This guide shows how to build UFC lineups with the free UFC and MMA lineup optimizer. It covers DraftKings and FanDuel. If you are new to the optimizer, read the lineup optimizer guide for every sport first.
MMA Roster Rules
| Site | Salary cap | Roster |
|---|---|---|
| DraftKings | $50,000 | 6 fighters |
| FanDuel | $100 | 1 MVP plus 5 fighters. The MVP scores 1.5 times the points. |
Set Up the Build
The MMA optimizer has a simple layout. The buttons at the top select the slate, such as a DraftKings card or a FanDuel card. The slate sets the site.
The control bar has four parts:
- "Lineups" sets the number of lineups, from 1 to 150.
- The objective menu has "Projection (cash)" and "Ceiling blend (GPP)".
- The ownership menu selects which contest's ownership shows in the table.
- "Advanced" opens more settings. "Build" starts the build.
The Fighter Table
Each row shows "Salary", "Proj", "Ceil", "Win" and "Own". You can type a new number in "My proj". The optimizer then uses your number. "Max %" caps the share of lineups for that fighter. "Lock" puts the fighter in every lineup. "Out" removes the fighter.
On DraftKings, you make two edits first. A lock, an exclude, a projection change or an exposure change counts.
Advanced Settings
- "Min unique fighters" sets how many fighters must differ between two lineups. The default is 2.
- "Randomness %" adds noise to the projections. The default is 6.
- "Max exposure %" caps every fighter. The default is 65.
- "Max fighters per bout" is 1 by default. You then never roster both sides of a fight.
- "Min salary ($)" sets the lowest salary that a lineup can use.
- "Ceiling weight % (GPP)" sets how much the GPP objective weights the ceiling. The default is 35.
- "Max total ownership %" caps the sum of ownership in a lineup. A value of 0 turns it off.
Why Wins and Finishes Matter
A fighter who loses usually scores few points. A fighter who wins by knockout or submission in the first round gets a large bonus. For tournaments, look at "Ceil" and "Win" together. A fighter with a high ceiling and a fair win chance can win a large field.
Keep "Max fighters per bout" at 1. One of the two fighters loses, so a lineup with both sides gives up points. Set it to 2 only for a planned hedge.
Build and Review
Click "Build". The lineups show below the table. Each card shows salary, points and total ownership. The "Exp" column in the table shows the share of each fighter.
Click "DraftKings CSV" to download DraftKings lineups. FanDuel slates export a names CSV. The optimizer puts your highest projected fighter in the FanDuel MVP slot.
How MMA Fighters Score
We estimated DraftKings points from the fight stats of about 5,900 UFC bouts. We used the DraftKings scoring rules.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Correlation of the two fighters in one bout | -0.81 |
| Winners, average points | About 94 |
| Losers, average points | About 23 |
| Winners by knockout | About 109 |
| Winners by submission | About 101 |
| Winners by decision | About 82 |
The two fighters in one bout move in opposite directions. When one fighter wins, the other fighter scores very few points. This is why "Max fighters per bout" is 1 by default.
A win is worth about four times a loss. A finish pays more than a decision, and an early finish pays the most. So the chance to win early matters more than the chance to win.
MMA Strategy by Contest Type
Cash games
- Select "Projection (cash)". Build one lineup.
- Use big favorites and fighters who score well in a decision through strikes and control time.
Tournaments
- Select "Ceiling blend (GPP)". Raise "Ceiling weight % (GPP)" if you want more finishers.
- Build for six wins. Use underdogs with a real chance to finish the fight.
- Keep "Max fighters per bout" at 1 in every lineup. Across many lineups, you can still use both sides of a fight that is likely to end early.
- Lower "Max exposure %" for large builds so that one favorite is not in every lineup.
Late changes
Fights can change late in the week. Check the card before lock. Remove a fighter whose fight is cancelled, and build again.
A Simple MMA Plan
- For cash games, select "Projection (cash)" and build one lineup.
- For tournaments, select "Ceiling blend (GPP)" and build more lineups.
- Keep "Max fighters per bout" at 1.
- Check for late fight changes before lock.
See this card's numbers on the MMA DFS projections page. Then go back to the lineup optimizer guide hub for the other sports.
DFS contests use real money. Only play what you can afford to lose. 21+. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER.