MMA DFS and Betting Breakdown: UFC 308 - Topuria vs. Holloway

by Liam Heslin (LiamPicksFights) Last Updated 2024-10-26 13:31:52 Premium Content Part of the product MMA Premium

Liam Heslin (aka LiamPicksFights) is a massive combat sports fan with over a decade of experience competing in wrestling and grappling martial arts. For each UFC event, he produces the MMA DFS and sports betting breakdown for RotoGrinders.

UFC 308 is shaping up to be one of the best and deepest combat sports offerings on the calendar this year. The card is headlined by arguably the best fight the UFC can book right now between Ilia “El Matador” Topuria and Max “Blessed” Holloway. It also features meaningful contendership bouts at middleweight (Chimaev vs. Whittaker), at light heavyweight (Ankalaev vs. Rakic), and at featherweight (Murphy vs. Ige).

Note: All DFS salaries listed are from DraftKings & all odds quoted are from FanDuel Sportsbook.

MMA DFS and Betting Breakdown for UFC 308 – Topuria vs. Holloway

Rinat Fakhretdinov $8,900 vs. Carlos Leal $7,300

Fight Odds: -230 Fakhretdinov vs. +190 Leal
Weight Class: 170lb. (Welterweight)

Carlos Leal accepted this UFC debut on short notice, replacing Nursulton Ruziboev. Leal appears to be in phenomenal shape, and he has legitimate wins outside the UFC over the likes of Ray Cooper III (24-7-1), David Zawada (18-7), Dilano Taylor (10-4), and Korey Kuppe (9-4). He is taking on the five-fight UFC veteran Rinat Fakhretdinov, a 33-year-old Russian who has shown off solid winning performances (UDEC vs. Battle, SUB1 vs. Lee) and concerning performances like his last two fights against Nicolas Dalby (SDEC, nearly TKO’d in Rd. 3) and Elizeu Zaleski Dos Santos (Draw, nearly KO’d in Rd. 3).

Leal has never been knocked out, and he has 10 knockout victories, so I expect Rinat Fakhretdinov to try to leverage his wrestling and grappling here to get the win. While he is capable of taking down Leal and perhaps mat returning him as well, Leal has only been submitted once as a professional and his most recent loss was a split decision against Sadibou Sy (17-8-2). Leal is a live underdog in this fight because of his power, his tenacity, and his opponent’s flaws. Rinat Fakhretdinov can win this bout, but it is a matter of time until he gets stopped in the UFC.

Prediction: Fakhretdinov via SUB/SDEC or Leal via KO/SDEC

Ismail Naurdiev $8,300 vs. Bruno Silva $7,900