Top DFS DraftKings Picks for UFC Fight Night: Du Plessis vs. Usman

As disappointing as last week's UFC 329 main event turned out to be, the worldwide leader in mixed martial arts sees its calendar roll forward to Oklahoma City this week. This 12-fight card is loaded to the brim with top prospects -- and a killer featured bout.

UFC Fight Night: Du Plessis vs. Usman has 12 fights starting at 5 p.m. EST on Paramount+.

The main event is a battle of former champions as Dricus "Stillknocks" Du Plessis, the former 185-pound strap-holder, takes on ex-welterweight champion Kamaru Usman in a fight that should propel one of these two gentlemen toward a shot at Sean Strickland and the current divisional title.

Every week, DraftKings Daily Fantasy has MMA contests featuring the full schedule of UFC fights. Here are this week's top plays in each pricing tier.

UFC Fight Night: Du Plessis vs. Usman DFS Studs to Target

Alden Coria ($9,800)

I'm not exactly reinventing the wheel to target Alden Coria in DFS when he's 91.7% implied to beat Stewart Nicoll, according to DraftKings Sportsbook. I do think the juice is worth the squeeze, though.

Nicoll (0-3 UFC) appears to be a total whiff by UFC's scouting department. He came from an unknown Australian promotion and has been blitzed in the big show for a card-worst -2.21 striking success rate (SSR). Coria (+2.29) is fifth-best in that respect through a sample of nearly 25 octagon minutes.

Alden Coria gets the finish at #NocheUFC 💪 pic.twitter.com/OUA7N071BF
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) September 13, 2025

"Cobra" has a two-inch reach edge and historically attempts 10.66 significant strikes per minute. This could be that DFS sweet spot of a Round 2 or Round 3 finish with immense striking volume leading to a mercy stoppage.

Chase Hooper ($9,200)

It's hard to get different in UFC DFS without being dumb. Chase Hooper is a great opportunity.

Mitch Ramirez should be the most popular underdog on Saturday's card by simple logic. Hooper has lost consecutive fights at a higher level of competition by first-round knockout, and his striking defense (39%) is poor.

Is it that easy? Not really.

Ramirez has been splattered for a poor striking (37%) and takedown (25%) defense himself in UFC, and he's been stopped in all three fights. Hooper's recent woes haven't erased the dominant wins he's secured over Jim Miller, Jordan Leavitt, and other multi-time UFC winners.

There's risk, but Hooper is 59.2% implied to win inside the distance, per DK Sportsbook, and will be contrarian? How often is that the case?

UFC Fight Night: Du Plessis vs. Usman DFS Mid Tier Picks

Jose Miguel Delgado ($8,300)

I'll be honest. I'm exclusively stars and scrubs myself with Coria, Hooper, Dione Barbosa, and Fatima Kline in such dominant spots when most of the mid-range is sketchy.

Jose Miguel Delgado is no exception. Entering this fight with a guy averaging 7.81 takedowns per 15 minutes, Delgado's 50% takedown defense isn't good enough historically. The context of those numbers matters, though.

At 5'6", Austin Bashi is tiny. He struggled to secure takedowns in his only other fight against a featherweight, failing 16 of 19 attempts. Sure, Andre Fili floored Delgado four times, but that's a 13-time promotional winner from an elite wrestling gym. Bashi trains alone.

Moreover, if Bashi fatigues from all the wrestling, things could get ugly quickly. Delgado's monstrous pace (7.48 significant strikes landed per minute) rarely rests, and he's got a four-inch reach edge.

Alberto Montes ($8,000)

One of Tommy McMillen ($8,200) and Alberto Montes should probably be in your lineup.

McMillen's sloppy, reckless style produced first-round fireworks against Manolo Zecchini, but it came in a fashion that will not work at a higher level of competition:

Tommy McMillen defeated Manolo Zecchini via TKO! #UFCVegas115 #UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/u8ovqBG2VG
— MMA UNCENSORED (@MMAUNCENSORED1) April 5, 2026

Montes is certainly a step-up. The Venezuelan has a +0.82 SSR, and his front chokes are apparently lethal. He's subbed both of his first two foes with them inside of 10 minutes.

McMillen (9.87 significant strikes landed per minute) brings the pace, but I actually think the underdog brings the technique. Either way, this barnburner is 80.0% implied to not go the distance, so exposure to both sides in tournaments makes sense.

UFC Fight Night: Du Plessis vs. Usman Underdog Plays

Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani ($7,400)

I love Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani's win chances this week.

Lebosnoyani hasn't yet faced a takedown attempt in UFC, but his regional submission success (5 subs in 9 pro victories) inspires hope that he'll be the first to keep Seokhyeon Ko from piling up at least 60% of the fight in control time.

At distance, Ko is a total unknown. Lebosnoyani? Well, we've seen an established track record already:

THIS FINISH 🤯 #DWCS pic.twitter.com/2nLDu5lPA2
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) September 3, 2025

Ko's boring fights initially had him scheduled for February versus stud prospect Jacobe Smith. Now, he's drawn another, Lebosnoyani. I think the promotion wants to put him on a highlight reel, and you'll want exposure to "JPL" if it happens.

Kamaru Usman ($7,200)

Kamaru Usman, like all of us, isn't getting any younger. It certainly hasn't greatly impacted his fighting career yet.

Usman turned back the clock with four takedowns in a decision win over Joaquin Buckley where he netted 108.9 fantasy points. Though fighting at middleweight for just the second time, the window is pretty obvious to do something similar.

Just 10 months ago, Dricus Du Plessis was non-competitive as a grappler, coughing up 12 takedowns and 21:40 in control time in a unanimous loss to Khamzat Chimaev. Usman is yet another former champion who made his bread with positional wrestling. He averages 2.79 takedowns landed per 15 minutes, which is truly elite considering he's been fighting championship-level competition for a decade.

I just don't think Du Plessis has all the answers this soon. DK Sportsbook is sort of implying that, assessing a 55.6% implied probability this fight goes the distance. If it does, a stack could pay off, but you'll definitely want the underdog at $7,200.

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