UFC Edmonton DraftKings DFS Preview and Picks

Find the top DraftKings MMA DFS picks & strategy for UFC Edmonton on Saturday. Build winning lineups with our predictions, analysis & fighter breakdowns.

If you’re hoping to turn the event into an opportunity to build your DFS bankroll, DraftKings.com has you covered with a full slate of contests, including a $300k UFC Throwdown with $100k to first place. Players get a $50,000 budget to select six fighters, and the scoring rules are noted at the bottom of the column. Let’s get to the action…

Main Event – Welterweight

Joaquin Buckley (21-8-0) v. Mike Malott (14-2-1)
DK Salaries: Buckley ($7,800), Malott ($8,400)
Vegas Odds: Buckley (+115), Malott (-135)

The UFC continues to push Malott north of the border, as this will be his second straight headliner in Canada and seventh straight fight overall in his home country. It’s impossible to argue with Malott’s 7-1 record with the company, but his best two wins are over Kevin Holland and Gilbert Burns — two guys that were well past their prime when they stepped into the Octagon with Malott. His lone UFC setback was a submission loss to Neil Magny back in January 2024 that he was dominating before gassing and getting choked out with just 15 seconds left.

Buckley has fallen on hard times of late, dropping back-to-back bouts on the heels of a six-fight winning streak. He was grappled to death by Sean Brady his last time out in May, giving up four takedowns and 12:09 worth of control time in the 15-minute bout. Buckley was credited with all of five significant strikes landed. To say he needs a bounce-back performance would be a massive understatement.

We’ve seen enough from Malott at this point that it’s safe to say he’s essentially a generalist in there. Not that that’s a bad thing.

Mike is a solid all-around fighter with the ability to beat you in a variety of ways, but he lacks ideal athleticism and doesn’t possess one standout trait to fall back on in the event of trouble.

Set to turn 35 years old in early December, Malott’s runway is probably a lot shorter than people realize, especially for a guy with all of eight fights with the promotion.

Buckley, on the other hand, is tough to figure out.

He theoretically has crazy power, but his cardio is bad, and he’s been unable to remain upright in each of his last two fights, allowing four takedowns each to Brady and Kamaru Usman. 

I know Malott badly gassed in his loss to Magny, but that was quite a while ago, and I think the fact this fight is scheduled for five rounds favors Mike. 

It’s important Buckley come out aggressive because I don’t think he’s going to get the better of the action late in the fight. It’s a risky proposition given his questionable cardio, but I don’t see any other option.

I lean towards Malott, but not exceptionally so. All the numbers for this fight seem correct, and I don’t think there’s any real edge to be found either way.

UFC EDMONTON PICK: Malott

Backing Malott & confident enough to play his striking totals on pick’em sites? Check out the Best MMA Picks & Prop Bets by comparing actual betting lines to our projections using the RotoWire Picks & Props tool.    

Co-Main Event – Women’s Flyweight

Erin Blanchfield (14-2-0) v. Jasmine Jasudavicius (15-4-0)
DK Salaries: Blanchfield ($9,300), Jasudavicius ($6,900)
Vegas Odds: Blanchfield (-310), Jasudavicius (+250)

Blanchfield has to be considered a leading contender for the UFC Women’s Flyweight Championship, which as of a week ago, is held by Natalia Silva. She’s 8-1 in nine bouts with the promotion, including wins over former champs Rose Namajunas and Jessica Andrade. Erin’s lone setback was a March 2024 unanimous decision to Manon Fiorot, she has since rebounded with victories over both Namajunas and Tracy Cortez.

Jasudavicius has won six of seven, with her lone defeat during the stretch also coming against Fiorot. Unlike Blanchfield, who went the distance, Jasmine was knocked out in 74 seconds that evening. She rebounded with a unanimous decision win over Karine Silva in April.

Set to turn 38 in March, time is running out for Jasudavicius. She got a late start to MMA, not making her professional debut until July 2019. Even now at her advanced age, she still has just 19 pro fights under her belt.

Namajunas is almost exactly a full decade younger, which I expect to really matter in what should be a physical fight.

Neither of these women excel on the feet. 

I expect Blanchfield to be the more effective of the two there despite the fact Jasudavicius is three inches taller and will have a two-inch reach edge. 

