UFC 203: Fight Picks and Draft Kings Breakdown

Stipe Miocic vs. Alistair Overeem

Miocic 3^rd TKO  

Fabrício Werdum vs. Travis Browne

Werdum Decision                                                           

CM Punk vs. Mickey Gall

Gall 1^st Sub                                         

Urijah Faber vs. Jimmie Rivera                                                 

Rivera Decision

Jéssica Andrade vs. Joanne Calderwood

JoJo 3^rd TKO                                                       

Jessica Eye vs. Bethe Correia

Eye Decision

Nik Lentz vs. Michael McBride

Lentz 3^rd                                              

Caio Magalhães vs. Brad Tavares

Brad Tavares 2^nd TKO     

CB Dollaway vs. Francimar Barroso

CB decision                                        

Yancy Medeiros vs. Sean Spencer

Yancy Decision                                                 

Drew Dober vs. Jason Gonzalez

Dober 1^st KO

My Draft King Card

Nik Lentz vs Brian McBride

What can I tell you about this Brian McBride. Not much can’t find a single fight of his on YouTube.  But what I can tell you is that he is 8-1 losing to Bellator Contender Emmanuel Sanchez.  He has finished his last four fights.  Note that the records of those fighters were 9-5, 5-4, 6-6, and 3-5.  Also he has taking this fight on 9 days notice.  Nik Lentz on the other is a hard nose grinder, a poet, and has gone in there against top 10 opponents numerous times throughout his career.  Don’t let the record fool you, McBride is a Can Crusher fighting on 9 days notice.  Nik Lentz is a proven veteran who has moved up in weight, because he can no longer cut to featherweight so he should bring conditioning to break his opponent who is taking this fight on short notice.  Nik hasn’t gotten a finish in awhile but he has been in a ton of wars.  With a betting line of (-450 Lentz +360 McBride) and Draft King value of $10,200 an extremely cheap buy for a favorite when compared to the Vegas Line.  Nik Lentz is a must pick favorite due to the amount of notice from McBride and the experience of Lentz.  

Brad Taveres vs Caio Magalhes

At some point in this fight Mike Goldberg will call Brad Taveres a fine Hawaii.  I got money on that. I’ve been going back to watch Magalhles and Tavares.  I don’t know how Caio made this far.  Seriously his striking is just wild looping hooks.  There are no jabs, no crosses just alternating haymakers and overhand rights.   He is Brazilian so I’m sure he is black belt in BJJ.  He’s isn’t bad off the ground he seems to find away get on top in scrambles but that’s the only good thing I’ve seen in his game.  Brad Tavares has great takedowns defense and solid skills.   What Brad lacks is a killer instinct, the times he does hurt a guy he doesn’t step up the pressure or go for the finish. He is very measured in his attacks.  Hence why he hasn’t gotten a finish since 2011.  Anyway both fighters are coming off KO loses however I will pick the fighter with better takedown defense and solid fundamentals.  Brad 2^nd TKO. He is due.  Brad cost is only $9,800 with Vegas Odds of (-196 Brad + Caio 186) for a little less than a 2 to 1 favorite and still be under $10,000 to wage on your fighter Brad is a solid pick.  

Jessica Eye vs Bethe Correia

So this fight will happen entirely on the feet.  Otherwise, I wouldn’t pick Jessica Eye.  Bethe loves the clinch game, more of a brawler but Jessica Eye is more of a technical boxer.  I’m not confident in this pick really.  I’m just hoping Eye’s footwork well help keep Bethe at range. This is all hope.  I think this fight will end in split decision.  Actually It’s going to be hard to pick a finishes in this card with out spending on all your cash.  But you need winners and I think Jessica’s boxing has more of a chance to win than Bethe.  Eye Split Decision.  I HOPE.

Urjiah Faber vs Jimmie Rivera

Urijah is 37 years old and I’m telling you he is losing a step.  His last couple fights were very close.  The Frankie Saenez fight was close, it was unanimous decision but Frankie had his moments, so did Fransico Rivera before Urijah poked him in the eye and sunk in the choke.  The title fight against Cruz was a complete shutdown.   Jimmie Rivera has very similar skill set of the California Kid.  Jimmie takes it to the ground when he can but mainly keeps it standing.  His most important advantage he has over Faber is speed.  Speed is the first thing to go when you get older.  The power doesn’t go but Faber has never been that kind of fighter. Speed is going to dictate that this fight.  The only downside I’ve seen from Rivera is that speed fades in the 3^rd and because of that his footwork isn’t there and he tends to get caught by shots. I’m going Rivera Decision.  So again Vegas Odds have this fight.

 

Stipe Miocic vs Alistair Overeem

So this fight basically comes to aggression. Alistair Overeem has changed the way he fighters after his KO loses of late.  He has become more of a counter puncher.  What you can’t counter is the punch that KO’s you out.  Alistair doesn’t have a chin anymore. Stipe will be first and the fight will be over.  That’s my breakdown. The deciding factor in this fight.  Who lands that big bomb.  Stipe doesn’t have weak chin he traded bombs with Dos Santos and hasn’t been finished since 2012.  Alistair been KO’ed by Travis Bronwne Antonio Silva and Ben Rothwell.  Hence the more measured and setup the kill strike fight mode.  Stipe is going to get the KO.  I mean even if you don’t agree with my assessment. Either fighter needs to be on your fight card if you intend to cash on this event. Let’s just hope you picked the right one.