What's up RotoBallers. In this column, I will be taking a look at the main card for Fight Night 115. Our analysis will help you with your DraftKings MMA lineups. We will be keeping track based on picking winners and losers. We will also predict how the fight will be finished, but that will not reflect in the records (Justin's Record: 140-71).
MMA has one of the best sweats in DFS. Two fighters compete at a time with only one coming out as the winner. It's the best feeling in the world when you are watching the main event of a show and know you need a first round knockout to win the entire tournament. And nothing feels worse than when you need a first round knockout by Stipe Miocic to win thousands of dollars in a tournament, but when he lands that knockout punch, you realize that you placed 14th because Jacare Souza was too dominant in a previous fight. This was a serious scenario that I had to live through when Miocic won the Heavyweight Championship. Without anymore waiting, here are our DFS lineup picks and DraftKings analysis for the main card at Fight Night 115.
Editor's Note: Interested in RotoBaller's MMA DFS Cheat Sheet with advanced fighter statistics, deep analysis and detailed insights from MMA DFS Expert Justin Bales? Let us know here.
Leon Edwards vs Bryan Barberena
Edwards is a surging prospect, who is 5-1 since 2015, only losing to Kamaru Usman, who is quickly on his way to a title fight. Edwards is an efficient striker, who likes to add a bit of wrestling into his fights. He has plenty of weapons to win, as he has five knockouts, three submissions, and five decisions in his career. Barberena is a gritty fighter that has become known for slowing down prospects. He was able to hand Sage Northcutt and Warlley Alves each the first loss of their careers. Barberena is an active fighter that comes with an elite chin. He loves fighting in close spaces, working to break the will of his opponents. Edwards is an athletic fighter, though, and his cardio will be key in this fight. He will be able to keep Barberena guessing with his striking and a mix of takedowns to win a tough decision.
Leon Edwards via Unanimous Decision
Siyar Bahadurzada vs Rob Wilkinson
Wilkinson will be taking this fight on short notice after Abu Azaitar was forced out of the bout. Wilkinson is a perfect 11-0 with 10 victories by stoppage. He’s a powerful striker that has a slick submission game. He has yet to fight elite competition, though. Bahadurzada, on the other hand, is a fighter that fought in the UFC four times, compiling a 2-2 record. He is also well-rounded with 18 of his 22 wins coming inside the distance. Bahadurzada was able to win his last fight, but he entered as the underdog against Brandon Thatch, who has proven not to be a UFC level talent. Even though Wilkinson is taking this fight on short notice, he has more promise than Bahadurzada as a fighter. The Australian will find a way to win.
Rob Wilkinson, TKO, 3rd Round
Marion Reneau vs Talita de Oliveira
Reneau has seemingly lucked out, as Germaine de Randamie was forced from this fight with a hand injury. Talita de Oliveira agreed this fight on less than one week’s notice to keep it on the card. She is a BJJ specialist, as four of her five wins have come by way of submission. Reneau, on the other hand, is a fighter that focuses more on her stand up. She has shaky takedown defense, which will cause problems if de Oliveira is able to get her to the ground. With that being said, Reneau is the more experienced fighter, who has more ways to win. She should have very little trouble picking up the win against a fighter on such short notice.
Marion Reneau via Unanimous Decision
Alexander Volkov vs Stefan Struve
Struve is seemingly the joke of the heavyweight division, but that does not make such sense. He has a few impressive wins in the UFC, including a win over current heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic. He has also lost to elite competition, such as Alistair Overeem, Mark Hunt, and Roy Nelson in his prime to name a few. Volkov only has two UFC fights, winning both by decision. He does hold a loss to former UFC heavyweight Cheick Kongo in Bellator, though. This fight should stay standing, where they are fairly equally matched. Both fighters have knockout power. Struve is the more active fighter, while Volkov is the more accurate fighter. Ultimately, Struve’s diverse striking attack gives him the slight edge in this matchup.
Stefan Struve, TKO, Round 2