UFC 202: McGregor vs Diaz 

Fantasy MMA DraftKings Lineup Advice

By: Dylan Smith

UFC 202 could go down as the biggest PPV in UFC history once the dust settles Saturday night. Anytime "Notorious" Conor McGregor is on the bill you know it will be a blockbuster and his main event fight against Nate Diaz is lining up to be the biggest one yet. The nights card is highly anticipated with a main card featuring perhaps the most exciting on paper matchup available in the LHW division, Anthony "Rumble" Johnson vs Glover Teixera. Also, Rick Story takes on Donald Cerrone in a welterweight bout that almost guarantees tons of violence. Speaking of violence, Cody Garbrandt also fights as he takes on Takeya Mizugaki in the featured prelim bout on FS1. If your a fan of fighting and you like to watch great fights, UFC 202 is the fight to watch.

There is tons to offer from a fantasy perspective and I will be breaking down the fighters you should or shouldn't have in your lineups and why. So put your money where your mouth is and throw down a few bucks to test your MMA knowledge against me and the thousands of other players who will be trying to cash out this weekend!

Locks

These are the picks in your lineup that have a higher price tag but also have a high chance of winning and producing a finish that makes it worth it. You want to use these picks as the "anchor" of your lineups.



Conor McGregor ($10,400)

We all know how the last fight went when late-replacement opponent Diaz pulled off the unthinkable and finished McGregor with a rear naked choke in the 2nd round of the main event of UFC 196. Things are much different this time around as McGregor has tailor-made his camp around his opponent for the first time, bringing in tall rangy boxers to mimic Diaz' style and BJJ ace Dillion Danis to help with his grappling. McGregor has pulled out all the stops for this training camp and has reportedly spent over six figures in preparation for the fight which makes it the most expensive training camp ever for a MMA bout.
I think Conor learned from his mistakes in the last fight and will not underestimate Diaz this time and will also look to take his time and not go for the knockout early like he did last time which caused him to gas out early and allow Diaz to take over. Also, I think range will play a key factor in this fight and look for Conor to fight much closer than last time while he picks his shots and breaks Diaz down over time. I wouldn't be surprised if he lands a spinning head kick along the way as that is something he has been working on in his sparring leading up. While I'm not sure of McGregor getting a KO finish because of the notoriously iron chin of Diaz I do think he will land tons of significant strikes and get Diaz on his heels by mixing up his strikes. All of this means Conor McGregor will be racking up points for your lineup while fighting a strategic yet frenetic fight that will be sure to live up to the hype.

Prediction: Conor McGregor by decision



Cody Garbrandt ($10,300)

Cody Garbrandt has proven to be a fantasy MMA stud, rattling off three KO wins in his past four fights and carries a huge wave of momentum into this fight after his most recent KO victory over Thomas Almeida. Garbrandt will take on savvy veteran Takeya Mizugaki in the featured prelim bout and look to push his rising star higher with another knockout win. "No Love" has all the tools to win this fight in style, his boxing is crisp and he is probably the hardest hitter in the division, giving him a big advantage on the feet against Mizugaki. As long as he doesn't get carried away and make any silly mistakes, Garbrandt should win this fight emphatically. Mizugaki has lost two out of his last three and hasn't looked the same since being finished by Dominik Cruz back in 2014. I think Garbrandt will look to take out Mizugaki early and set claim as the new number one contender in the bantamweight division.

Prediction: Garbrandt by 1st round KO

Tim Means ($10,900)

One of the most underrated welterweights in the division, Tim "Dirty Bird" Means makes his return after serving a suspension for violating the USADA anti-doping policy back in Febuary. Means will look to make it two in a row as he is a huge favorite over UFC newcomer Sabah Homasi who takes the fight on short notice after Sean Strickland pulled out due to injury. Means will utilize his underrated striking to lead him to victory, using pressure to back Homasi into the cage and unleash his Muay Thai to get a finish. Means is a true veteran with 33 fight on his resume and I don't think Homasi will give him a look he isn't prepared for. Means is a great addition to your lineup as I think his chances for a finish are high and he will go under owned in most games in favor of more popular picks.

Prediction: Means by TKO round 2

Value Plays

These are picks who have a lower price tag and are considered "live dogs" and could go under owned in games due to unfavorable odds or public perception. These picks can make or break your lineup.

Rick Story ($9,400)

Rick Story faces a tough test against Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone and is a slight betting underdog. He has competed at welterweight his entire career and Cerrone will be competing at 170 for only the second time in his career. Story has a wrestle-box style that he has effectively used against strikers his entire career and I think it is a style that will give Cerrone problems. Cerrone does his best work moving forward and using his kickboxing but I think that will be a tough task against a pressure fighter like Story who continuously moves forward and likes to use the clinch to dirty box. Story will look to wear down Cowboy in what will most certainly be a brawl and a fight of the night contender.

