This Saturday, the UFC returns to their home base of Las Vegas, Nevada, for UFC 310. UFC Flyweight Champion Alexandre Pantoja is back to defend his title for the second time against former Rizin Bantamweight Champion Kai Asakura. In the co-main event, there is a highly anticipated No. 1 contender fight between No. 3 Shavkat Rakhmonov, who is 18-0, against the 15-0 rising prospect No. 7 Ian Machado Garry.
Although there is only one title fight on this card, there are two former champions on the card. “The Funkmaster,” former Undisputed Bantamweight Champion Aljamain Sterling, is fighting No. 6 Movsar Evloev. Also on the Prelims, “The All-American,” Chris Weidman, former Middleweight champion, is fighting Eryk Anders.
The Prelims Early Prelims start at 6:00 p.m. ET, with the Prelims beginning at 8:00 p.m. ET. The Main Card will air live 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 310: Pantoja vs. Asakura.
Set your DraftKings fantasy MMA lineups here: UFC $500K UFC 310 Special [$100K to 1st]
Studs
Alexandre Pantoja ($8,800)
Surprisingly, Pantoja, the reigning and defending UFC Flyweight Champion, is the eighth highest-priced fighter on this card. He now has three title wins with two successful defenses. He has been a fantasy machine, scoring at least 100 points in his previous four fights with three straight performances totaling 143 points.
He has been one of the most consistent champions in the sport throughout the past year. Next, the champion will face one of the most intriguing and unknown fighters. Kai Asakura, a former two-time Rizin champion, is making his UFC debut in a title fight. The 31-year-old is 21-4 in his MMA career with 15 finishes. Asakura hasn’t fought since December 2023, when he beat Juan Archuleta by knockout in the second round at Rizin 45.
It is rare for a newcomer to challenge for a championship in their first bout. Gilbert Melendez, Roudna Rousey, and Joe Soto are the only three fighters who have achieved this feat in the modern era. Soto was the last fighter to fight for a title in his UFC debut when he fought TJ Dillashaw at UFC 177.
As expected, Asakura is the bigger fighter since he previously fought at 135 pounds. Asakura has a three-inch height advantage (5’8″ vs. 5’5″) and a one-inch edge in reach (69″ vs. 68″) over the champion.
Pantoja is the -250 favorite in this fight on DraftKings Sportsbook. Even though Pantoja has looked incredible lately, Asakura is being undervalued here. This is close to a 50-50 fight, and riding with the UFC veteran is the safer play. Patoja is an incredibly well-rounded fighter, and although he is smaller, if he can be the aggressor in this contest and mix in a takedown, he will once again provide excellent value to fantasy lineups.
Chris Weidman ($8,000)
The former champion was initially scheduled to fight on UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden in November, but his opponent, Eryk Anders, could not fight. Although Weidman couldn’t fight in his home state of New York, he can win his second fight in a row. Weidman hasn’t won two fights in a row since 2015.
On paper, this is an excellent matchup for Weidman. He is the taller fighter (6’2″ vs. 6’1″) with a more significant reach (78″ vs. 75″). Anders lands more significant strikes per minute (2.41 vs. 3.18) and is the more accurate (47% vs. 45%) fighter. But the former champion has the edge on the ground, where he averages 3.44 takedowns per 15 minutes, 1.65 more than Anders.
Weidman scored 83 fantasy points in his latest victory in March. If you exclude his loss to Uriah Hall because of his horrific injury. He has scored at least 80 points in two of his previous three contests. To get that type of production from an athlete priced at $8,000 is enticing.
Value Play
Aljamain Sterling ($7,300)
The second member of the Serra-Longo Fight Team from Long Island, New York, is former champion Sterling. At UFC 300 in April, Sterling made his debut at featherweight, and it was a flawless performance. He beat No. 8 Calvin Kattar by unanimous decision. This time, Sterling will face No. 5 Movsar Evloev.
It is surprising to see this fight on the Prelims since such big stakes are attached to it. But no matter the placement of the fight, it is an excellent matchup between two of the top 145-pound fighters in the world. Sterling was always a big fighter at 135 pounds and has seamlessly transitioned.
Physically, this is a very close matchup. Both fighters are 5’7″ tall, and Evloev has a one-inch reach advantage (73″ vs. 71″). Although Sterling is not known for his striking, it has improved lately. Sterling did takedown Kattar eight times but also outlanded him by 31 significant strikes. “The Funk Master” lands 4.61 significant strikes per minute at a 52 percent rate, while Evloev is at 4.43 strikes while being 48 percent accurate.
If Sterling can defend Evloev’s relentless takedown attack, he has a chance to win on the feet. Evloev is the more efficient fighter on the ground, but Sterling is still a highly talented wrestler. Sterling is one of the lowest-priced fighters on this card. He is fighting an undefeated fighter but some with his credentials should not be this low. He has scored at least 115 points in three of the previous four fights. Sterling is also a +185 underdog on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Set your DraftKings fantasy MMA lineups here: UFC $500K UFC 310 Special [$100K to 1st]
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All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.
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.
