MMA DFS Expert Survey: UFC Fight Night - Buckley vs. Malott

Created Oct 16, 2026

Last Updated 2026-10-16 17:38:51 Premium Content Part of the product MMA Premium

Malott of the UFC

Our panel of experts is here to give you their insights on MMA DFS contests on DraftKings for UFC Fight Night – Buckley vs. Malott. They’re ready to answer key questions that will assist you in making those crucial lineup-building decisions. Curious who Billy Ward has as his favorite value play? Or perhaps you’re wondering who Moneyball16 has as his top fighter for tournaments? Read their thoughts below!

MMA DFS Picks: DraftKings Expert Survey for UFC Fight Night – Buckley vs. Malott

Who is your favorite fighter to spend up for in cash games?

Moneyball16: Daukaus
Bward586: Galanti
LiamPicksFights: Galanti

Who is your favorite play (when considering price, matchup, projected ownership, etc.) on the board and why?

Moneyball16: Mandel Nallo – He has strong power against an opponent who has historically allowed a lot of scoring, and he is relatively cheap given that he is nearly even money to win in the first round. I also hope that his UFC debut, in which he lost to a pretty good opponent and only put up 16.7 DK points, will keep him underowned.

Bward586: Mahjoub – He’s coming in with less than 20% projected ownership thanks to some line movement towards his opponent, Joel Faglier. However, Mahjoub is an elite grappler and a former Olympic judoka, so he brings massive takedown upside against a short-notice opponent. This could, of course, turn into a heavyweight slop fest, but Mahjoub has very strong upside relative to his salary.

LiamPicksFights: I don’t love the idea of stacking this fight. Malott is more technical, but he holds back because of cardio concerns that should be exacerbated by a scheduled 5-round fight. Buckley is my preferred click because he is the more proven scorer of the pair, with more 5-round experience, but he is a boom-or-bust commodity. He has a better ITD price than his opponent while offering salary relief.

What’s one rule/setting that you’re going to use in our MMA DFS optimizer (LineupHQ) or MMA DFS sims tool (SimLabs)?

Want to read more? Sign up for MMA Premium!

This content can help you make better MMA DFS picks

To access this content, subscribe to MMA Premium or purchase a 3-day trial.
An MMA subscription will allow you to access this content and much more!

Buy MMA Premium!