Prediction: Rick Story by decision


Glover Teixeira ($8,700)

The co-main event of the evening is what I would label as a BANGER. As far as match ups in the LHW division Teixeira vs Johnson is the most exciting fight possible in my opinion and one I might be looking forward to the most. I think Teixiera is being severely underrated in this matchup and has a style that could potentially give Johnson some problems. While both men are knockout artist, Glover possesses a more versatile skill set with his grappling and submissions but I think his biggest advantage lies in his cardio which is something Johnson has always struggled with. If both men can survive the first initial exchanges with their heads still intact, I think we will see Glover start to implement a gameplan similar to the one we saw Daniel Cormier use against Johnson. Teixeira is the best value play of the night and I think his well rounded skill set- particularly his submission prowess-  will lead him to victory.

Prediction: Glover Teixiera by Sub



Raquel Pennington ($9,200)

Raquel Pennington takes on Elizabeth Phillips as a sizable favorite (-260) and only carries a price tag of $9,200 which puts her in prime position as a value play. Pennington has faced some of the best the division has to offer and is only getting better with every fight. Phillips is no push over though and is looking to make a statement of her own and while she may have some significant moments in the fight I think the UFC experience and skill set of Pennington will prove to be too much. Look for Pennington to dominate a decision victory lead by her ever improving boxing I think she will rack up significant strikes and could be a lower owned option to add to your lineup.

Avoid

These picks may be odds on favorites or carry a high price tag but ultimately not provide enough upside to make a huge difference in your lineup due to an unfriendly fantasy style.


Neil Magny ($10,500)

Magny faces a tough test in Lorenz Larkin in a fight where the winner could draw a top caliber opponent in the welterweight division. Magny is extremely tall for the weight class, standing at 6'3 with a 81 inch reach but surprisingly isn't known for his striking but rather uses his grappling against opponents to wear them down and ride them out. He has a long night ahead of him against Larkin who has great takedown defense, but I think ultimately Magny will get him down and use dominate position to get a decision win in a non fantasy friendly fight. 

Prediction: Magny by Decision 



Artem Lobov $(10,800)

Lobov is best known for his stint on The Ultimate Fighter: Team McGregor vs Team Faber as McGregor's right hand man where he proved he is extremely tough and durable but ultimately may not have the skill set to compete at the highest level. He possesses a 12-12-1 record and with a such a high price tag of $10,800 I think his inconsistency doesn't warrant enough upside to add him to your lineup even though he will be facing newcomer Chris Avila. Avila is a talented young prospect and will be the more well rounded fighter coming into the bout and will look to make a statement in his UFC debut.

Prediction: Avila by Sub

DraftKings Lineup

Conor McGregor ($10,400)
Cody Garbrandt (10,300)

Raquel Pennington ($9,200)
Tim Means ($10,900)
Glover Teixera ($8,700)

Sign up at DraftKings and use my personal link below and we will both get a bonus!

https://www.draftkings.com/r/tx_bandit

Photo courtesy of UFC.com

Claressa Shields//Female Boxer

By: Marcus Banks


We all know of many young boys growing up to be world boxing champs. But what about the girls? I want everyone to take a look at this particular young lady who is in the 2016 Olympics at the age of 17 competeing for a gold medal in boxing! This is her back story below. And Yes, this year she won Gold.

Video curtesy of: ESPN E60 series

UFC 202 Embedded Series 1-3

Episode 1

Conor McGregor holds a press conference for the media at the UFC gym and gets in a workout. Anthony Johnson finished up a cardio session as he prepares for his co-main event fight against Glover Teixera. Nate Diaz does some grocery shopping and works out with his team while Teixera hits the track and enjoys one of his last workouts before leaving for Las Vegas. 

Episode 2 

Donald Cerrone has some fun on the lake with a water jet. Anthony Johnson hits the beach and visualizes his fight before doing some sparring at the gym. Glover Teixiera does some recovery in the ice bath and eats some homegrown veggies. Nate Diaz hits the gym to do some cardio and we see McGregor practicing his BJJ with black belt Dillion Danis. 

Episode 3 

Conor McGregor does a high-end photo shoot then goes over some technique with his coach. Nate Diaz does some fine tuning at the gym and Anthony Johnson does some media. Glover Teixera packs for Las Vegas and Donald Cerrone enjoys a nice Motorcycle ride down the Vegas strip. 

The REVIVAL of a new NFL season.

