The UFC is returning to Macau, China for the first time since August 23, 2014. The Main Event features a significant five-round bout between former bantamweight champion No. 3 Petr “No Mercy” Yan and former flyweight champion No. 5 Deiveson “Deus da Guerra” Figueiredo.
The UFC last hosted an event in China on August 31, 2019. Zhang Weili knocked out Jessica Andrade in the first round during the main event. This is the fourth time the promotion has had an event in Macau, China. Former title challenger No. 2 Yan Xiaonan faces rising contender No. 10 Tabatha Ricci in the co-main event.
The Prelims start at 3:00 a.m. ET while the Main Card will air live on ESPN+ at 6:00 a.m. ET. Check out my favorite fighters to add to your daily fantasy lineup for Saturday’s UFC Fight Night: Yan vs. Figueiredo.
Set your DraftKings fantasy MMA lineups here: UFC $300K Throwdown [$100K to 1st]
Studs
Carlos Ulberg ($8,900)
Ulberg is 11-1 in his MMA career and 6-1 in the UFC. Five of his six victories in the UFC have come by finish. Ulberg has four first-round knockouts.
Ulberg was initially supposed to face Jamahal Hill at UFC 303 in June, but Hill could not compete due to injury. Ulberg trains at City Kickboxing in Auckland, New Zealand, where former UFC Champions Israel Adesanya and Alexander Volkanovski train.
Head Coach Eugene Bareman has become one of the best coaches in MMA, and Ulberg is his latest prospect to climb the UFC ranks. Ulberg has recorded at least 105 points in four of his previous five fights. Ulberg scored 97 points in a victory against Da Woon Jung two fights ago.
Ulberg has the height (6’4″ vs. 6’2″) and reach (77″ vs. 75″) advantages in this matchup against veteran No. 8 Volkan Oezdemir. This contest will likely occur on the feet, and Ulberg is a much more efficient striker. He lands 7.41 significant strikes per minute, as Oezdemir lands 4.79 of his. Getting Ulberg at $8,900, the sixth highest-priced fighter, is a steal, considering his recent performances.
Yan Xiaonan ($8,800)
Xiaonan fights in her homeland of China. She last fought at UFC 300, losing to Zhang Weili by unanimous decision. Before that loss, Xiaonan won two fights in a row against Jessica Andrade and Mackenzie Dern.
Xiaonan is in another top-10 matchup against No. 10 Tabatha Ricci. Ricci is 29 years old, six years younger than Xiaonan. Ricci has won six of her previous seven fights in the UFC. Xiaonan has all of the physical advantages against Ricci. Xiaonan has a significant big four-inch height (5’5″ vs. 5’1″) edge while having a two-inch larger reach (63″ vs. 61″).
Xiaonan has scored at least 90 fantasy points in two of her past three fights. If Xiaonan keeps Ricci at range and successfully defends takedowns, she will be a great asset to fantasy lineups.
Value Play
Deiveson Figueiredo ($7,200)
The former bantamweight champion is 3-0 since moving up to 135 pounds. Figueiredo moved up to the bantamweight division in December 2023, and since then, he has beaten two top-10 contenders, Marlon Vera and Rob Font. This is Figueiredo’s fourth fight in the last 11 months.
Although Figueiredo is nearing his 37th birthday, he is still competing at a very high level. Beating Vera in August was a huge victory, but if he can get past Yan, a title opportunity is likely in his future.
This is a fantastic stylistic matchup between two former champions. Yan is two inches taller (5’7″ vs. 5’5″), but Figueiredo has a bigger reach (68″ vs. 67″). Yan lands 2.13 more significant strikes per minute, while Figueiredo lands at a 55 percent rate, while Yan is 53 percent.
Both fighters are excellent on their feet, but Figueiredo has more tools when the fight goes to the ground. He averages 1.6 submissions per 15 minutes. Figueiredo is a finishing machine; he has nine submissions and nine knockouts in his 28-fight MMA career. Yan has never been finished in his 10-year career.
The value of $7,200 is too good to pass up here. Figueiredo has been in wars before and has plenty of five-round experience. If he can dictate the pace of this fight, he will provide excellent value to your lineup. He has totaled at least 75 fantasy points in four of his last five fights.
Set your DraftKings fantasy MMA lineups here: UFC $300K Throwdown [$100K to 1st]
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is ryanwohl) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
