The UFC returns to Montreal, Quebec, Canada for the first time since UFC 186 in April 2015. The Undisputed Welterweight Champion, Belal Muhammad, will make his first title defense against No. 5 Jack Della Maddalena. The second of two championship bouts sees Women’s Flyweight Champion Valentina Shevchenko face No. 2 Manon Fiorot in the co-main event.

The Prelims start at 7:00 p.m. ET, with the Main Card beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET on ESPN+ and ESPN2. Check out my favorite fighters to add to your daily fantasy lineup for Saturday’s UFC 315: Muhammad vs. Della Maddalena.

Set your DraftKings fantasy MMA lineups here: UFC $600K UFC 315 Special [$200K to 1st]

Studs

Mike Malott ($8,900)

Canada’s own, Mike Malott, will compete in his fourth straight fight in his home country. This time, he will face Charles Radtke in a three-round welterweight bout. Malott is 4-1 in the UFC and is coming off a victory against Trevin Giles.

Malott has had two down performances in a row from a fantasy perspective. In 2024, Malott scored 60 and 54 points in his two bouts. But before that, he had three straight fights with 104 or more fantasy points. Malott is taller (6’1″ vs. 5’9″) while having a larger reach (73″ vs. 72″) than Radtke. This is a mismatch as Malott is the better striker and wrestler in this fight.

Before 2024, Malott had a lot of success, winning three straight fights while scoring 104-plus points in each fight. If Malott can use his reach advantage to control the pace of the fight, then he will have a lot of success against Radtke. Malott is at his best when he excels on the feet while mixing in takedowns, and he has the opportunity to do so on Saturday.

Ion Cutelaba ($8,200)

Nine-year UFC veteran, Ion Cutelaba, is taking on Modestas Bukauskas. Both fighters have won two straight fights. Cutelaba has the most significant advantage in this fight on the ground, as he averages 4.17 takedowns per 15 minutes, nearly four more than Bukauskas.

Cutelaba is the smaller fighter in this bout, so he will need to dictate the pace of this fight to be successful. As Cutelaba has fought many UFC contenders, this is a step down in competition. This will be his 19th fight in the Octagon. Bukauskas is in his second stint in the UFC and will make his ninth appearance on Saturday at UFC 315.

Throughout Cutelaba’s time in the UFC, he has been inconsistent but has faced tough competition in the light heavyweight division. In his last victory against Ibo Aslan, he totaled 108 fantasy points, his most since 2023. Although his floor can be low, his ceiling is worth taking the risk. Cutelaba has recorded 108 points in two of his last three wins. Since Cutelaba is the smaller fighter, he must be aggressive and focus on dominating the fight on the ground to succeed.

Value Play

Jack Della Maddalena ($7,500)

Getting Della Maddalena for $7,500 is a steal because of his recent success and the quality of his skills. Although Della Maddalena is a +160 underdog on DraftKings Sportsbook, this fight is much closer on paper. On the feet, the challenger holds the advantage as he averages over two more significant strikes landed per minute (6.74 vs. 4.39).

Even on the ground, Muhammad averages 2.28 takedowns per 15 minutes and only has a 39 percent rate. Della Maddalena has a 70 percent takedown defense, as he doesn’t get taken down often. He is coming off a knockout victory against Gilbert Burns in March 2024, where he scored 86 fantasy points.

Della Maddelena totaled 100-plus points in his first four UFC fights. Although he hasn’t hit that mark lately, he has still recorded 84-plus points in two of his last three bouts. If JDM continues to display elite takedown defense, he will have a chance to win UFC gold and become a contest-winning fighter.

Set your DraftKings fantasy MMA lineups here: UFC $600K UFC 315 Special [$200K to 1st]