 19 Of his 22 career wins have come by either knockout or TKO, with his most recent victory over Cowboy Cerrone ending in only 40 seconds because of a flurry of fists.
On the other hand, Poirier is indeed a more skilled as a grappler. Although he can end fights using his hands, he can also put people away utilizing his Jiu Jitsu skills. “The Diamond” is reportedly in great shape and has also been putting in extra work at his home base—American Top Team.
The plan for Poirier seems simple but effective, survive McGregor’s early explosiveness. “The Notorious one” is one of the most lethal starters in the business, but if Poirier can keep this fight going, then the odds will be in his favor. As a result, the Irish fighter could easily make a mistake, which may leave him vulnerable to a submission or worse.
Also Consider: Llia Topuria ($22), Zhalgas Zhumagulov ($22), Max Griffin ($21), Stephen Thompson ($18), Tai Tuivasa ($17), Irene Aldana ($16), Carlos Condit ($10), Jessie Eye ($9),