By: Colton Smith 

The 2016-2017 NFL preseason has began, even though its not the regular season football fan's rejoice that football is even on. Here at Sergio Kosco were gonna take you through all the major games of preseason and the regular season. So sit back and relax and get ready for some of the best NFL coverage you can find on the Internet.

Week one of the preseason was not a disappointment, many teams showed off their new rookie talent. The first major game that took place was the New Orleans Saints vs the New England Patriots on Thursday night, everybody and there mother was excited about this game reason why was because everybody wanted to see how Jimmy Garoppolo would actually play against another strong team. The new Starting quarterback for New England for 4 games did not disappoint, he threw for 11 of 18 with 168 yards. Also showing off a lot of different skill sets, He handled the Saint's pressure extremely well. He seemed comfortable in the pocket, made key plays when needed them. By the end of his playing time in this game you could tell he was ready to take control of this Tom Brady's offense, its gonna be exciting to see how he does in the regular season.

 

The Saints started off great, with Drew Brees dropping a bomb to Brandon Crooks for a huge gain on the 1st drive but ended tragically when the starting running back Mark Ingram fumbled it, shortly after that saints just seemed to just go on a fast decline. After Drew Brees came out of the game the Saints 3rd string quarterback Garrett Grayson came into the game he's 1st throw was a tipped pick six by the outside linebacker Jamie Collins, after that the game was just in the hands of the patriots for the rest of the game.

The Ending score was 34-22 Patriots.


Saturday's big game was the Dallas Cowboys vs the Los Angeles Rams. The main player that people were looking forward to seeing play was Ezekiel Elliot, but it was a game time decision by the Cowboys to not play him. The Cowboys had some great plays made by Dak Prescott through out the whole game, counting this year is his first year in the NFL he showed a lot of  skill that he used back in his Mississippi State days, But at the end of the Day the Cowboys still couldn't get it done.

They lost 24-28.

The man the of the game himself was the number one draft pick of 2016, Jared Goff all eyes were on him in the as he made his NFL debut. He didn't play all that great in all honestly he seemed a little tense and was taking on some major blitz plays thanks to the Dallas Cowboys. During half time Jared told the medical staff that his shoulder was "stiff and sore" so Jeff fisher the Head coach of the Rams decided to hold him out for the rest of the game. Goff Finished the game 4-9 with only 38 yards, hopefully we will see more of Goff before the regular season starts.

The last major game of the weekend was the Houston Texans vs the San Francisco 49er. This was the first time that Texans fans would be able to see  Brock Osweiller in a Texans uniform, the Texans this year has one of the best wide receiver core in the NFL so Osweiller has the weapons to get the job done, but this preseason game he struggled the whole time he was out there. He went 4 of 7 with only 27 yards, counting he only played 3 series and under pressure the whole time , we would all still think that he would be able to produce something counting that he worked with one of greatest of all time for 3 years. besides the poor play of Osweiler the defense seemed to step up and finish the game for them, they had a scoop and score in the first quarter and just made plays to keep the 49er's out of the game,

Texans won 24-13.

On the other side of the field the 49er's had some great play by the new starting quarterback Blaine Gabbert he threw a gorgeous touchdown very early in the game, its good to see that a defense like the Texans doesn't faze him in anyway and is still able to get it done. Chip Kelly the new Head Coach of the 49er's seemed happy about Gabbert's solid 2016 debut but the 49er's still couldn't get the job done on offense or defense the Texans rained supreme on both sides of the ball through out the whole game.


The NFL season has just began and we have already seen so many great plays all over the league, now as fans and lovers of the sport we get see the action unfold right in front of us this 2016-2017 is not gonna disappoint in anyway! Be ready for some great plays, nail biting games and so much more, and here at Serigo Kosco were extremely excited to say that we will be right here for every major game(s) of the season!  

videos courtesy of:sports channel

My Top 5: Defensive Linemen

By Tre Bailey (@trebailey14)

College Football

My Top 5: Defensive Linemen  

Now I know I said it was difficult to pick out the top 5 offensive linemen, well that’s because there are 5 different offensive line positions. Now there are only 2 Defensive line positions but still tons of talent making it extremely difficult to narrow this list down to just 5.

