Lineup advice for UFC on ESPN 8 DFS 500k Throwdown Special Contest on DraftKings

Tonight’s UFC on ESPN 8 card has plenty of ways to get down action, but if you can figure out who is going to win, and how, you can win in DraftKings MMA $500k Throwdown Special, which has a $500k guaranteed prize pool for just a $15 entry.

Each fighter has an assigned salary, and a roster will have six fighters and must not exceed the salary cap of $50,000. With a premium on knockouts and tap outs early, picking some strikers and submitters that can end things in one round or less would be a great way to advance to the top of the table.

Here’s how the scoring works, and notice how heavily it leans towards winning big and early:

Moves

Significant Strikes: +0.5 Pts
Advance: +3 Pts
Takedown: +5 Pts
Reversal/Sweep: +5 Pts
Knockdown: +10 Pts

Fight Conclusion Bonuses

1st Round Win: +90 Pts
2nd Round Win: +70 Pts
3rd Round Win: +45 Pts
4th Round Win: +40 Pts
5th Round Win: +40 Pts
Decision Win: +30 Pts

Here are our best bets for UFC on ESPN 8 tonight at DraftKings:

Giga Chikadze ($7,000)

Should be in every single lineup, because the price was set when Mike Davis was the opponent. With Davis out and replaced by newcomer Irwin Rivera, this could be a chance ro an easy win. Chikadze is the biggest favorite on the card at -400, and though his last two match wins have been by decision, he’s gotten stoppages in the seven before that.

Rodrigo Nascimento ($7,800)

What the newcomer lacks in experience, he makes up for in power. He has seven career fights, all wins, all stoppages, all in the first round... except the one in the second round. For sure facing his best opponent yet in Don’Tale Mayes, but his potential to end this early is too much to pass on here. Also a slight, slight favorite over Mayes despite being $600 less expensive in DFS.

Miguel Baeza ($9,000)

Saving a few bucks above means you can spend a bit more on a knockout artist here. “Caramel Thunder” is 8-0, and likes to do it via stoppage as he’s only gone the distance twice. He’s also active, and can rack up some points along the way as well.

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