For the first time in 21 months, “The Italian Dream,” No. 8 Marvin Vettori returns against No. 12 Roman Dolidze in the main event on March 15. This is the second meeting between the two fighters, with Vettori winning the first matchup nearly two years ago (March 18, 2023). The action starts with the Prelims at 4:00 p.m. ET, and the Main Card begins at 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
Along with traditional sports betting and daily fantasy, you can now have more action than ever for UFC Fight Night: Vettori vs. Dolidze 2! Check out DraftKings UFC Pick6! Here are my five favorite picks for UFC Fight Night: Vettori vs. Dolidze 2.
Marvin Vettori More Than 110.5 Significant Strikes
As I previously mentioned, this is Vettori’s first appearance in the UFC Octagon in nearly two years. Vettori beat Dolidze by a unanimous decision at UFC 286 and landed 106 significant strikes in that contest. But that was only a three-round bout since it wasn’t a main event or a title fight. Saturday’s second fight between Vettori and Dolidze is a five-round middleweight contest.
Vettori has had a ton of success in the striking department in five-round fights. In his last fight against Jared Cannonier, he landed 153 significant strikes in a loss. Vettori has landed more than 110.5 significant strikes in his previous two five-round fights. Even with the long layoff, Vettori should be in a good position as he is the more accurate striker while landing more significant strikes per minute than Dolidze.
Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos Less Than 89.5 Fantasy Points
Zaleski dos Santos is facing Chidi Njokuani in the co-main event of this event. Njokuani, 36, is on a two-fight win streak while beating Jared Gooden in his previous fight. Zaleski dos Santos is 4-1-1 in his last six fights in the UFC and knocked out Zach Scroggin in November 2024.
Although Zaleski dos Santos is coming off a 95-point fantasy performance, it was the only time in his last four fights that he has eclipsed 90 points. Also, in this matchup, he is undersized, as Njokuani has a four-inch edge in height (6’3″ vs. 5’11”) and a massive seven-inch advantage in reach (80″ vs. 73″). Zaleski dos Santos will face an uphill battle from the start of this contest since it will be tough to close the range against such a bigger fighter.
Alexander Hernandez More Than 52.5 Significant Strikes
Hernandez is fighting Kurt Holobaugh in a three-round lightweight bout. With Hernandez’s recent success, it is surprising that his total for significant strikes is set at 52.5. He has surpassed 52.5 significant strikes in three of his previous four contests. Even though Holobaugh is taller (5’11” vs. 5’9″), Hernandez has the edge in reach (72″ vs. 70″).
If Hernandez can keep Holobaugh at range and dictate the pace of the fight, he should be able to total 53 or more significant strikes in this fight. Hernandez is 2-2 in his last four fights and is looking to win his second fight in a row. He hasn’t won two fights in a row since his second fight in the UFC, in 2018.
Cody Gibson More Than 0.5 Takedowns
Cody Gibson has won two straight fights in the UFC and will look to increase his streak to three for the first time in four years. He is facing Da’Mon Blackshear who is 15-7-1 in his MMA career.
A big part of Gibson’s winning streak has been his success taking down his opponents. It was surprising to see his line for takedowns at 0.5 since he had hit that mark in his three previous contests. Blackshear has a 68 percent takedown defense, but if Gibson wants to pull off the upset, he will need to prioritize getting the fight to the ground.
Waldo Cortes-Acosta More Than 45.5 Significant Strikes
Waldo Cortes-Acosta is 5-1 in the UFC and has won three fights in a row. He is facing Ryan Spann, who is moving up from the light heavyweight division. Waldo Cortes-Acosta has landed more than 45.4 significant strikes in four of his last five fights.
In this matchup, Waldo Cortes-Acosta is the better striker, landing over two more significant strikes per minute while being more accurate. Spann only defends significant strikes at a 43 percent rate. If Waldo Cortes-Acosta is aggressive in this fight and defends Spann’s takedowns, he should have a successful outing.
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.
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