Jasmine’s striking is awkward. She looks uncomfortable and struggles to string together combinations. If nothing else, Erin is more fluid offensively on the feet.

Both women are heavily reliant on the takedown. I think there’s a real chance that cancels each other out and this one comes down to the striking exchanges between the two. Racking up standing cage control may be another deciding factor. It seems destined to go the full 15 minutes.

While Jasmine will have the crowd behind her in her home country, I don’t think that will be enough.

I think Blanchfield will be able to largely negate Jasudavicius’ greatest strengths.

Give me Erin via decision.

UFC EDMONTON PICK: Blanchfield
 

Middleweight

Marc-Andre Barriault (17-11-0, 1NC) v. Kyle Daukaus (17-5-0, 1NC)
DK Salaries: Barriault ($7,400), Daukaus ($8,700)
Vegas Odds: Barriault (+170), Daukaus (-205)

Set to turn 37 next February, Barriault is just about out of time. He’s lost two straight and five of six. He has just a lone victory dating back to June 2023, and I think there’s a real chance he would have already been handed his walking papers if there wasn’t an opportunity for him to fight in his home country here. The lone bit of good news is that Barriault has received back-to-back Fight of the Night bonuses in his two most recent setbacks to Michal Oleksiejczuk and Shara Magomedov.

Daukaus went 2-4 (1NC) in his first stint with the company from June 2020 to December 2022. He went back to the regional scene and won four straight fights for Cage Fury, which earned him another shot with the UFC. He proceeded to knock out Michel Pereira and submit Gerald Meerschaert, both in under a minute, last year. That earned Daukaus a shot at Bo Nickal at the White House in June, at which point he was finished in less than a round. 

Barriault is a one-dimensional brawler, which has been the case forever.

11 of his 17 career wins are via knockout. He’s going in there in an attempt to knock his opposition’s head off before he gets folded himself. Nothing is changing at this point in his career. 

Of greater note is the fact is the fact two of Barriault’s three career knockout defeats have come in his last five fights. He actually held up quite well in both the Oleksiejczuk and Magomedov bouts, but I can’t help but think he’s living on borrowed time.

An early finisher himself with durability issues of his own, Daukaus feels like a reasonable matchup for Marc-Andre late in his career.

That said, Kyle is a much better grappler and picks his shots much more intelligently than Barriault.

I don’t think Daukaus is a future top-10 guy by any means, but there’s a huge gap between fighting Nickal at the White House and fighting Barriault in Edmonton.

I’ll be concerned if Kyle can’t find a way here. 

The price isn’t great simply because it’s going to be a violent war, but he should win.

UFC EDMONTON PICK: Daukaus
 

Heavyweight

Tanner Boser (22-11-1) v. Jhonata Diniz (9-2-0)
DK Salaries: Boser ($7,400), Diniz ($8,800)
Vegas Odds: Boser (+205), Diniz (-250)

A former professional kickboxer, Diniz has just 11 professional fights under his belt despite the fact he turned 35 this past June. The Brazilian is 3-2 in his first five UFC bouts, with the three victories coming against Alvin Hines, Karl Williams and Austen Lane, and the two setbacks, both knockouts, coming against Mario Pinto and Marcin Tybura. In other words, Diniz has posted mediocre results despite the fact he hasn’t really been tested against quality competition.

An Alberta native, Boser should have a massive homefield advantage here. He needs it, given the fact the 35-year-old is just 3-5 in his past eight bouts dating back to November 2020. It’s worth noting that Boser competed just once in 2022, not at all in 2024, and once in 2025. This will be his second fight of 2026. 

This is going to be a stand-up battle for as long as it lasts.

Neither of these guys have landed even a single takedown throughout their respective UFC runs.

Both also have durability issues, with a pair of knockout defeats on their respective resumes.

Of course, Boser’s have come in three times as many professional fights. Yet those two setbacks have also come in his past four fights, so the Canadian’s durability has been an issue of late. 

I agree with the Brazilian being favored, but the price seems ridiculous. 

Personally, I would have Diniz pegged as perhaps a -150 or -175. -250? Forget it.

It feels gross, but I’ll roll the dice on Boser in hopes his durability isn’t totally shot. If it isn’t, I think he’s competitive and worthy of the ‘dog shot, even if he comes up short.

