UFC 305 DFS Picks
There are two mainstays to play DFS for MMA; DraftKings and FanDuel. Each has its own scoring rules and variations, but they are similar. Here are DraftKings’ scoring rules and FanDuel’s scoring rules. I will always list fighters I think should be selected as MVP at the top and will use DraftKings budget to model my projections. Read below for UFC 305 DFS picks.
MVP Pick
Carlos Prates $9,200
Carlos Prates is fighting Li Jingliang in the first fight on the main card. “The Leech” has not fought since September 2022, while Prates has knocked out his first two UFC opponents in 2024. He has a seven-inch reach advantage over “The Leech” and should be able to use it effectively. Prates has solid Muay Thai and does a great job of staying out of range of his opponent’s strikes. “The Leech” may struggle to land shots unless he gets inside and could struggle to find a takedown against Prates.
Check out our staff daily picks by clicking here.
Other Picks
Steve Erceg $8,800
Steve Erceg is fighting in the co-main event against Kai Kara-France. Kara-France has power in the flyweight division but has not been as active as Erceg. Erceg has fought four times since 2023, and Kara-France has only fought once since 2023.
His last fight was in May against the champion, Alexandre Pantoja, and he got taken down nine times and controlled for over eight minutes. Kara-France can likely get him down but may struggle to control him there. Erceg should be able to utilize his cardio and technical boxing to coast to a decision over three rounds.
Luana Santos $8,600
Luana Santos will enter enemy territory to take on Casey O’Neill, who is from Scotland but fights out of Queensland, Australia. Santos has won her first three fights with two finishes.
O’Neill has gone 4-2 since entering the UFC, with two consecutive losses to Jennifer Maia and Ariane da Silva. O’Neill is much more active, with a ratio of 8.41 to 6.30 significant strikes landed and absorbed per minute. Santos has a ratio of 5.33 to 3.21 and defends 65% of significant strikes, which should play a major role in this fight. Santos also averages 2.0 submissions attempted per 15 minutes, and O’Neill was submitted via armbar in her last fight.
Israel Adesanya $8,300
The main event is an epic matchup between Israel Adesanya and Dricus Du Plessis. Du Plessis will be traveling to Adesanya’s territory as the champion, which could be a problem. We will see how he handles the hostile crowd in Perth. Du Plessis should try to take Adesanya to the mat, but it could be hard because Adesanya has defended 77% of takedowns.
It is an incredibly close fight, and the odds reflect that. Adesanya is a -118 favorite and is +225 to win by decision. He has a four-inch reach advantage and should be able to stay on the outside while avoiding the strikes of Du Plessis.
Ricardo Ramos $7,700
Ricardo Ramos is a slight underdog against Josh Culibao, who is from Australia. Ramos has the wrestling advantage, while the striking is fairly even. He lands 3.02 takedowns per 15 minutes, and Culibao has only defended 67% of takedowns. Ramos is a good underdog to bet on with our limited salary cap after spending on several higher-salaried fighters.
Tai Tuivasa $7,300
This heavyweight matchup is a volatile fight, but the odds are a little off. Jairzinho Rozenstruik had a great outing against Shamil Gaziev in his last fight, while Tuivasa has lost four in a row to high-level opponents. The odds reflect the momentum for each fighter, but I think this fight is much closer than the odds suggest.
Tuivasa will have the crowd behind him, and he is the type of fighter that will get a boost from them. Rozenstruik is more of a technical fighter in the heavyweight division but has one-punch knockout power. Tuivasa is known for first-round knockouts and his toughness. He has a cheap salary and is worth a shot for our DFS lineup.
