UFC Fight Night: Song vs. Simon will roll on with its Main Card action as we bring you another odds and prediction preview for this next bout in the Heavyweight (265 lb) Division. UFC veteran Marcos Rogerio de Lima will take on the budding prospect of Waldo Cortes Acosta. Over 500 pounds will rumble the octagon in a fight you don't want to miss! Check out our UFC odds series for our de Lima-Cortes Acosta prediction and pick.
Marcos Rogerio de Lima has a professional record of 20-8-1 and has gone 9-6 since debuting on The Ultimate Fighter Brazil Season 3 in 2014. He's had a decent run of late, going 4-2 in his last six fights and taking down opponents like Ben Rothwell and Andrei Arlovski. This time around, he'll be faced with a much fresher competitor and will look to use his experience as an advantage. De Lima stands 6'1″ with a 75-inch reach.
Waldo Cortes Acosta is undefeated in his professional career at 9-0 and won his first two UFC fights after earning a contract on DWCS. One of the few fighters representing the Dominican Republic, Cortes Acosta has turned into a difficult puzzle for tradition heavyweights to solve. He's coming off back-to-back unanimous decision wins and will look for another dominant performance in this one. Cortes Acosta stands 6'4″ with a 78-inch reach.
Here are the UFC Odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
UFC Las Vegas Odds: Marcos Rogerio de Lima-Waldo Cortes Acosta Odds
Marcos Rogerio de Lima: -188
Waldo Cortes Acosta: +152
Over (1.5) rounds: -142
Under (1.5) rounds: +112
How to Watch Marcos Rogerio de Lima vs. Waldo Cortes Acosta
TV: ESPN+
Stream: ESPN App
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET/ 4:00 p.m. PT (Main Card)
Why Marcos Rogerio de Lima Will Win
At 37 years old, Marcos Rogerio de Lima continues to turn back the clock with vintage performances and has stunned a lot of fans with his wins of late. He scored a devastating KO of Ben Rothwell as the much smaller fighter and showed off his jiu jitsu prowess in his win over Andrei Arlovski. De Lima has great hand speed for a heavyweight and likes to throw his shots with volume over power. He's very good in locking opponents up with his clinch and has a very sophisticated top-pressure game on the ground. With Cortes Acosta struggling with his takedown defense, de Lima should look to get this one to the mat.
De Lima can win this fight if he stays patient and shows his experience in this one. He's arguably the more technical striker than his opponent and will have a significant advantage in the submission grappling. Still, de Lima will have to be mindful of the power coming from Cortes Acosta. He'll have to use his head movement and duck underneath the shots of Acosta. If he can limit the damage he takes, he should be able to get this win as the moderate favorite.
Why Waldo Cortes Acosta Win
Waldo Cortes Acosta very much has the look of a new-age heavyweight with his ability to move around the octagon and show off his sneaky athleticism. He's a a very good boxer and covers up from shots well. It'll be crucial for him to pick his shots precisely and counter the looping punches from de Lima. His takedown defense is still a little suspect and he's had issues defending leg kicks in the past, but he's often doing enough with his hands to make up for it. He should look to keep this fight in the pocket and not play into de Lima's strengths.
Acosta Cortes will have to be patient through the flurries of de Lima. He likes to work with a jab to the body, so it'll be crucial for him to establish himself early. He'll also need to see a huge improvement in his takedown defense to avoid the jiu jitsu of de Lima. If he can stick to his boxing and land the more accurate shots, Cortes Acosta should be able to get the win. Depending on the pace both men decide to push, Cortes Acosta could see some success in the later rounds if he's able to conserve his gas tank.
Final Marcos Rogerio de Lima-Waldo Cortes Acosta Prediction & Pick
This fight may be a lot closer than the odds indicate. Marcos Rogerio de Lima may have a hard time closing the distance on a seasoned boxer like Cortes Acosta. His best path to victory will be through the chain grappling and landing legs kicks, so if he can establish counters to the striking, he should be able to win as the favorite. However, we'll go with Cortes Acosta to win with the value on his line. It won't be easy, but the striking should be enough to keep de Lima at-bay for long enough. The hope here is that Cortes Acosta has made some improvements to his defensive wrestling and will be able to push a pace against the aggressive de Lima.
Final Marcos Rogerio de Lima-Waldo Cortes Acosta Prediction & Pick: Waldo Cortes Acosta (+152)
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