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UFC 184: Best DraftKings Fantasy Picks for Ronda Rousey vs. Cat Zingano Card

Ronda Rousey is set to defend her UFC women’s bantamweight title against Cat Zingano at UFC 184. It could be the most thrilling bout in Rousey’s career to date, but it’s not a fight you want to target in your DraftKings lineup.
Zingano is easily the to…

Zingano is easily the toughest and most well-rounded opponent Rousey has faced. While I couldn’t bring myself to pick against Rousey, I do acknowledge that this should be a tough fight that lasts into the third round or later.

The longer it goes, the less points Rousey would potentially score for DK players. Thus, I’m leaving this one untouched. It’s best you watch this bout for the thrill of the fight and not with any DK interest.

You have to pick someone, right? Here are the best picks for Saturday’s card.

Jake “The Juggernaut” Ellenberger ($11,400) vs. Josh “Kos” Koscheck

To put it plainly, Josh Koscheck is done. Kos has lost three straight bouts, with the last two coming by TKO/KO. He probably should have called it quits in 2013 when Robbie Lawler stopped him at UFC 157, but Koscheck is still chasing Octagon glory. He recently told Mike Bohn of MMA Junkie he wants to fight out the end of his contract, which has two matches remaining.

Per Bohn, Koscheck said: “I started my career with the UFC and hopefully I’ll get the opportunity to end my career with the UFC. I’d like to have that opportunity to win two more fights and then see.”

Just about any fighter opposite the 37-year-old Koscheck would be a smart fantasy pick. As it turns out, the shopworn Koscheck is just what the doctor ordered for a struggling and desperate Jake Ellenberger. The Juggernaut has also lost three straight.

He needs a win in the worst way, and it would be a shock if he doesn’t get off the schneid against Koscheck. In a bout that will likely end in the first two rounds, Ellenberger is perhaps the smartest and easiest pick on the card.

He’s a heavy-handed fighter facing an opponent who has lost a step and been the victim of a few too many vicious KO losses. Ellenberger should score a KO/TKO win to make good on his high DK salary.

Roman “El Gallito” Salazar ($7,600) vs. Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto

At one point, Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto was one of the most exciting smaller fighters in the sport. Now, he’s a 37-year-old fighter coming off a three-year absence and a three-fight losing streak.

Roman Salazar isn’t exactly a star waiting to explode in the UFC, but he is an excellent submission fighter who is hungry to perform well in the promotion. He lost his UFC debut to Mitch Gagnon in Oct. 2014, but this is a fight he can win.

By taking Kid Yamamoto to the mat and pushing the pace, Salazar will come out on top. A decision win is possible, but I’m making a partially bold and precise prediction for this one. Salazar will score an impressive submission victory.

This fight is set up to be the biggest bargain of the night for DK players.

Roan “Jucao” Carneiro ($7,700) vs. Marc “The Filipino Wrecking Machine” Munoz

If you made a list of the most overrated active fighters in the UFC, Marc Munoz’s name should be on it. He’s lost three of his last four fights, and the last two losses have come in the first round.

Munoz is no longer a serious contender at 185 pounds, and he’s on his way out of the top 15 in the division.

On Saturday night, Roan Carneiro will help usher him down the ladder. The 36-year-old Brazilian hasn’t fought in the UFC since 2008, and he was just 2-3 during his stint with the promotion.

Since leaving, he is 7-1. Carneiro is hungry and eager to impress in his return.

Munoz simply isn’t the striker nor ground-and-pound threat he once was. He’ll get outworked by Carneiro and lose by lopsided decision or TKO in the second bargain pick of the evening.

Dhiego Lima ($10,100) vs. Tim “Dirty Bird” Means

There aren’t a ton of welterweights with length to match that of the 6’2″ Tim Means, but Dhiego Lima is one of the few. One of Means’ two losses in the UFC came to the unusually long Neil Magny in the Dirty Bird’s return to the UFC after a brief hiatus.

Lima has a similar length and grinding style. He’s also a bit quicker than Means, as well as a better grappler. The former Ultimate Fighter season 19 participant has a bright future ahead of him, as his overall game is still taking shape.

Neither fighter has proven to be a devastating striker at the high levels of the sport. Thus, this one is likely to go to the scorecards. When it’s all said and done, Lima should earn the victory based on time spent in top control or a dominant position on the ground.

