Allan Fabrykant 
STRICKLAND V DU PLESSIS
Tonight’s UFC action will be taking place in my hometown of Toronto, Ontario. Marking the first UFC event in Toronto since UFC 231 back in 2018. This is a much-anticipated card and is jam-packed with top Canadian talent. There will be a total of 12 fights with some great matchups throughout the card that ends with a fight for the UFC Middleweight championship. Now, with all that out of the way, let’s get right into the action!
SLATE STARTS AT 6:30 PM ET
Exposure to the main event is highly recommended. DFS production in these fights is usually high as they are five-round fights. I do not recommend branching away from the Main Event. These fighters are usually both active, and they can rack up a lot of points. There will be three top plays followed by honorable mentions. Now, let’s get ready to make some money!
Tonight, I’m here to give you my top three favorite DFS and Sports betting picks for UFC 297 Strickland vs Du Plessis.
MY UFC VALUE TARGET (CASH&GPP):
Marc-Andre Barriault vs Chris Curtis
Powerbar just has no quit. While other fighters gas out hard in the later rounds, Barriault digs deep and finds the ability to keep going at a very high pace for the whole fight. Curtis surprised many through his first three UFC fights but has since come back down to earth losing two of his last three fights and in his most recent fight which was declared a no-contest, he was quite clearly losing through the first two rounds of the fight. Many are underestimating Barriault in this spot and I think he will surprise a lot of people. Especially when the fight gets into the later rounds and as Curtis’ intensity starts to fall off, Barriault ramps his intensity up. Statistically Barriault is a little better with a strike differential of +0.73 compared to Curtis who holds a strike differential of -0.94. Not to mention, both of these fights land a lot of strikes and absorb a lot of strikes, while not bringing the fight to the ground (Curtis has 0 career takedowns and Barriault has 2), which is a fighting style that greatly benefits Barriault.
MY UFC DFS PICK: Marc-Andre Barriault UNANIMOUS DECISION.
MY UFC LOCKED-IN TARGET (CASH):
Mike Malott vs Neil Magny
Malott is seen as one of the next great Canadian UFC fighters, following in the footsteps of Carlos Newton and George St-Pierre. Malott has already registered three wins in the UFC and one in the Dana White Contender Series. His Contender Series win lasted 39 seconds and in his first two UFC fights he recorded first-round finishes, with a second-round finish in his most recent fight. Malott always fights with a very high intensity and is strong in all aspects of MMA. Magny has lost three of his last five fights (barely won in his last win) and at 36 years old, his best years are well behind him. The former 6th ranked Welterweight (Magny) is looking slower on the feet, less agile and in his last fight, he was outstruck 91 to 27. Malott will have his opportunity tonight to prove to the fans that the hype is real, and possibly catapult himself into the top 15 of the Welterweight division.
MY UFC DFS PICK: Mike Malott SECOND-ROUND SUBMISSION
MY UFC TOP SCORING TARGET (GPP):
Serhiy Sidey vs Ramon Taveras
There are lots of important points to bring up for this fight. First and foremost, Sidey is Canada’s top prospect; it is not even close, and the only reason that he is still considered a prospect is that he hasn’t fought in the UFC yet. He has amassed a very impressive 10-1-0 record, and I would like to focus on his 10th win in particular. It came against Ramon Taveras, his opponent tonight, in the Dana White Contender Series last September. Sidey finished the fight two minutes into the first round with a nasty straight shot KO. Some saw the fight as an early stoppage, but realistically, Sidhey was more active in the fight and was starting to heat up. I can see a similar result happening for Sidey in this one, but this fight can also go the distance. Not to mention, Taveras tipped the scales by quite a bit which could signify a bad weight cut. Realistically, these fighters are close in talent, but Sidey in just a little better in every facet of the fight game.
MY UFC DFS PICK: Serhiy Sidey FIRST-ROUND KO (possible UNANIMOUS DECISION)
UFC HONORABLE MENTIONS:
(Not in order)
Sean Strickland 5 ROUNDER
Mayra Bueno Silva (FADE)
Arnold Allen (This is a very close fight, but either way, I see it going the distance)
Brad Katona
Charles Jourdain
Gillian Robertson (FADE) (Gillian will make the fight a grapple fest (Double Chance Submission/Decision -200). This won’t be a good one for DFS, and it won’t be the most entertaining fight on the card)
Yohan Lainesse
Jasmine Jasudavicius (By Decision)
Malcolm Gordon (Neither of these guys are top talents, and Gordon came into this fight heavy by a pound and a half)
SUMMARY:
On Saturday’s fourteen-bout MMA UFC DFS slate, I am finally allowed to bet again on UFC as restrictions have now been lifted in my area. As such, I will play 2 Parlays. Remember, to take down a GPP; you have to be different and take risks. Scared money doesn’t make money in tournaments. For any further questions, I will be available until lock in our WinDaily Discord chat. GOOD LUCK, and don’t forget to come back and Win Daily!
PARLAY OF THE DAY
Mike Malott -400
Brad Katona (by Decision) +125
Serhiy Sidey -175
Possible Adds
Sean Strickland (Double Chance KO/Decision) +105
Jasmine Jasudavicius (By Decision) +100
