UFC Abu Dhabi and our DFS MMA cash picks and strategy for Sandhagen vs Nurmagomedov on August 3rd starts here! This time we have a 13-fight card taking place on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. There are several very close matches on this card which will make for some interesting choices in your tournament builds. But, that’s not what this article is about. My goal is to help navigate you through this interesting card and find some solid fighters to begin your cash game construction with.
For you 1st time readers, welcome and I hope you enjoy the article. For all you regular readers, you will notice a change. Moving forward I am going to gear this article for cash games. If you want my full thoughts on the entire card, you can find them in our MMA coaches notes Yes, I know everyone wants to win that big tournament win! But a major point we make here at DFS Army is proper bankroll management. A major part of that is, of course, cash games. It may not be the sexiest way to build your bankroll but, over time it can be the most consistent. I would love to hear any feedback on this new format, and I look forward to helping everyone learn the art of creating a solid cash game lineup.
We have been on a huge run in all sports at DFS Army! Plus the 2020 NBA season has started off right where we left off last season. We just had a huge win by a member last Saturday in MMA! You name the sport from NBA to MMA, and we cover it! If you want to join in on the winning use promo code “FORSLUND” to save 20% on your membership.
As always have some fun in tournaments this week. Just remember the Golden Rule! While chasing after the big payout is enticing always remember bankroll management. I am a firm believer in the 80-20 rule. Which is 80% of your allocated bankroll for the night in cash games and 20% in tournaments. Remember to take advantage of our Research Station and Domination Station. Plus check out the podcast, and follow me on Twitter (@MMACashAssassin) for the latest MMA and DFS Army news!
MMA UFC Abu Dhabi Cash Game Basics for DFS
In cash games, unlike tournaments, we are trying to build a solid floor with our lineups. Many times that may mean using a fighter with great odds to win or taking someone who is severely mispriced. Cash games are often times card dependent. For example, if a fighter is expected to be chalky in cash games and I feel they are in a good spot I have no problem eating the chalk and just rostering him. After all, he’s chalky for a reason. One major difference between cash and tournament play is getting past your aversion to play the chalk. Often times, the chalk makes a lot of sense. (I’m going to use the word “chalk” a lot, if new, chalk is slang for “popular player.”) If you ever have any questions pertaining to cash games feel free to reach out to me on Twitter, or if you are a VIP shoot me a dm.
August 17, 2019; Anaheim, CA, USA; Cory Sandhegen moves in with a knee hit against Raphael Assuncao during UFC 241 at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
DFS MMA UFC Abu Dhabi Cash Core Plays
Umar Nurmagomedov (-335) 9.2k
Umar is my favorite cash play in this 9k range. He is a -335 favorite. That means he is the 3rd most expensive fighter and priced as the 3rd biggest favorite. He has scored 104.9+ DraftKings points in all 5 of his UFC wins. I am locking Umar into all my cash game builds and strongly suggest you do the same!!
Shamil Gaziev (-270) 9.1k
Shamil is another fighter I like on this card for cash games priced in the 9k range. This fight comes down to the fact that he is just the better overall fighter in this match-up. Not to mention Gasiev has the 2nd best odds to win ITD (-145) on the entire card. I have him locked in my own personal cash game build as we speak. I strongly suggest you do the same.
Jordan Vucenic (+190) 7.4k
In order to fit the higher-priced fighters on this card you are going to have to punt with an underdog or 2 on this card. Jordan is my favorite cash punt on the entire UFC Abu Dhabi card because he allows us the luxury to get 4 or more favorites into our cash game builds. I see no reason he doesn’t score 30-40 points in a decision loss and I wouldn’t be shocked if he got the win. This is the route I am taking on this card and I think you should entertain the thought as well.
Sure, these are MY favorite cash game plays, but maybe you play GPPs or like others. That’s fine…..you need tools, though. Our MMA UFC Research Station is locked and loaded with every related statistic in an easy to read, color coded fashion that cuts your research time down. It allows several fighters, like the ones I mentioned, to really pop at you and make DFS life easier. But, to access this beast, you need to become a member at DFSA…
And, if you are already a member, we have podcasts related to this UFC MMA card, as well as premium articles breaking down strategy and advice even further to #RaiseYourEdge over your competition. I’m sure you’ve seen our army helmets all over the leaderboards. We have not one, not two, but THREE of the top-ranked MMA players in the world coaching our members up on a weekly basis and helping them become better MMA DFS players. See Sniper’s GPP Article here.
MMA UFC Abu Dhabi Fight To Target In Hybrids/Tournaments
Now that we covered some cash plays. Let’s breakdown 1 fight I really think you should get exposure to in your hybrid and tournament lineups.
Joel Avarez (-165) 8.3k vs Elves Brener (+135) 7.9k
This fight carries a -210 Fight Ends Inside The Distance Prop. Both fighters have paths to putting up strong DFS scores and the winner of this fight has a strong chance to be in the optimal lineup. I will personally have a good amount of exposure to this fight in tournaments (north of 70%). This fight will score well for DraftKings purposes. My preferred play is Brener. He is not only the cheaper fighter, but he will carry less than half the ownership his opponent will. Having said that be sure to get some exposure to Alvarez because in a win at his salary he will more than likely be on the optimal lineup. If you plan on playing multiple lineups in UFC Abu Dhabi tournaments this is a great fight to target both sides of in my opinion.
DFS MMA UFC Abu Dhabi Standing 8-Count
Ok, that was a boxing reference to make sure you are still paying attention. I hope you all enjoyed the new format and I look forward to hearing your feedback. Be sure you check out our VIP Podcast! If you are new to the sport of MMA, let us teach you the fundamentals to go along with this be sure you check out our new tutorial on how to MME for MMA by our CEO Geek. Become a VIP at DFS Army right now!! Our mixture of content, tools, and coaching can take the best NBA player and teach him MMA like a boss in a very short time. We have NFL guys learning Nascar, and we even have people learning how to dominate the silent sport of tennis! That’s right…..major edge in tennis, and I help out there, too.
If you are still on the fence, remember, my code FORSLUND knocks 10% off the cover price for VIP and Core4 as long as you remain a member. It’s not a one-month code….it’s permanent.
Good Luck Army!