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UFC 259 is on track to be one of the most exciting cards in the promotion's history. Three world championship bouts will take place, with Jan Blachowicz, Amanda Nunes, and Petr Yan all defending their respective titles. Also, on the Main Card, Islam Makhachev will look to pick up a win over Drew Dober, while sluggers Thiago Santos and Aleksandar Rakic will duke it out in a light heavyweight bout.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy MMA lineup picks for FanDuel for UFC 259: Blachowicz vs. Adesanya on 3/6/2021. 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. Also, be sure to join me and my tag team partner, Brady Grove, for “Tap That,” a weekly podcast dedicated to MMA news and fantasy analysis. This article will be updated before the UFC 259 Early Prelims, so be sure to check back for some last-minute additions to help round out your lineup.
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FanDuel MMA Featherweight - UFC DFS Lineup Picks
Amanda Nunes, $23- vs. Megan Anderson
Is there any doubt who will win this fight? Coming in as a -1400 favorite, "The Lioness" is arguably the greatest MMA competitor of all-time. She has racked up impressive wins throughout the years, with a list that includes victories over Holly Holm, Cris Cyborg, Valentina Shevchenko (twice), and last but not least, Ronda Rousey.
Having won her previous 11-straight under the UFC banner dating back to March of 2015, the 32-year-old will be putting her featherweight title on the line against Megan Anderson. The Australian has won her last two fights, dispatching Zarah Fairness Dos Santos by submission (triangle choke) at UFC 243 before picking up her most recent victory over Norma Dumont Viana by knockout in February. She also has five fights in the division, ranking her at No. 1 all-time, and has three stoppage victories in the UFC on her resume.
As tempting as it may be for contrarians or risk-takers to bet against Nunes, that may not be the smart thing to do. Sure, anyone has a chance at scoring a win. However, that likely won't be the case here. Anderson can take and absorb punches, but she will be up against a world-class competitor who can end things in various ways. A first-round victory by Nunez isn't out of the question, and the potential for this contest to go all five rounds isn't either. Either way, don’t expect the belt to change hands.
FanDuel MMA Light Heavyweight - UFC DFS Lineup Picks
Israel Adesanya, $21- vs. Jan Blachowicz
In the main event of UFC 259, middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya, will look to add another belt to his mantle as he will challenge light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz.
Adesanya is entering this contest as a -235 favorite over his opponent, and for good reason. During his tenure as a professional, he is unbeaten while also sporting a 9-0 record insure the octagon. He will be coming off two victories in 2020, with his most recent win occurring against Paulo Costa at UFC 253. The 31-year-old is as good as it gets and has built a solid reputation for his superb stand-up game.
Blachowicz will likely be the biggest opponent, at least physically, that Adesanya has squared off with throughout his career. While Poland native has eight defeats during his lengthy career, he has won his previous four battles. His last fight against Dominick Reyes earned him the UFC light heavyweight strap at UFC 253 back in November and he will have a tough task ahead in his first title defense since that TKO finish.
Blachowicz has the edge in a few areas. He is larger, stronger, and is far more powerful. The longer reach will also come into play, as "The Last Stylebendeer" will have to adjust how he defensively addresses things, primarily when it comes to keeping a distance and playing the angles. Nonetheless, Adesanya has fought fighters nearly as lengthy, so that shouldn't be an issue. He normally walks around at 195 pounds, so size shouldn't be either. The Nigerian may not be able to finish the champ, but picking up a decision win may be the likely outcome of this bout.
However, if you're looking to take a chance, Blachowicz is always one hit away from a W, making him an intriguing option in larger DFS GPP tournaments.
FanDuel MMA Lightweight - UFC DFS Lineup Picks
Three exciting championship fights headline the card on Saturday night, but the two bouts built around them are sure to deliver as well. Islam Makhachev is a name that MMA fans will want to keep an eye on as he has been quietly ascending the rankings in the lightweight division.
The Russian has an impressive background. Holding disciplines in kickboxing and wrestling, he fought in M-1 before debuting in the UFC in May of 2015. Makhachev then started his career with the UFC by going 1-1. However, since that one defeat, he has won his previous six-straight. He hasn’t fought since a UFC 242 decision win over Davi Ramos, but with COVID-19 not making travel easy on anyone, he will finally get to mix it up against a capable Drew Dober.
Dober has finished his previous three fights convincingly. His reign of terror began in June of 2019 when he beat Marco Polo Reyes by TKO before knocking out Nasrat Haqparast at UFC 246. Dober’s latest win was a TKO, second-round rout of Alexander Hernandez. The 32-year-old will now face a formidable opponent on Saturday night.
Both men are proficient strikers, although Dober does have the edge in this area. Where things may go south for him, however, is on the mat. Makhachev averages just over three takedowns per 15 minutes, and with a miserable 58 percent takedown defense rate for Dober, it is probable that this fight heads south quickly. Look for the likely scenario to be Makhachev taking down Dober, either winning this bout by submission, ground-and-pound, or by unanimous decision.
Dober still does have fantasy appeal, nonetheless, especially when you consider his rostering cost and his higher-than-normal upside, especially if he can pull off an upset, which isn’t out of the question, although unlikely.
Also Consider: Carlos Ulberg ($21), Uros Medic ($19), Kai Kara-France ($17), Tim Elliott ($15), Kyler Phillips ($12), Thiago Santos ($11), Jake Matthews ($9), Drew Dober ($8)
