UFC Fantasy Draft, Season 3: Predicting the Best Fighters Through 2025

MMA Fighting`s UFC Fantasy League returns for Season 3!

With June now concluded, we`ve officially reached the midpoint of 2024, marking the end of Season 2 of the MMA Fighting UFC Fantasy League. While many predicted Guilherme Cruz would take the Season 2 title, “The Brazilian Beast” surprisingly finished last. Instead, Alexander K. Lee once again claimed top honors with an impressive 2425 team points, finishing 300 points ahead of runner-up E. Casey Leydon. This victory was significantly boosted by Joshua Van, who delivered a strong 500 points last season, second only to Merab Dvalishvili.

But there`s no time to dwell on the past, as one season ends and a new one is ready to begin. As the UFC prepares for its event in Nashville featuring Derrick Lewis vs. Tallison Teixeira, we at MMA Fighting are fully prepared for Season 3 of the fantasy league.

Just as a quick refresher, this isn`t a daily fantasy league like most MMA fantasy games. It`s structured more like traditional fantasy sports. Alexander K. Lee, E. Casey Leydon, Mike Heck, Damon Martin, Jed Meshew, and Guilherme Cruz will each draft a team of 12 fighters – one from each major weight class and one wild card. Each fighter earns points for their team based on a specific scoring criteria. This season will run through the end of 2025, after which we will crown a new champion and reset for the next season.

Scoring Criteria

(Note: The specific scoring criteria details were not provided in the original text.)

We hope that`s clear enough!

With all returning players this season, we opted for a reverse snake draft format, meaning the losers from Season 2 picked first. Additionally, for an extra element of strategy, each player was allowed to retain one fighter from their Season 2 roster before the draft commenced.

So, without further delay, let`s see the draft picks!

Season 3 Draft Results

Guilherme Cruz

• Alexandre Pantoja (Retained Pick) – Currently the longest-reigning male champion in the UFC, Pantoja is expected to face Joshua Van later this year. He has finished his last two opponents and seems to be improving despite being 35.
• Jean Silva (Featherweight) – “Lord” scored 450 points for Lee in Season 2 and is booked against Diego Lopes. A win could potentially lead to a title fight before year`s end.
• Zhang Weili (Strawweight) – The strawweight champion successfully defended her title against Tatiana Suarez earlier this year. She may defend her title again or potentially move up to flyweight for a superfight against Valentina Shevchenko.
• Tallison Teixeira (Heavyweight) – A 2024 Contender Series signee, Teixeira knocked out Justin Tafa in just 35 seconds in his UFC debut. This earned him a main event spot against Derrick Lewis this Saturday.
• Caio Borralho (Middleweight) – Scheduled to main event UFC Paris against Nassourdine Imavov in September. A win could earn him a shot at the middleweight belt.
• Vinicius Oliveira (Bantamweight) – A Contender Series product, “Lok Dog” has been impressive in his three UFC appearances and is set to fight Kyler Phillips at UFC 318.
• Ian Machado Garry (Welterweight) – Coming off a win against Carlos Prates, “IMG” is near title contention and potentially lined up to face former champion Belal Muhammad later this year.
• Natalia Silva (Women’s Flyweight) – The No. 1 contender after defeating Alexa Grasso, Silva might be next for a title shot, depending on Zhang Weili`s plans.
• Arman Tsarukyan (Lightweight) – Tsarukyan was the backup fighter for UFC 317. The No. 1 contender has been actively seeking potential fights with various ranked opponents.
• Jiri Prochazka (Light Heavyweight) – After knocking out Jamahal Hill, the former champion took time off for education but could quickly return to title contention in the 205-pound division.
• Anthony Hernandez (Wild Card) – “Fluffy” is on a seven-fight winning streak and faces Roman Dolidze in the main event of an August APEX card.
• Karol Rosa (Women’s Bantamweight) – Rosa has alternated wins and losses recently. She faces Nora Cornolle in August after a loss to Ailin Perez in January.

Jed Meshew

• Sergei Pavlovich (Retained Pick) – Known for quick, brutal knockouts. While his last fight was a decision win, his upcoming bout against Waldo Cortes-Acosta offers another chance for big points.
• Shara Magomedov (Middleweight) – “Bullet” fights Marc-Andre Barriault at UFC Abu Dhabi this month. Given the promotion`s planned return to the UAE in October, he has a good chance of fighting at least twice this season.
• Kevin Holland (Welterweight) – One of the sport`s most active fighters, Holland went undrafted last season. This was a mistake, as he has already fought three times in 2024 and is booked against Daniel Rodriguez at UFC 318.
• Fatima Kline (Strawweight) – With a 1-1 UFC record, Kline faces Melissa Martinez this weekend where she is a significant betting favorite (-1100).
• Morgan Charriere (Featherweight) – Charriere fights Nate Landwehr this weekend. After this, it`s highly likely the French fighter will appear at UFC Paris later this year.
• Daniel Zellhuber (Lightweight) – Zellhuber faces veteran Michael Johnson at UFC 318. The Mexican fighter is also highly likely to participate in this year`s Noche UFC card in September.
• Carli Judice (Women’s Flyweight) – At 1-1 in the UFC, Judice has earned a bonus in each of her octagon fights. She faces Nicolle Caliari at UFC 318.
• Brandon Moreno (Flyweight) – The former two-time flyweight champion isn`t currently booked but has been linked to potential matchups and is likely to compete at the Noche UFC card.
• Nora Cornolle (Women’s Bantamweight) – With a 3-1 UFC record, Cornolle is scheduled to face Karol Rosa on an August APEX card.
• Bogdan Guskov (Light Heavyweight) – Riding a three-fight winning streak, Guskov is set to face Nikita Krylov at UFC Abu Dhabi.
• Malcolm Wellmaker (Bantamweight) – One of the most exciting prospects from Contender Series last year, Wellmaker has two first-round KOs and two Performance bonuses in his two UFC bouts.
• Azamat Bekoev (Wild Card) – 2-0 in the UFC, Bekoev faces Torrez Finney in August.

