The UFC Apex hosts a Fight Night event this Saturday, headlined by No. 4 Erin Blanchfield vs. No. 5 Maycee Barber. On Friday at the weigh-ins, Barber hit the scale at 126.5 pounds, 1.5 over the flyweight limit. This is Barber’s first fight since March 2024, as she has been recovering from an illness. Which fighter will become a legit contender for Valentina Shevchenko’s UFC Women’s Flyweight Championship?
Along with traditional sports betting and daily fantasy, you can now have more action than ever for UFC Fight Night: Blanchfield vs. Barber! Check out DraftKings UFC Pick6! Here are my six favorite picks for Saturday’s event.
Erin Blanchfield More Than 96.5 Fantasy Points
Blanchfield faces Barber, who hasn’t fought in the last 14 months. Before fight week, Blanchfield already had a few things in her favor. She is coming off a victory against a former champion and averages more significant strikes and takedowns than Barber. With Barber coming off a tough illness while missing weight, Blanchfield is in a great position to dominate this bout.
Blanchfield totaled 116.6 fantasy points in her last contest and has had over 96.5 in three of her last five fights. Blanchfield averages an impressive 5.24 significant strikes per minute while having a 59 percent defensive rate. She will likely find more success in this bout on the feet, which should lead to another big fantasy outing.
Mateusz Gamrot More Than 83.5 Fantasy Points
Gamrot is 7-2 in his previous nine fights in the UFC, with both losses coming against Beneil Dariush and Dan Hooker, two top-10 lightweights. After losing to Hooker at UFC 305, a big performance is needed to insert himself back into the elite group at 155 pounds.
Now, he faces another talented opponent in Ludovit Klein, who is unranked but highly skilled. Yes, Gamrot had a down outing against Hooker, only scoring 64.4 points but all great fighters have off nights. He hit this mark in fantasy points in his previous three bouts before his recent defeat.
Gamrot talked this week that he will be the one to test Klein’s elite takedown defense. In the past, Gamrot has taken down Rafael Dos Anjos and Beneil Dariush, two elite fighters on the ground. Gamrot has proven he can bounce back after a lackluster performance, making him a good fighter to back in this event.
Ludovit Klein More Than 40.5 Significant Strikes
Even though Klein is facing the most talented fighter of his career in Gamrot, it is still surprising to see his total in significant strikes set at 40.5. That is because Klein is on a six-fight win streak and has not suffered a loss since October 2021. Also, he has recorded 41-plus significant strikes in five straight bouts.
Gamrot will look to take this contest to the ground, but Klein has an incredible takedown defensive ability (91 percent). If Klein can get Gamrot to strike on the feet, he has a great chance to display his elite striking arsenal.
Klein lands 3.81 significant strikes per minute compared to Gamrot’s 3.23, landing at a 54 percent rate. While I do believe Gamrot will land a few takedowns, it will be hard to keep Klein down, allowing him to take control of the fight in the striking department.
Allan Nascimento More Than 75.5 Fantasy Points
Allan Nascimento is taking on Jafel Filho in the featured bout on the Prelims. This is a fun, exciting flyweight bout between two prospects riding two-fight win streaks. Nascimento is coming off a victory against Carlos Hernandez, where he finished with 107.3 fantasy points, his most in the UFC. He has also recorded more than 75.5 fantasy points in back-to-back fights.
Filho is a formidable opponent, but Nascimento has the height (5’8″ vs. 5’7″) and reach (69″ vs. 68″) advantage while being the more advanced striker. Nascimento averages over three significant strikes per minute at a 50 percent efficiency rate. If Nascimento can keep Filho at range and use his physical advantages to his benefit, he should provide great fantasy value on Saturday.
Macy Chiasson More Than 63.5 Fantasy Points
Ketlen Vieira vs. Macy Chiasson was slated to be a bantamweight bout, but was changed to a featherweight contest after Vieira struggled with her weight cut. Vieira has lost two of her previous three fights and is coming off a defeat to Kayla Harrison at UFC 307. Chiasson has won two straight fights and most recently beat Mayra Bueno Silva by TKO at UFC 303.
Chiasson is three inches taller (5’11” vs. 5’8″) while having a four-inch larger standing reach (72″ vs. 68″). Chiasson has been a consistent fantasy contributor lately, scoring 101-plus points in three of her last four bouts. With those trends and Vieira struggling to make weight, Chiasson is primed to expand her win streak to three. If she is as aggressive as she was against Bueno Silva, totaling 100 or more fantasy points is doable.
Jordan Leavitt Less Than 2.5 Takedowns
Leavitt has lost two of his last three fights and needs a win. Although he averages 2.19 takedowns per 15 minutes, it doesn’t tell the whole story. He hasn’t recorded a takedown in his last two bouts and has only hit this mark once in his previous five fights. He is fighting veteran Kurt Halobaugh, who has a higher takedown percentage (33% vs. 25%).
Leavitt is the better fighter on the ground in this contest, but Halobaugh lands more strikes on the feet. Since Leavitt hasn’t shown efficiency lately, taking down opponents, it is tough to back him in this area.
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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.
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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,e and you must pick players from at least two different teams.
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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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