Honorable Mention

Charles Walker, Junior Oklahoma

Lowell Lotulelei, Junior Utah

DeMarcus Walker, Senior Florida State

Marquis Haynes, Junior Ole Miss

Coming in at number 5

Carlos Watkins (DT), Senior Clemson

2015 Stats: 69 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, 1 int

Reason: Sitting at 6’3” 300lbs this kid is massive. He has explosive strength and is deceptively quick when it comes to getting off of the line. He has the innate ability to take up space on the line which causes running backs to have to hesitate giving his linebackers time to come downhill to make a play. While his stats don’t jump off of the page, he is extremely productive and does exactly what he is supposed to do as a defensive tackle   

Number 4

Jonathan Allen (DE), Senior Alabama

2015 Stats: 36 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss, 12 sacks

Reason: As a weak side defensive end his job is to control the edge and apply pressure to the quarterback, hence why he racked up an amazing 12 sacks. While his 36 tackles don’t seem like much with one third being those sacks his play speaks louder than his sacks. He has an engine that doesn’t stop. He has great speed coming off of the edge which causes any opposing quarterback to throw the ball before their routes to develop.  

Number 3

Derek Barnett (DE), Junior Tennessee

2015 Stats: 69 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, 10 sacks

Reason: If you’ve seen Barnett play you’d fully understand what type of talent he possesses. While he saw a slight decrease in stats in the tackle for loss category that is due to the fact that teams need to double team him, or run away from him. With that being the case he still manages to cause trouble in opposing backfields racking up a nice 10 sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss. While he won’t necessarily be the best defensive end in the nation he will definitely be the second best.

Number 2

Malik McDowell (DT), Junior Michigan St

2015 Stats: 41 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, 1int, 2 forced fumbles

Reason: This kid is probably the most versatile lineman on this list. Standing at 6’6’’ he has the ability to go out and play the nose tackle position or out wide at defensive end. He is just as physical as he is big. He excels at plugging holes making it difficult for running backs to run between the tackles. He is an extremely athletic player and has really good speed for his size. His versatility is one of the reasons that Michigan State defense is so successful.  

Number 1

Myles Garrett (DE), Junior Texas A&M

2015 Stats: 57 tackles, 18.5 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks, 1int, 5 forced fumbles

Reason: Everyone should know who Myles Garrett is by now. If not, you don’t watch that much college football. Think about when Jadeveon Clowney played for South Carolina; that’s who I compare Garrett to. A fast physical defensive end that carries the ability to impact the game instantly. This kid plays with some sort of anger mixed with passion and is so much fun to watch. He consistently makes plays for the Aggie defense and will continue to be productive in what may be his last season.

My Top 5: Team Offense

By: Tre Bailey (@trebailey14)

College Football

My Top 5: Team Offenses  

Instead of trying to pick out 5 offensive linemen I’ve decided to do the top 5 team offenses, or who I think will put huge numbers this year.

Honorable Mention

Bowling Green

Cincinnati

TCU

California

Ole Miss

Coming in at number 5

Clemson

2015 Stats: 1207 plays, 7718yds, 6.39 yards per play, 69td’s, 514.5 yards per game.

Reason: Having Deshaun Watson come back off of a Heisman worthy junior year partnered with Wayne Gallman in the backfield is a serious threat. The duo combined for over 2000 yards rushing last season. Watson also has a deep and talented receiving corps that could aide him in increasing his total passing yardage from last year. This offense will be looking to play its way into another college football playoff birth for the second consecutive year. Clemson will be a serious offensive threat this upcoming season.  

Number 4

Baylor

2015 Stats: 1103 plays, 8011yds, 7.26 yards per play, 85td’s, 616.2 yards per game

Reason: Baylor had the nation’s top offense last year in terms of yards per game and I don’t expect them to fall out of the top 5 this year. The only huge question mark is how the team will react to the summer of scandal. Baylor returns 2 thousand yard rushers in Shock Linwood, and Johnny Jefferson. Seth Russel is supposed to be 100% after suffering a neck injury which before the injury he threw for 2104yds and 29td’s he should only see those numbers increase. Baylor also lost its number 1&3 receivers in Corey Coleman and Jay Lee but come back with a cast of talented receivers such as KD Cannon. It’ll be interesting to see how the bears bounce back after a horrible distracting summer.

Number 3

Oklahoma

2015 Stats: 1013 Plays, 6893yds, 6.80 yards per play, 70td’s, 530.2 yards per game

Reason: OU possibly has the most balanced offensive attack in college football averaging 308 passing yards per game and 222 rushing yards per game. Baker Mayfield returns off of an amazing season in which he threw for 3700 yards and tacked on another 405 on the ground. OU has possibly one of the most physical running back duos in the ncaa in Simaje Perine, and Joe Mixon. The only key player they lost was Sterling Shepard, but could see one of the many receivers they have on the roster step up in his place. OU will have a scary offense this year and will be tough to stop.