Damon Martin

• Islam Makhachev (Retained Pick) – Picking the top pound-for-pound fighter is rarely a bad move, especially as he seems poised to challenge for the welterweight title later this year.
• Merab Dvalishvili (Bantamweight) – The top-scoring fighter from Season 2, Dvalishvili is not currently scheduled to defend his title but has stated his hope to get two more title defenses in this year, if possible.
• Alexander Volkanovski (Featherweight) – The reigning featherweight champion isn`t currently booked, though rematch rumors with Yair Rodriguez exist. Regardless of the opponent, Volkanovski is expected to defend his belt before year`s end.
• Michael Morales (Wild Card) – 6-0 in the UFC, Morales is coming off a first-round stoppage of Gilbert Burns. Although not currently booked, the Ecuadorian fighter should see action again this year.
• Tatsuro Taira (Flyweight) – Making his first appearance since his only MMA loss, Taira faces Amir Albazi in a UFC Apex main event in August, a tough test.
• Mauricio Ruffy (Lightweight) – Another of the “Fighting Nerds” rising in MMA. Ruffy isn`t officially booked but should fight at least once before the end of the year.
• Ramazan Temirov (Flyweight) – 3-0 in the UFC since joining from Rizin, Temirov faces Asu Almabayev at UFC Abu Dhabi.
• Marco Tulio (Middleweight) – A Contender Series product, Tulio has two stoppage wins in two UFC fights. He faces Michel Pereira at UFC Shanghai.
• Marcin Tybura (Heavyweight) – On a two-fight winning streak, Tybura faces former PFL standout Ante Delija in his promotional debut in September.
• Norma Dumont (Women’s Bantamweight) – Riding a five-fight winning streak, Dumont could be next for a title shot depending on the outcome between Kayla Harrison and Amanda Nunes.
• Dominick Reyes (Light Heavyweight) – Part of a run on 205ers, Reyes is on a three-fight winning streak and improbably nearing title contention again. He`s been linked to a potential fight with Carlos Ulberg, among others.
• Kayla Harrison (Women’s Bantamweight) – Harrison just won the title by stopping Julianna Peña and is now looking at a superfight with Amanda Nunes. The only question is whether this happens this year.

Mike Heck

• Ilia Topuria (Retained Pick) – The other top pound-for-pound fighter, Topuria`s rise is comparable to Conor McGregor`s. While his first lightweight title defense opponent is unclear, he will likely be expected to finish them early.
• Khamzat Chimaev (Middleweight) – When Chimaev fights, he almost always delivers impressive performances. The question is whether he makes it to the cage. We`ll find out soon as he`s booked to challenge Dricus du Plessis for the middleweight belt at UFC 319 in August.
• Magomed Ankalaev (Light Heavyweight) – The reigning champion is pushing for a rematch with Alex Pereira, though its likelihood is uncertain. Jiri Prochazka has also been mentioned as a potential challenger.
• Petr Yan (Bantamweight) – A former bantamweight champion on a two-fight winning streak, Yan hopes to get a title shot by facing Marcus McGhee at UFC Abu Dhabi.
• Waldo Cortes-Acosta (Heavyweight) – On a five-fight winning streak, “Salsa Boy” gets his shot at title contention against Sergei Pavlovich at UFC Shanghai.
• Ateba Gautier (Wild Card) – A 2024 Contender Series signing, Gautier scored a first-round KO and bonus in his only UFC fight. He faces Robert Valentin at UFC 318.
• Ramazan Temirov (Flyweight) – *Duplicate pick, already drafted by Damon Martin.* (Original text error, maintaining list as provided but noting inconsistency) 3-0 in the UFC since joining from Rizin, Termirov faces Asu Almabayev at UFC Abu Dhabi.
• Michael ‘Venom’ Page (Middleweight) – Although “MVP” claims to be a welterweight, his last fight was at 185 pounds, and he`s booked against former middleweight title challenger Jared Cannonier. He appears to be a middleweight pick here.
• Jasmine Jasudavicius (Women’s Flyweight) – On a five-fight winning streak, Jasudavicius submitted Jessica Andrade at UFC 315. She is not currently booked.
• Gillian Robertson (Strawweight) – On a four-fight winning streak, Robertson is coming off a stoppage win over Marina Rodriguez. She is not currently booked.
• Movsar Evloev (Featherweight) – 19-0 with an impressive UFC run, Evloev still seeks a title shot. He needs to get past Pico to finally get his championship opportunity.
• Erin Blanchfield (Women’s Flyweight) – Blanchfield was supposed to face Maycee Barber last season, but Barber withdrew. Blanchfield has not yet been rebooked.

