The UFC returns to South Beach for a pay-per-view for the second straight year! UFC 314 is taking place in Miami, Florida, and No. 1 Alexander Volkanovski is facing No. 3 Diego Lopes for the vacant UFC Featherweight Championship. A highly anticipated lightweight bout between No. 7 Michael Chandler vs. No. 12 Paddy Pimblett is slated for the co-main event.

The Early Prelims start at 6:00 p.m. ET, with the Prelims beginning at 8:00 p.m. ET. The Main Card airs on ESPN+ PPV at 10:00 p.m. ET. Check out my favorite fighters to add to your daily fantasy lineup for Saturday’s UFC 314: Volkanovski vs. Lopes.

Set your DraftKings fantasy MMA lineups here: UFC $600K UFC 314 Special [$200K to 1st]

Studs

Chase Hooper ($9,600)

For the UFC 314 fantasy slate, Chase Hooper is the highest-priced fighter at $9,600 and rightfully so, considering his recent winning streak. He has totaled 113-plus fantasy points in his previous two contests and at least 95 in his last four.

Hooper is averaging 87.9 points throughout his 10 UFC fights in his career. At UFC 314, Hooper faces Jim Miller, who has won three of his previous four fights. On paper, Hooper has a ton of advantages over Miller. Hooper averages more takedowns per 15 minutes (1.83 vs. 1.52) while recording more significant strikes per minute (4.97 vs. 2.99). Hooper is much bigger than Miller, standing four inches taller while having a three-inch edge in reach.

In Hooper’s previous three fights, he has submitted each opponent. Miller hasn’t been submitted since 2018, and this fight will likely require Hooper to dig deeper than usual. If Hooper dictates the pace of this fight, he should be able to get the better of Miller on the feet. If he does so, and mixes in a few takedowns, a big win and fantasy performance should be in his future.

Jean Silva ($9,100)

The fighting nerds have taken over the UFC, and Jean Silva is among its most exciting and fastest-rising stars. Silva is on a 12-fight win streak and is 4-0 in the UFC with four knockouts. Silva finished Melsik Baghdasaryan, Drew Dober, and Charles Jourdain in his previous three fights, but has a significant step up in competition.

Silva faces Bryce Mitchell in a three-round featherweight bout. Mitchell knocked out Kron Gracie at UFC 310 in December 2024 but was finished by Ilia Topuria and Josh Emmett in two of his last four contests. Mitchell is taller than Silva by three inches (5’10” vs. 5’7″) while having a slightly larger reach (70″ vs. 69″).

Although he is an undersized fighter, Silva’s most significant attributes are his unreal power and striking ability on the feet. Silva lands 5.26 significant strikes per minute, nearly three more than Mitchell. Silva also lands at a 53 percent rate on the feet. Yes, Mitchell is much more advanced on the ground, but he only has a 43 percent takedown accuracy.

Silva’s unreal 80 percent takedown defensive rate is key to his success against Mitchell. Silva must make this a striking matchup on the feet, which Mitchell will struggle with. In three of Silva’s four UFC wins, he totaled 104 or more points.

Value Play

Dominick Reyes ($7,400)

Former title challenger Dominick Reyes has bounced back terrifically after four straight defeats. In 2024, Reyes knocked out Dustin Jacoby and Anthony Smith, resulting in 118 and 136 fantasy points, respectively. While being No. 11 in the light heavyweight rankings, Reyes is on the precipice of making another run at a title opportunity.

Reyes is fighting No. 8 Nikita Krylov, who is on a three-fight win streak in the UFC. This is a tough matchup for Reyes, as Krylov is a talented, versatile fighter. Krylov has the advantage on the ground, as he lands almost two more takedowns per 15 minutes than Reyes does. But Reyes doesn’t find himself on the ground often, as he has an impressive 82 percent takedown defensive rate.

On DraftKings Sportsbook, Reyes is a slight underdog at +145, as Krylov is -175. Getting Reyes at only $7,400 is a great value play and could be a contest-winning pick. Reyes’ last three wins have come by knockout, while six of his eight victories in the UFC have been by finish. This can potentially be one of the most competitive fights on this card. Reyes needs to defend takedowns at a high level while picking apart Krylov on the feet to make an elite fantasy impact.

Set your DraftKings fantasy MMA lineups here: UFC $600K UFC 314 Special [$200K to 1st]