Number 2

Oregon

2015 Stats: 993 plays, 6997yds, 7.05 yards per play, 67td’s, 538.2 yards per game

Reason: With the starting Quarterback still unnamed the two frontrunners are apparent Travis Jonsen a freshman, and Dakota Prukop a graduate transfer from an FCS school. Regardless who starts; they will be accompanied by talented running back Royce Freeman and a roster of talented athletes all of which are capable of explosive playmaking. Oregon has become famous for that up-tempo offense and has been atop of the offensive categories for years now. While the quarterback can be a question the offense proved it could step up when the starter is out when last year’s starter Vernon Adams Jr suffered injuries.

Number 1

Texas Tech

2015 Stats: 1084 plays, 7533yds, 6.95 yards per play, 73tds, 579.5 yards per game

Reason: Texas Tech has an unreal offense and will only be better this year. Losing leading receiver Jakeem Grant, and leading rusher Deandre Washington won’t set back the Red Raiders one bit. Justin Stockton will be the main back this season, and I will tell you this kid is talented. With a deep receiving corps anyone can be the main target for Mahomes who threw for 4653yds last season. Devin Lauderdale and Reginald Davis will look to capitalize on their productive seasons last year while sophomore Jonathan Giles looks to make a name for himself in this explosive offense. With so many dynamic threats and an offensive genius that is Kliff Kingsbury as the head coach; Tech wont skip a beat in their offensive abilities this year.

My Top 5: Wide Receivers

By: Tre Bailey (@trebailey14)

College Football

My Top 5: Wide Receivers

Back at it again today hitting you with my top Wide Receivers going into the 2016 college football season. This is probably the hardest top 5 list simply because there are so many great receivers out there.

Honorable Mention

Jehu Chesson, Senior, Michigan

Corey Davis, Senior, Western Michigan

Thomas Sperbeck, Senior, Boise State

Gabe Marks, Senior, Washington State

Ryan Switzer, Senior, North Carolina    

       

Coming in at number 5

Calvin Ridley, Sophomore, Alabama

2015 Stats: 89 receptions, 1045 yards, 11.7 yards per catch, 7 Td’s

Reason: when you put up 1000 yards as a freshman, you deserve some recognition. Ridley adds the diversity needed in an Alabama offense that traditionally has been heavily reliant on the running game. In recent times you have seen Bama be more and more aggressive with the passing game and Ridley could see himself among Alabama greats if he stays on the same course he is currently on.

Number 4

KD Cannon, Junior, Baylor

2015 Stats: 50 receptions, 868 yards, 17.4 yards per catch, 6 Td’s

Reason: Cannon saw a drop in production between his freshman and sophomore years, partially because he was second on the roster behind first round draft pick Corey Coleman. Despite having 8 less catches and about 200 less yards, Cannon is still an explosive receiver. I would not doubt if he turns out to be the fastest player on the Baylor roster. The only negative is the whole situation with the program and some uncertainty about the coaching staff. While he will be Seth Russell’s number 1 target I expect to see the duo to put up huge numbers and for Cannon to be back above the 1000 yard mark.

        

Number 3

Christian Kirk, Sophomore, Texas A&M

2015 Stats: 80 receptions, 1009 yards, 12.6 yards per catch, 7 Td’s

Reason: Kirk is another young athlete who can absolutely ball out. While he isn’t the tallest out of the bunch, he has blazing speed that creates separation between defenders, and a threat in the open field. Hopefully A&M can see some more consistency at the Quarterback position to dish the ball out to Kirk who has the potential to end up the all-time leading receiver for the Aggies.

Number 2

James Washington, Junior, Oklahoma State

2015 Stats: 53 receptions, 1087 yards, 20.5 yards per catch, 10 Td’s

Reason: Let’s just take a second and marvel at the fact that this kid averaged 20 yards a catch. Theoretically if you threw to him 4 times on an 80 yard drive you’d score. This kid is absolutely explosive with the ball in his hand. While you can’t compare him to Dez Bryant or Justin Blackmon he is definitely has something special. He has outstanding top end speed and the ability to make tacklers miss. Don’t believe me,,, just watch his highlights.

Number 1

Juju Smit-Schuster, Junior, USC

2015 Stats: 89 receptions, 1454 yards, 16.3 yards per catch, 10 touchdowns

Reason: Between his Freshman and Sophomore Years Juju doubled his production between yardage, and touchdowns. That type of improvement is un heard of. Even with a quarterback who was pretty shaky at times this kid just made plays happen, He has great instincts, hands, speed, size, everything you could possibly want in a receiver. No matter who is lined up behind center for the Trojans, as long as the can deliver the ball to Schuster you can expect to see numbers consistent to if not better than the ones he put up this year.