Tony “El Cucuy” Ferguson ($11,400) vs. Gleison Tibau

Despite being one of the winningest fighters in UFC history, Gleison Tibau has routinely come up short against elite competition. He lost to Michael Johnson, Khabib Nurmagomedov and Jim Miller when it seemed he was ready to ascend toward a title shot.

With four straight wins and a 7-1 record in the UFC overall, Tony Ferguson is on the cusp of being regarded as one of the best at 155 pounds. A win should put him in the top 15 in the lightweight rankings. Tibau will serve as the gatekeeper for Ferguson in this bout.

I believe Ferguson will win on the strength of effective striking. Both men are excellent submission fighters, so there won’t be much of an advantage on the ground for either of them.

However, in the stand-up game, El Cucuy’s length and speed should allow him to potshot Tibau en route to an easy unanimous-decision victory and some extra DK fantasy points for significant strikes.

Follow Brian Mazique on Twitter. I dig boxing and MMA.

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UFC 184: Tony Ferguson Looks for Biggest Win to Date over Gleison Tibau

Lightweight contender Tony Ferguson puts his four-fight winning streak on the line against veteran Gleison Tibau at UFC 184.
“El Cucuy”, which means “The Boogeyman,” has finished the likes of Abel Trujillo and Katsunori Kikuno in that span. His o…

Lightweight contender Tony Ferguson puts his four-fight winning streak on the line against veteran Gleison Tibau at UFC 184.

“El Cucuy“, which means “The Boogeyman,” has finished the likes of Abel Trujillo and Katsunori Kikuno in that span. His opponent, Tibau, has gone 5-1 in his last six outings, with all five wins coming by decision.

Ferguson isn’t currently a ranked lightweight, but that may soon change. The 31-year-old is as confident as he has ever been and plans on beating the Brazilian bruiser at his own game. He told MMAjunkie’s Steven Marrocco:

If he just wants to sit there and lay on me like Danny Castillo did, he can try to play the judges, but it’s just not going to work, man. He’s going to have a barrage of knees, punches, kicks and elbows coming at his face, and with an unlimited supply of conditioning. That’s one of his downfalls right there.

The Ultimate Fighter Season 13 winner is willing to take risks that other fighters aren’t, as touched on by Marrocco. Ferguson is light on his feet and is prepared for all situations.

Come February 28 at the Staples Center, the former NCAA All-American wrestler from Grand Valley State may surprise the big brute Tibau.

Tibau has been known to weigh over 185 pounds on fight night. Ferguson has trained with similarly sculpted wrestlers in his collegiate days and fought multiple weight classes higher than his natural fit at one time.

“I used to wrestle at 184 pounds. I bumped up two weight classes, and I was wrestling guys who were 210 pounds, no problem, and I’m barely making 174,” said Ferguson.

The extra weight Tibau carries is what Ferguson thinks will be the deciding factor in their meeting.

Tibau won’t wow you with his speed, but his cardio is deceptive. The Florida-based fighter has won 16 fights via decision in his 15-year mixed martial arts career.

He’s durable and has only been finished twice in his lengthy UFC career, including a December 2013 second-round TKO loss to Michael Johnson.

Ferguson appears to have done his homework.

“(Johnson) kept on his feet, kept his shots really light, and he took out Gleison Tibau,” he said. “When I go in and watch film, I look at these guys’ mistakes, and I want to make sure I capitalize on them.”

Though his striking has considerably improved over the last eight years, Tibau‘s hands remain one of his weaknesses. Over the course of his last three fights, he has been outstruck 112:149, per FightMetric.

Ferguson is not a high-volume striker, but he picks his shots. The Boogeyman‘s most recent knockout came against the Japanese karate specialist Kikuno.

The California native teed off on Kikuno with endless jabs and crosses. Ferguson’s entire MMA repertoire was on display.

He tossed the Judo black belt to the ground with ease and nearly ended the fight twice with submissions.

Putting Tibau on his back will be much harder. The Brazilian boasts some of the best takedown defense in the entire UFC. He defends them at a 93 percent clip.

The winner of this meeting is potentially looking at a berth into the Top 15 of the lightweight division. For Tibau, his journey to lightweight prominence has lasted close to a decade.

One look at the Brazilian’s tour of duty and it becomes increasingly clear: He has fought the 155-pound division’s toughest men.

Tibau‘s career has transcended eras—he has been in the cage with everyone from Joe Stevenson and Melvin Guillard, to Rafael dos Anjos and Khabib Nurmagomedov.

