MMA DFS and Betting Breakdown: UFC Fight Night - Whittaker vs. de Ridder

by Liam Heslin (LiamPicksFights) Last Updated 2025-07-26 00:08:37 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 normally puts their best foot forward when they visit the Middle East, but this is one of their more subdued offerings for this part of the world. The things I am looking forward to include the UFC debut of a jiu jitsu legend in Marcus Buchecha, the first main event for middleweight standout Reinier de Ridder, and the co-main event clash between former champion Petr “No Mercy” Yan and streaking bantamweight contender Marcus McGhee. The preliminary card begins with none other than the 13-time black belt world champion looking to stake his MMA claim with the combat sports leader.

Editor’s Note: Analysis of the remaining fights is coming soon.

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

Editor’s Note: Looking for more places to play? Check out our Underdog Fantasy promo code and PrizePicks promo code, two of the best DFS apps available today.

MMA DFS and Betting Breakdown: UFC Fight Night Whittaker vs de Ridder

Marcus Buchecha ($9,100) vs. Martin Buday ($7,100)

Fight Odds: -310 Buchecha vs. +240 Buday
Weight Class: 265lb. (Men’s Heavyweight)

Marcus Buchecha (UFC debutant) is a 13-time world champion in Brazilian jiu jitsu at the black belt level. He cut his teeth as a mixed martial arts athlete in Asia under the ONE FC promotional banner. Buchecha is 5-1 as a professional, with his only loss coming against current ONE FC Heavyweight Champion Oumar “Reug Reug” Kane, a marauding Senegalese wrestler with incredible athleticism and brute force physicality. Buchecha had his moments in that fight and his chin held up when tested, but he was unable to secure takedowns until later in the fight when he had already been damaged. He bounced back with his best career win to date over Amir Aliakbari (14-4 Pro), an Iranian Greco-Roman wrestling world champion, submitting him in the first round. Buchecha has finished all 5 of his professional wins, and his loss was an honest fight.

Martin Buday (6-1 UFC) has a shiny UFC record, but he has been very fortunate in his run out. Buday started his UFC career with four consecutive victories including a technical decision against Chris Barnett (2-3 UFC), a split decision against Lukasz Brzeski (1-6 UFC), a unanimous decision against Jake Collier (5-9 UFC), and a first round kimura against Josh Parisian (2-6 UFC). When he finally fought an opponent with a winning record and some athletic ability in Shamil Gaziev (3-1 UFC), he got absolutely pummeled from pillar to post. Buday bounced back with another split decision against a 45-year-old Andrei Arlovski (23-18 UFC) in his final fight with the promotion. In his most recent outing, he looked horrific against a fighter who was short notice and making his UFC debut, and a natural light heavyweight in Uran Satybaldiev (0-1 UFC). Buday was hurt multiple times and relied on his ability to spam volume in the clinch.

There are unknowns about how Buchecha’s style will translate in the cage as opposed to the ring he is used to fighting in, but I suspect he will make a successful transition. Martin Buday recently received his jiu jitsu black belt, but he will not be on the same level as Buchecha in terms of athleticism or grappling pedigree. If Buday was a menacing knockout artist, I would be afraid for Buchecha in this matchup, but he is a fairly harmless volume and pace merchant who has beaten up the bottom-of-the-barrel heavyweights of his era. While Buday was pursuing professional video games, Bucecha was honing one of the best heavyweight grappling games of his generation. Now he is looking to impose himself in MMA, and I like his chances to do so. Buchecha has solid wrestling, fluid jiu jitsu in multiple positions, and he is not afraid to swing.

Prediction: Marcus Buchecha defeats Martin Buday via Stoppage Rd. 1/2

Steven Nguyen ($9,200) vs. Mohammad Yahya ($7,000)