E. Casey Leydon

• Tom Aspinall (Retained Pick) – Aspinall was held back last season by Jon Jones` refusal to fight. Now the undisputed champion reportedly has a date locked in, making him likely to score significant points this season.
• Zhang Mingyang (Light Heavyweight) – “The Mountain Tiger” has impressed in his brief UFC tenure and is now headlining UFC China against the often knockout-prone Johnny Walker.
• Dricus du Plessis (Middleweight) – The current middleweight champion and a top pound-for-pound fighter, “DDP” is on a remarkable UFC run which he will look to continue against Khamzat Chimaev.
• Reinier de Ridder (Middleweight) – The former two-division ONE champion has turned heads since joining the UFC and faces Robert Whittaker in the main event of UFC Abu Dhabi this month.
• Jacobe Smith (Welterweight) – Smith had a tougher fight than expected against Niko Price but still secured an impressive stoppage. The Contender Series product is considered one of the UFC`s brightest prospects.
• Steve Garcia (Featherweight) – Currently on a five-fight winning streak, Garcia faces Calvin Kattar in the feature bout of UFC Nashville.
• Manel Kape (Flyweight) – The question with Kape is always whether he makes it to the cage. He was scheduled against Brandon Royval but withdrew due to injury and is still recovering.
• Dustin Poirier (Lightweight) – A future Hall of Famer, Poirier has what may be the final walk of his career against Max Holloway in a trilogy fight at UFC 318 this month.
• Tatiana Suarez (Strawweight) – Suarez suffered a tough loss to Zhang Weili in February and is not currently booked. Her history of infrequent competition is a concern.
• Wang Cong (Women’s Flyweight) – On a two-fight winning streak, Wang Cong is not currently booked. Her most recent fight was in June at UFC 316.
• Umar Nurmagomedov (Bantamweight) – Nurmagomedov hasn`t fought since his defeat to Merab Dvalishvili in January. It`s likely his return will coincide with Islam Makhachev`s welterweight title shot.
• Raquel Pennington (Women’s Bantamweight) – The former bantamweight champion hasn`t fought since losing her title to Julianna Peña.
• Gregory Rodrigues (Wild Card) – “Robocop” quickly finished Jack Hermansson at UFC 317 and should be able to make a quick turnaround, though nothing is set.

Alexander K. Lee

• Joshua Van (Retained Pick) – The second-highest point scorer in Season 2, Van is set to face Alexandre Pantoja later this year. Given his activity, he might get another fight in as well.
• Dricus du Plessis (Middleweight) – *Duplicate pick, already drafted by E. Casey Leydon.* (Original text error, maintaining list as provided but noting inconsistency) The current middleweight champion and one of the top pound-for-pound fighters, “DDP” is on a remarkable UFC run which he will try to continue against Chimaev.
• Max Holloway (Lightweight) – The `BMF` champ is the first lightweight drafted and is scheduled to take on Dustin Poirier in the main event of UFC 318 this month.
• Carlos Prates (Welterweight) – Prates suffered his first UFC loss in April, dropping a decision to Ian Machado Garry. He is rumored to be facing Geoff Neal later this year.
• Cory Sandhagen (Bantamweight) – A consistent top contender at 135 pounds, Sandhagen is expected to finally get a shot at the undisputed title against champion Dvalishvili later this year.
• Jailton Almeida (Heavyweight) – One of the top heavyweights, Almeida has had a sterling run in the UFC and has been openly lobbying for a shot at champion Tom Aspinall.
• Azamat Murzakanov (Light Heavyweight) – 5-0 in the UFC with four knockouts, Murzakanov has also faced issues getting fights booked. He is not currently scheduled.
• Alexia Tainara (Strawweight) – A Contender Series product, Thainara won her UFC debut by submitting Molly McCann in March. She is not currently booked.
• Aaron Pico (Featherweight) – A standout from Bellator, Pico makes his UFC debut against Movsar Evloev at UFC Abu Dhabi.
• Kennedy Freeman (Women’s Flyweight) – An undefeated prospect and Cage Warriors champion, Freeman makes her UFC debut against Yuneisy Duben at UFC Paris.
• Mayra Bueno Silva (Women’s Bantamweight) – Riding a three-fight losing streak, “MBS” returns to 135 pounds against Joselyne Edwards in August, hoping to get back on track.
• Torrez Finney (Wild Card) – The only fighter to go 3-0 on Contender Series, Finney didn`t impress in his UFC debut but gets a chance at redemption against Bekoev next month.

And there you have it! The third MMA Fighting UFC Fantasy Draft is complete. We`ll check back in December with the results and look forward to the next season.