The 31-year-old Tibau came up short in his fight against Nurmagomedov—or “The Eagle”—but it was much closer than the scorecards indicated. Tibau stuffed all 13 of the Russian’s takedown attempts and was the more accurate striker of the two.

Ferguson’s best chance to win will be on the feet when he can utilize his speed advantage. He will also want to make use of the five-inch reach advantage he possesses.

His ability to slide in and out of harm’s way will prove pivotal against Tibau.

The Brazilian, however, has fared well against foes he was counted out against and is becoming more refined with age.

Expect a close contest on Saturday night, with The Boogeyman gutting it out for the “W.”

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Ronda Rousey vs. Arianny Celeste Is the UFC’s Best Dumb Rivalry

Heading into UFC 184, Ronda Rousey is facing two opponents.
First, there’s Cat Zingano, Rousey’s opponent on Saturday night. Zingano (9-0) is a vicious striker with plenty of power and a bit of a crazy streak, as evidenced by her bloodcurdling scream i…

Heading into UFC 184, Ronda Rousey is facing two opponents.

First, there’s Cat Zingano, Rousey’s opponent on Saturday night. Zingano (9-0) is a vicious striker with plenty of power and a bit of a crazy streak, as evidenced by her bloodcurdling scream in the UFC 184 promo commercial. And if Rousey has the best mean mug in the sport (she does), Zingano has to be near the top of the rankings.

Point being, Rousey might have a challenge on her plate. Or maybe not. She is a nearly 10-1 favorite on some sportsbooks, and it is hard to imagine Zingano pulling off what would be considered an all-time upset. As my colleague Jonathan Snowden and I noted, Rousey is the most dominant fighter in UFC history and is on a completely different level in terms of athleticism.

I suppose it is no surprise, then, that the major pre-fight storyline for Rousey has centered not on Zingano, but on one of the bikini-clad women who will carry a numbered placard around the Octagon on Saturday night, informing the public which round is coming up.

Rousey and Octagon girl Arianny Celeste have sniped at each other ever since a 2012 interview Rousey did with Maxim. The magazine named Rousey to its Hot 100 list. In the accompanying interview (h/t MMA Fighting), she took a shot at Celeste: “It would have been really funny if I’d beaten Arianny Celeste… Like, ‘Ha-ha, it’s your job to show your t—–s—I do that better than you!’ Maybe next year,” Rousey said. “She’s only getting older, and I’m reaching my prime.”

Celeste stayed silent for a while but eventually returned fire on MMAjunkie Radio.

“I don’t really like the way she carries herself, I don’t think she’s a good role model for women,” she said. “I think that women should empower each other and give each other a little pat on the back.”

The pair remained mostly silent until last week, when Rousey took a subtle shot at Celeste during a media day at Glendale Fighting Club, her home gym in Los Angeles. Rousey said that fighters should get paid more than the ring girls.

“And I don’t know if the ring girls get paid too much or the fighters don’t get paid enough,” she said. “But yeah. There’s definitely a lot more in what the fighters do than what they do.”

On Tuesday’s edition of MMAjunkie Radio, Celeste told hosts Brent Brookhouse and Brian Garcia that Rousey is “a big bully” and that people don’t understand how difficult her job is.

Not only are you walking around in a bathing suit where people are critiquing you for that, but try having a camera in your face and showing your personality and being a host of a TV show. Trying being like a live mannequin and having clients put you in a million different outfits, and you’re wanting to go home, but you’re not able to because you have 50 different more outfits.

My first reaction upon reading Celeste’s statement?

I laughed. I laughed a good, long hearty laugh.

There are millions of people in the real world with difficult jobs, and here is Celeste, complaining about having to try on a bunch of outfits and wear a swimsuit with a camera in her face.

The fighters inside that Octagon are putting their health, brains and future at risk. She’s on the outside, walking around in a circle and holding up a card.

And while I’m sure it isn’t fun enduring the morons who whistle and shriek and yell out horrible things at the Octagon girls as they dutifully walk their circles, there is just no comparison between what they’re doing and, oh, just about any other real and difficult job on the planet.

I am sure this all sounds mean. I do not intend it to be so. But there’s just no way to take Celeste seriously when she’s trying to tell us how difficult her job is.

Go tell the incredible UFC production crew that essentially works three straight days with very little sleep to set up an arena that your job is difficult. Perhaps they’ll have some sympathy. I doubt it, but I guess there’s a chance.

