MMA DFS and Betting Breakdown: UFC Fight Night - Dolidze vs. Hernandez

by Liam Heslin (LiamPicksFights) Last Updated 2025-08-09 00:15:10 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.

The UFC is back in the Apex Center with an American middleweight contender looking to extend his 7-fight win streak as he pushes toward the title picture. His opponent will be the Georgian marauder Roman Dolidze, the 9th-ranked UFC middleweight. The 12-fight card will begin with an impromptu matchup between 2 middleweights who will meet at light heavyweight on four days’ notice. The stakes should be high throughout the card, as many of the fighters are competing for their future UFC employment.

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

MMA DFS and Betting Breakdown: UFC Fight Night – Dolidze vs. Hernandez

Cody Brundage ($8,200) vs. Eric McConico ($8,000)

Fight Odds: -170 Brundage vs. +138 McConico
Weight Class: 205lb. (Light Heavyweight)

Cody Brundage (5-5-1 UFC; 1 NC) and Eric McConico (0-1 UFC) are normally UFC middleweights, but they accepted this fight on about one week’s notice, so they will instead be competing at the light heavyweight limit of 205lbs. Cody Brundage is an inconsistent fighter who doesn’t make great decisions under pressure, but he is still a much more proven UFC-level fighter than his opponent. Brundage has knocked out Julian Marquez (3-5 UFC), Zach Reese (3-2 UFC), and Tresean Gore (2-4 UFC) in the UFC. He also submitted Dalcha Lungiambula (2-5 UFC). Brundage can wrestle, he attempts submissions, and he has KO power.

Eric McConico landed just 6 total strikes in his UFC debut before falling victim to a second-round stoppage loss against Nursulton Ruziboev (4-1 UFC). Losing your UFC debut against a quality opponent on short notice would be no big deal if McConico hadn’t been knocked out twice regionally by journeymen opponents like Andre Walker (6-3 Pro) or Dejan Kajic (17-9-2). McConico is also less experienced as a professional and in the UFC despite being the older athlete by more than four years. I think if McConico wants to win this fight, he needs to avoid getting into a sloppy brawl with Brundage. McConico is 2-0 in decisions (compared to 1-2 for Brundage), and he appears to have superior cardio on film, often turning up on his opponents later in his fights to secure the win.

The reason Cody Brundage struggles in decisions is because he often does not do enough in his fights. His corner Marc Montoya is constantly screaming at Brundage to do more, but he allows himself to get outworked, he allows himself to end up in negative positions, and he has shown a willingness to check out before when the going gets tough. More often than not, the UFC experience and the finishing upside of Brundage should win the day. That being said, you simply cannot trust a fighter like Cody Brundage. The light heavyweight backdrop and the short notice of the fight should make this as volatile as a fight can be.

Prediction: Cody Brundage defeats Eric McConico via Stoppage (or McConico via DEC)

Gabriella Fernandes ($8,800) vs. Julija Stoliarenko ($7,400)