FREE 10/04 UFC Cheat Sheet: Top DFS Plays

UFC 320 presents a compelling DFS slate with 28 fighters and an $8,100 average salary that creates interesting roster construction decisions. The championship doubleheader anchors the card, featuring a light heavyweight title rematch between Ankalaev and Pereira with a notable $1,600 salary gap, plus Dvalishvili defending his bantamweight crown against Sandhagen. With seven fighters projected for 30%+ ownership, chalk spots are clearly defined, but the pricing structure offers legitimate pivot opportunities throughout the card.

The slate’s strength lies in its depth of scoring potential, as 11 fighters present 8x+ upside at reasonable salaries. Key matchups like Dvalishvili vs Sandhagen and Mix vs Wiklacz offer different roster construction paths, while the main event pricing discrepancy on Pereira creates a high-upside contrarian angle. The relatively tight salary distribution means roster flexibility will be crucial, especially with multiple viable value plays available to help you access the premium-priced fighters. Let’s break down our top plays for this slate.

Premium Tier ($9,000-$10,000)

Top Play: Merab Dvalishvili ($9,300)

Dvalishvili continues to showcase the most relentless pace in mixed martial arts, having just submitted Sean O’Malley in their June rematch to retain his bantamweight title. His performance against O’Malley demonstrated significant striking improvements while maintaining his signature wrestling dominance, landing 3-of-5 takedowns in the final round alone with over four minutes of control time. The Georgian champion’s cardio advantage becomes overwhelming as fights progress, creating consistent fantasy scoring through takedowns, ground control, and submission attempts that earned him a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus.

Sandhagen presents an ideal stylistic matchup for Dvalishvili’s grappling-heavy approach, as the challenger’s striking-focused game has historically struggled against elite wrestlers. At 34, Merab shows no signs of slowing down and has actually improved his finishing ability, evidenced by back-to-back dominant performances over elite competition. His $9,300 salary reflects championship pricing, but his 56.7% optimal rate suggests strong tournament value despite elevated ownership, particularly given his proven ability to generate massive scores through ground control and submission threats.

Other Premium Options

• Ateba Gautier ($9,800, Own: 39.0%)
• Edmen Shahbazyan ($9,100, Own: 32.6%)

Mid-Range Tier ($8,000-$8,999)

Top Play 1: Punahele Soriano ($8,800)

Soriano continues to dominate since dropping to welterweight, maintaining a perfect 2-0 record with impressive finishing ability at 170 pounds. His recent first-round knockout of Uros Medic showcased the devastating power that has translated seamlessly from middleweight, landing a fight-ending right hand just 31 seconds into the opening frame. The move down in weight class has revitalized his career after struggling at middleweight, and his improved speed and strength advantages are creating consistent finishing opportunities.

Veretennikov presents an ideal matchup for Soriano’s aggressive striking style, as the opponent enters with just one UFC victory and has shown defensive vulnerabilities in his previous outings. Soriano’s proven ability to end fights early generates excellent tournament upside, while his technical striking improvements provide a reliable scoring floor through significant strike volume. At $8,800 with moderate ownership projected, he offers strong leverage potential in tournaments while maintaining the finishing ability that creates massive ceiling outcomes.

Top Play 2: Jiri Prochazka ($8,500)

Prochazka continues to showcase devastating finishing ability with his recent TKO victory over Jamahal Hill demonstrating his elite power striking and improved fight IQ. The Czech fighter scored knockdowns in both rounds one and three before securing the stoppage, earning a Performance of the Night bonus while proving his bounce-back capability following the Pereira setbacks. His willingness to engage in firefights creates multiple scoring opportunities through significant strikes and potential finishes, with his 6-foot-4 frame providing excellent reach advantages in the light heavyweight division.

The matchup against Rountree sets up perfectly for Prochazka’s aggressive striking style, as both fighters prefer to stand and trade rather than grapple extensively. At $8,500, his salary reflects strong tournament value given his proven finishing upside and consistent ability to generate fantasy points through volume striking. With 33% optimal lineup inclusion and moderate ownership projections, Prochazka offers excellent leverage potential in large-field tournaments while maintaining a reliable floor through his active striking approach and late-round durability.

Other Mid-Range Options

• Magomed Ankalaev ($8,900, Own: 36.5%)
• Joe Pyfer ($8,700, Own: 28.7%)

Value Tier ($7,000-$7,999)

Top Play: JooSang Yoo ($7,900)

Yoo continues to showcase devastating finishing ability following his spectacular 28-second knockout debut that earned Performance of the Night honors. His precise counter-striking and ability to capitalize on openings has translated into immediate UFC success, demonstrating the technical striking foundation that made him a heavy favorite in his first appearance. The quick turnaround against Daniel Santos provides another opportunity to display his knockout power against an opponent coming off a decision victory.

The $7,900 salary creates strong tournament value given his proven finishing upside and moderate ownership sitting just above field average at 23.6%. His explosive style generates immediate fantasy scoring potential through early finishes, while his technical striking improvements suggest a reliable floor even in longer fights. Facing Santos after such a dominant debut performance positions Yoo as an excellent leverage play with both ceiling and value appeal in this featherweight matchup.

Other Value Options

• Alex Pereira ($7,300, Own: 27.1%)
• Yana Santos ($7,600, Own: 15.2%)

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