The UFC Light Heavyweight king Alex Pereira is defending his title against Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 313 on March 8, 2025. No. 3 Justin “The Highlight” Gaethje is taking on No. 11 Rafael Fiziev in a lightweight bout in the co-main event of this card. The action starts with the Early Prelims at 6:30 p.m. ET and the Prelims at 8:00 p.m. ET. The UFC 313 Main Card airs on ESPN+ PPV at 10:00 p.m. ET.
Along with traditional sports betting and daily fantasy, you can now have more action than ever for UFC 313: Pereira vs. Ankalaev! Check out DraftKings UFC Pick6! Here are my six favorite picks for UFC 313: Pereira vs. Ankalaev.
Alex Pereira More Than 89.5 Fantasy Points
Pereira has been on an all-time dominant run in the UFC, knocking out his last four opponents. He has totaled 101-plus fantasy points in his previous three contests. Now he will face Magomed Ankalaev, the No. 1 contender in the light heavyweight division.
Given his recent impressive performance, it is surprising that his fantasy total is set at 89.5. Pereira has the height (6’4″ vs. 6’3″) and reach (79″ vs. 75″) advantages over Ankalaev. If Pereira controls the pace of this fight and stops Ankalaev’s takedown attempts, he is in position for another 100-plus fantasy showing. Pereira’s last fight that he finished with under 89.5 points was in July 2023 against Jan Blachowicz. He scored 66.6 DraftKings points in that bout, but it was a three-round fight. In a five-round fight, it will be hard to hold Pereira down for 25 minutes.
Justin Gaethje More Than 84.5 Significant Strikes
Although Max Holloway knocked out Gaethje at UFC 300 in April 2024, he still had a good striking performance. In the loss, Gaethje recorded 103 significant strikes. He has had at least 100 significant strikes in three of his previous five fights. He was supposed to face Dan Hooker but after he broke his hand, Rafael Fiziev filled in on short notice. This is a rematch as Gaethje beat Fixiev by majority decision at UFC 286.
Gaethje has had more than 84.5 significant strikes in his last five fights, lasting three or more rounds. Considering how effective Gaethje was against Fiziev in their first fight, this is a great play. Gaethje outlanded Fiziev 103-97 in their first fight. With this being Fiziev’s first fight in the last 18 months, Gaethje should have the advantages to have another successful striking performance.
Joshua Van More Than 82.5 Significant Strikes
Joshua Van has improved each time we have seen him in the UFC. He is 5-1 in the UFC, totaling 118 and 165 significant strikes in his past two bouts. He is fighting undefeated prospect Rei Tsuruya on the Prelims. Tsuruya, 22, is a formidable opponent and a well-versed fighter.
But Van is a much more advanced striker on the feet at this point. Van lands more than six more significant strikes per minute than Tsuruya. Van has recorded 83 or more significant strikes in each contest in his previous five fights. Tsuruya is a talented fighter on the ground, but Van defends takedowns at an 80 percent rate. If Van can keep this a striking battle on the feet, he will have a great chance to land more than 82.5 significant strikes.
Magomed Ankalaev Less Than 3:30 Control Time
Yes, Ankalaev does have the advantage against Periera on the ground, but he hasn’t had as much success in that area as you may think. In his last five fights, Ankalaev has only had 3:30 or more of control time once. Periera has a 70 percent takedown defense while Ankalaev takes down opponents at a 31 percent rate.
Ankalaev is unbeaten in his previous 13 fights and is coming off a unanimous victory against Aleksandar Rakic at UFC 308 in October 2024. This is Ankalaev’s second title fight as he had a draw against Jan Blachowicz in December 2022 at UFC 282. Ankalaev has shown a willingness to stand and strike with his opponents. Although he will most likely try to take Pereira down, few people have succeeded. With Pereira’s good takedown defense, it is good to get Ankalaev to have less than 3:30 in control time.
Rafael Fiziev Less Than 14:30 Fight Time
Fiziev has lost his previous two bouts against Gaethje and Mateusz Gamrot. This is his first fight in 18 months, and he hasn’t won a fight since July 2022. Three of his last four fights have not gone the distance, and he has had nine finishes in his MMA career. Gaethje has been known as a lethal finisher in his UFC career, with 10 of his 12 fights in the promotion not going the distance.
Although the first matchup between Gaethje and Fiziev lasted 15 minutes, both fighters will be more motivated to win by stoppage as the lightweight division is stacked. At 36 years old, Gaethje knows his career as a top contender could be coming to an end soon. Gaethje has bounced back well after losses, as he has not lost two fights in a row since 2018.
What is DraftKings Pick6?
Pick6 is a peer-to-peer fantasy variant where you build a lineup (your “Pick Set”) of 2+ players and select whether or not you believe each will outperform their listed stat projection. Enter your Pick Set in Pick6 contests to compete against other users. Get enough picks correct and win a share of cash prizes.
How to Play DraftKings Pick6
Create a Pick Set
Create a Pick Set by choosing 2+ players from the same sport and Pick Group (a set of picks available from a group of set competitions). For each player, simply select if you think they’ll have more or less than their listed stat projection. In each Pick Set, you can not pick the same player twice and you must pick players from at least two different teams.
Enter an Amount
Once you finalize your Pick Set, choose your entry fee amount. Your entries will be automatically distributed into available contests, subject to your confirmation.
Sweat Your Picks
When the games go live, use the My Picks tab to follow your picks in real time to track how your players are performing against their projections and how they stack up against other users.
Compete for Prizes
Make enough correct picks and win a share of the contests’ guaranteed prizes. Any prizes won will be credited to your DraftKings account after contests are finalized.
Play at DraftKings Pick6 or by downloading the DraftKings Pick6 app on Apple or Google!
Apple DraftKings Pick6 App
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Must be at least 18 years or older. Higher age limits may apply in some states. Eligibility restrictions apply. Valid only in states where DraftKings Pick6 operates. Void where prohibited. For entertainment purposes only. Winning a contest on DraftKings depends on knowledge and exercise of skill. See terms at pick6.draftkings.com.