During Wednesday’s open workouts at the UFC Gym in Torrance, California, Rousey reiterated her stance.

“I’m sorry, but she wouldn’t have a job if it wasn’t for the fighters. She wouldn’t,” Rousey said. “Do you think her walking in circles around the two guys or two girls out there like, fighting for their lives is worth more? You think she works harder than they do?

“I didn’t say that she needed a pay cut. I said either the ring card girls are paid too much or the fighters aren’t paid enough.”

I don’t know how much Celeste is paid for her work as an Octagon girl, nor do I care. And I suppose the Octagon girls are an essential part of the UFC experience. Ring card girls are a tradition in combat sports, after all. They are probably paid substantially more than many of the fighters on the UFC roster, especially those who are just starting out on preliminary cards. I don’t have to agree with it, and Rousey’s stance on the matter is quite clear.

But don’t go around telling everybody that your job is difficult, because it isn’t. I understand that Celeste felt the need to defend herself against Rousey’s attacks. We’ve all been there.

But this is one battle she won’t win. Because much like Rousey’s opponents in the Octagon, Celeste is outgunned.

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James Krause Ready to Show and Prove at UFC 184

James Krause is fired up.
Not that the Missouri-based scrapper ever needs any added motivation going into a fight, but there is something stinging him leading into his next tilt at UFC 184. A quick look at the hard-charging lightweight’s career reveals…

James Krause is fired up.

Not that the Missouri-based scrapper ever needs any added motivation going into a fight, but there is something stinging him leading into his next tilt at UFC 184. A quick look at the hard-charging lightweight’s career reveals he’s traveled a hard road to make it to the biggest stage in MMA, and he’s attempted to make the most out of each of the four showings he’s had inside the Octagon.

The 28-year-old Grindhouse MMA representative has suffered setbacks in two of his four outings, yet the end results of those fights haven’t been an easy measure to gauge the skills he brings to the cage. His bout against Bobby Green was a foul-laden affair that ended in controversial fashion, while his most recent loss came in an uninspired showing against Jorge Masvidal, who is currently a top-ranked competitor at 155 pounds and on one of the hottest streaks in the talent-rich lightweight fold.

That said, his two wins under the UFC banner were both high-paced, action-packed bouts. His debut showing against Sam Stout at UFC 161 back in June of 2013 resulted in Krause not only claiming the victory, but leaving Winnipeg with two Performance of the Night bonuses.

His other win came against former WEC lightweight champion Jamie Varner in a bout that was toe-to-toe ruckus until the Arizona native suffered an ankle injury that prevented him from entering the second round of the fight.

When his total body of work is examined it’s clear that Krause not only possesses a fan-friendly and exciting style, but he’s fought well above his ranking—or lack thereof—in a division crawling with game fighters.

And when he discovered his upcoming tilt against Valmir Lazaro was slated to appear on the Fight Pass portion of Saturday’s card in Los Angeles, Krause was admittedly a bit miffed and fired up to prove he deserves a higher placement on the billing.

“It absolutely motivates me,” Krause told Bleacher Report. “Two things come to mind when I start talking about this subject. When you look at who I’ve fought and I think I’m an exciting fighter and I deserve to be on the Fox Sports 1 portion of the card. You also look at who else is on that card. For God sakes there are far less exciting fights on the card than what our fight is from a stylistic standpoint.

“I know [Lazaro] is relatively new to the game, but if you look at our respective styles it makes sense to put us on the televised portion of the card—at least kick off the Fox Sports 1 part of the card. We are two guys who both come out to finish, and we are good at it. That’s an exciting matchup and there are some other fights on the card that are up higher on the card and it just doesn’t make sense to me.”

Not only did the bump down the card leave him wondering how much respect he’s earned with the UFC brass, but fighting on the non-televised portion of the event was a direct shot to his wallet. Make no mistake about it, Krause is always ready to handle business inside the Octagon. But the frustrations that have accompanied his upcoming bout have presented other obstacles outside of the fight.

“I lost probably $3,000 to $4,000 in sponsorship money for this fight,” Krause explained. “I lost that money because I’m on Fight Pass instead of Fox Sports 1. Yeah…it definitely irritates me.

