Two top 10 Light Heavyweights, No. 3 Carlos Ulberg and No. 7 Dominick Reyes, will face off in the Main Event of this week’s UFC Fight Night in Perth, Western Australia. This is the UFC’s fourth time hosting an event in Perth, and it’s the first since UFC 305 in August 2024.
The Prelims begin at 7:00 p.m. ET with the Main Card starting at 10:00 p.m. ET on ESPN+. Check out my favorite fighters to add to your daily fantasy lineup for Saturday’s UFC Fight Night.
Set your DraftKings fantasy MMA lineups here: UFC $300K Throwdown [$100K to 1st]
Studs
Navajo Stirling ($9,100)
One of three fighters on this card from City Kickboxing in New Zealand is Navajo Stirling. Stirling’s teammate Ulberg is competing in the Main Event. Eugene Bareman has been one of the best MMA coaches for many years and continues to develop top-level talent. Stirling is 7-0 with four knockouts in his career while winning his first two fights in the UFC.
Stirling is coming off a 107-point performance after only recording 67 in his UFC debut. His last two wins have come via decision, and he has never had three straight decision victories in his career. Stirling is facing Rodolfo Bellato, who has eight more years of experience in his career. But on paper, Stirling has a significant four-inch reach advantage (79″ vs. 75″) while being taller by one inch (6’4″ vs. 6’3″).
Even though Stirling’s sample size in the UFC is small, he has demonstrated tremendous potential for the future. With his physical advantages, Stirling should be able to push forward and not allow Bellato to close the distance.
Jimmy Crute ($8,900)
I originally had Oban Elliott in this spot, but his fight was cancelled due to illness.
Since Elliott is out, Jimmy Crute is an excellent choice to replace him for this spot in your lineup. Crute is coming off a submission victory over Marcin Prachnio, which resulted in a 112 fantasy point outing. Now Crute will face Ivan Erslan, who has lost two straight fights.
In this matchup, Crute is the better all-around fighter, averaging 4.17 significant strikes per minute, which is 1.67 more than Erslan’s. Additionally, Crute excels on the ground, where he lands over four takedowns per 15 minutes at a 52% rate. Crute’s last six victories have come by KO/TKO or submission. Crute has shown a ton of potential in the past and is in a good position to have back-to-back 100-point performances.
Value Play
Dominick Reyes ($6,900)
Dominick Reyes has had a renaissance in the last two years, winning three straight fights and knocking out opponents in the first two rounds. Reyes resembles the version of himself who entered the UFC in 2017 and won six consecutive bouts en route to a title opportunity.
Although he has his toughest test in four years in front of him with Ulberg, Reyes is capable of pulling off the upset and adding a ton of value to your fantasy lineup. Reyes is priced at $6,900 and is the third-cheapest fighter on this card. That is surprising since he has surpassed 103 points in his previous three contests.
Reyes is facing Carlos Ulberg, who is riding an eight-fight win streak and is supremely talented. But that doesn’t mean Reyes should be counted out. Reyes came extremely close to defeating Jon Jones in 2020 and has recently demonstrated that he is still capable of greatness.
Ulberg is a slightly better all-around striker on paper, but Reyes is more powerful. Reyes only allows 3.54 significant strikes per minute. Against Ulberg, Reyes will need to display elite defense and slow down the rising star. If he does so, Reyes could be an excellent addition to your lineup.
Set your DraftKings fantasy MMA lineups here: UFC $300K Throwdown [$100K to 1st]