UFC EDMONTON PICK: Boser

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Other Bouts

Lightweight
Kyle Nelson (17-7-1) v. Cristian Perez (15-2-0)
DK Salaries: Nelson ($7,000), Perez ($9,200)
Vegas Odds: Nelson (+295), Perez (-375)
UFC EDMONTON PICK: Perez

Bantamweight
Louis Jourdain (9-3-0) v. Timothy Cuamba (10-4-0)
DK Salaries: Jourdain ($8,600), Cuamba ($7,600)
Vegas Odds: Jourdain (-200), Cuambo (+165)
UFC EDMONTON PICK: Jourdain

Lightweight
Mandel Nallo (14-4-0, 1NC) v. Nate Landwehr (18-8-0)
DK Salaries: Nallo ($9,100), Landwehr ($7,100)
Vegas Odds: Nallo (-280), Landwehr (+225)
UFC EDMONTON PICK: Nallo

Middleweight
Julien Leblanc (10-3-0) v. Nicholas Galanti (8-1-0)
DK Salaries: Leblanc ($6,700), Galanti (N/A)
Vegas Odds: Leblanc (+440), Galanti (-600)
UFC EDMONTON PICK: Galanti

Heavyweight
Javad Mahjoub (5-0-0) v. Joel Faglier (6-0-0)
DK Salaries: Mahjoub ($8,300), Faglier ($7,900)
Vegas Odds: Mahjoub (-115), Faglier (-105)
UFC EDMONTON PICK: Faglier

Women’s Flyweight
Katlyn Cerminara (18-6-0) v. Mackenzie Stiller (6-1-0)
DK Salaries: Cerminara ($9,000), Stiller ($7,200)
Vegas Odds: Cerminara (-280), Stiller (+225)
UFC EDMONTON PICK: Cerminara

Bantamweight
Chad Anheliger (13-8-0) v. Steven Koslow (6-1-0)
DK Salaries: Anheliger ($8,200), Koslow ($8,000)
Vegas Odds: Anheliger (+100), Koslow (-120)
UFC EDMONTON PICK: Koslow

Women’s Bantamweight
Melissa Croden (8-3-0) v. Chelsea Chandler (7-4-0)
DK Salaries: Croden ($8,900), Chandler ($7,300)
Vegas Odds: Croden (-280), Chandler (+225)
UFC EDMONTON PICK: Croden

Bantamweight
Cody Chovancek (9-0-0) v. Su Young You (16-4-0, 2NC)
DK Salaries: Chovancek ($8,500), You ($7,700)
Vegas Odds: Chovancek (-150), You (+125)
UFC EDMONTON PICK: Chovancek

Note: All odds accurate as of time of posting, and taken from the DraftKings Sportsbook, if available. Check out DraftKings to bet on MMA Odds and use the DraftKings promo code for a great welcome offer.

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DraftKings MMA Scoring

Note: Scoring has been updated as of early-2021! Please review the scoring changes below.

Moves Scoring
Strikes: +0.2 PTS
Significant Strikes (SS): +0.2 PTS
Control Time: +0.03 PTS/SECOND
Takedown (TD): +5 PTS
Reversal/Sweep (REV): +5 PTS
Knockdown (KD): +10 PTS

Fight Conclusion Bonuses
1st Round Win (1rW+): +90 PTS
2nd Round Win (2rW+): +70 PTS
3rd Round Win (3rW+): +45 PTS
4th Round Win (4rW+): +40 PTS
5th Round Win (5rW+): +40 PTS
Decision Win (WBD+): +30 PTS
Quick Win Bonus: +25 PTS
(fight is finished in 60 seconds or less)

Scoring Notes

Significant Strikes are any Distance Strike or Clinch/Ground Strikes that are considered “Power Strikes” by official scorers.A Significant Strike will count as both a strike and a significant strike and will be worth a total of 0.4 PtsControl Time is the time spent in the dominant position on the ground or in the clinch. +0.03 points are awarded per second.A Knockdown is awarded to a fighter who knocks his/her opponent down due to debilitation for what the official scorers consider an appreciable amount of time.A Quick Win Bonus is awarded to the winning fighter if they win in the first round in 60 seconds or less.

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it’s possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire. Jon Litterine plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: DraftKings: JLitterine.