The last event on the UFC calendar for 2024 is here! Former Interim UFC Welterweight Champion No. 6 Colby
“Chaos” Covington battles No. 9 Joaquin “New Mansa” Buckley in the Main Event. The co-main event features 13-year UFC veteran Cub Swanson against Billy Quarantillo. This event will take place at the Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida.

The Prelims start at 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN2 and ESPN+ with the Main Card beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET on ESPN+ and ESPN News. Check out my favorite fighters to add to your daily fantasy lineup for Saturday’s UFC Fight Night: Covington vs. Buckley.

Set your DraftKings fantasy MMA lineups here: UFC $350K Throwdown Finale [$100K to 1st]

Studs

Manel Kape ($9,200)

Kape fought Muhammad Mokaev at UFC 304 in July and lost by unanimous decision. Before that loss, Kape was on an impressive four-fight win streak with two knockouts. There is no clear-cut No. 1 contender in this division after the UFC Flyweight champion beat newcomer Kai Asakura by submission in the second round at UFC 310.

Still only 31, a path to a title shot is still in reach if Kape can get past surging contender Bruno Silva, who has won four fights in a row by the finish. Although Mokaev was undefeated, Silva may be a more dangerous opponent for Kape.

During his previous four-fight win streak, Kape scored over 100 fantasy points twice and 90 points once. Although he allowed three takedowns against Mokaev, Kape is a much better fighter on the ground than Silva. Silva totals over two takedowns per 15 minutes but only lands at a 28 percent rate. Kape has an excellent 73 percent takedown defensive rate.

If Kape can keep this fight standing, he has a great chance to provide excellent value to your lineup. Kape lands 1.12 more significant strikes per minute than Silva does while landing at a 53 percent rate. Kape is also the big -375 favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook.

Joaquin Buckley ($9,000)

Besides fighters who have won a UFC title or who defended their championship, Buckley is on the shortlist for Fighter of the Year. Buckley is 3-0 in the past year and 4-0 in the previous 14 months. He is on a five-fight win streak, including three knockouts. His two most significant victories have come against Vicente Luque and Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson at UFC 307 in October.

Although he has gotten past a few veterans, his next opponent in No. 6, Colby Covington, is on a different level. Yes, Thompson is a former UFC title challenger, but he is 41 years old and has been removed from his prime for years. Covington has been a staple in the welterweight division throughout the last six years.

This is a good matchup for Buckey because although he is shorter by one inch, he has a significant four-inch edge in reach (76″ vs. 72″). This is a big deal because it will allow Buckley to control the fight’s pace and prevent Covington from finding his rhythm on the feet.

Covington has proven he is a capable all-around fighter, but his wrestling is the backbone of his game plan. He is a former division one wrestler at Oregon State University. Covington averages 3.79 takedowns per 15 minutes, almost two more than Buckley. However, Buckley has an impressive 69 percent takedown defensive rate. Covington has struggled against bigger welterweights in the past, and it will also be an uphill battle for him in this bout.

Buckley has had at least 100 fantasy points in his last two fights and three times in his previous five. He only had under 95 points once in that stretch. If Buckley pushes the pace and lets his hands fly early, his power will likely be too much for Covington to handle.

Value Play

Adrian Yanez ($7,700)

Yanez is 17-5 in his MMA career and 6-2 in the UFC. Six of his last seven victories have come by knockout. Yanez’s two losses in the UFC were against Rob Font and Jonathan Martinez. After being knocked out two times in a row, he bounced back in a big way with a big first-round knockout against Vinicius Salvador in May.

Now, Yanez faces Daniel Marcos, who is 3-0 in the UFC. Yanez is the underdog in this contest at +180 on DraftKings Sportsbook, while Marcos is the -218 favorite. Both fighters stand 5’7,” but Yanez has a one-inch advantage in the reach department (70″ vs. 69″).

Yanez was priced at $9,300 for his previous fight and scored 115 fantasy points. He is facing a more formidable opponent in this fight, but it is surprising to see his price drop $1,300 to $7,700 against Marcos. In his last two wins, Yanez has scored at least 114 points. If he can be as aggressive as he was against Salvador, he is in a good spot to hand Marcos his first professional loss and put on a good fantasy performance.

Set your DraftKings fantasy MMA lineups here: UFC $350K Throwdown Finale [$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.