“I’m kind of used to it now, but I don’t really understand [the UFC’s] angle,” he added in regard to his roller-coaster experience with the top promotion in the sport. “I don’t know if they love me or hate me. I feel like I’m a pretty marketable dude, and I promote my fights well. I’ve never turned down an interview in my life. I do all the interviews and PR that I can, so I really don’t know. But at the end of the day I have to show up, and I have to fight these guys. It is what it is I guess.”

All outside-of-the-cage business aside, Krause still has to show up and perform on fight night if he wants any ground to stand on. He is a fighter who is always looking to further his craft and one who is determined to show the best version of his competitive self when the cage door closes.

And while he usually stays with his brothers and sisters in arms at Grindhouse MMA in Missouri, Krause and teammate Tim Elliott took a different route in preparation for their respective fights.

With Elliott having to fight at elevation in Denver, both fighters went out to Colorado early in order to get settled in. Where Elliott was making the final preparations for his bout with Zach Makovsky at Fight Night 60, Krause used the experience to get some new looks with Marc Montoya and his squad at Factory X in Denver.

“They are great guys and they helped me a ton,” Krause said. “They helped me fine-tune some things, and it was a great experience training with those guys.

“I was already going to be out there in Denver for Tim’s fight, so it just made sense for me to go out there a little bit early because Tim was out there anyway. I need to get new looks and new angles and stuff like that. It made a lot more sense for me to go out this time than it normally would.”

With his bout against Lazaro rapidly approaching, the time will soon come for Krause to step into the Octagon once again and put everything he has on the line. He’s still in the process of establishing his name on the biggest stage in MMA, but he’s already long since established the fact that he’s as game as they come when things go live.

He’ll be looking to stamp that notion at Lazaro’s expense at UFC 184 and is determined to prove he belongs where fight fans can see what he has to offer.

“I’m always trying to make a statement, man,” Krause said. “That’s the entire reason I fight and the reason I got into this sport in the first place. I want people to enjoy my fights and talk about me every single time I go out there. That’s why I fight. I definitely don’t do it for the money that’s for sure. I love competing, and I love entertaining the fans. That’s what is important to me.

“I love the matchup. If you just look at it on paper with who he’s fought and who I’ve fought, I think the tale of the tape tells the story here. But we have to fight to figure it all out. I think I’ve faced way better competition than he has. If you look at my UFC fights against his fights in the UFC, it is night and day. I think he’s going to be dangerous.

“He always comes ready to fight, and fighters from his neck of the woods always seem to come in a little more fired up than usual,” he added. “I definitely have to bring my A-game, and if I do that I don’t feel like there is any way I can lose to this guy.”

Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Rousey vs. Zingano: A Complete Guide to UFC 184

The UFC returns to pay-per-view on Saturday when UFC 184 hits Los Angeles.
Dominant world champion Ronda Rousey is headlining against top contender Cat Zingano. The matchup will be Rousey’s toughest test to date. The co-main event will be a women’s ban…

The UFC returns to pay-per-view on Saturday when UFC 184 hits Los Angeles.

Dominant world champion Ronda Rousey is headlining against top contender Cat Zingano. The matchup will be Rousey‘s toughest test to date. The co-main event will be a women’s bantamweight clash when Raquel Pennington welcomes Holly Holm to the UFC.

Josh Koscheck returns at UFC 184 in a matchup of powerful wrestlers against Jake Ellenberger.

UFC 184 gets underway on UFC Fight Pass (subscription required) before moving to Fox Sports 1 for the remainder of the prelims. The 11-fight event should deliver several exciting fights and performances this weekend.

This is your guide to all of the action. We take a look at each fight on the card, tell you where can watch it and give you a prediction as well.

Without further ado, let’s get to the lineup set for UFC 184.

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UFC 184: Preliminary Card Predictions

We’re back at it again. That’s right, the UFC returns this weekend to pay-per-view with UFC 184. Headlined by Ronda Rousey and Cat Zingano, the card is a solid outing, featuring some underrated stars.
As for the prelims, we have some fun fights. From v…

As for the prelims, we have some fun fights. From vets like Mark Munoz and Kid Yamamoto to hot prospects like Dhiego Lima and Derrick Lewis, a nice mix of talent should give us some great action.

Let’s hope this card isn’t as thoroughly awful in terms of picks as last weekend. That bad showing closed the gap between my wins and losses this year, so let’s jump back on the horse.

With that, let’s take a look at the preliminary card and make some picks.

2015 Riley’s Record: 24-13

Last Event: UFC Fight Night 61 (1-4)

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