UFC 324: Waldo Cortes Acosta vs. Derrick Lewis Predictions & Odds

Dominican Republic's Waldo Cortes Acosta, right, punches Moldova's Serghei Spivac during the third round of a heavyweight bout.
(AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
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The UFC heavyweight battle between heavy hitters Waldo Cortes Acosta and Derrick Lewis will be part of the UFC 324 main card on Jan. 24, which goes down inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Both are known knockout artists, but Acosta, who’s six years younger than Lewis, is going to be the betting favorite with -325 UFC odds. Meanwhile, Lewis will be the betting underdog with +260 odds.

UFC 324: Waldo Cortes Acosta vs. Derrick Lewis Fight Odds

  • Waldo Cortes Acosta: -325
  • Derrick Lewis: +260

UFC 324: Waldo Cortes Acosta vs. Derrick Lewis: Tale of the Tape

Waldo Cortes AcostaDerrick Lewis
Age3440
Height6’4”6’3”
Reach78 inches79 inches
Leg Reach43.5 inches43.5 inches
Record16-229-12
Fighting StyleStrikerStriker
Finishing Rate56%86%

UFC 324: Waldo Cortes Acosta vs. Derrick Lewis: Prediction

My prediction is a TKO/KO victory for Acosta against Lewis, as he’s the more technical fighter and sets up his big shots pretty well. Although I think that Lewis has more power behind his punches, Acosta’s speed and solid jabs can frustrate Lewis.

Acosta should avoid the early flurry from Lewis because he’s a fast starter and wants a quick end to the match. At 40, “The Black Beast” doesn’t have the cardio to go full three rounds, which is why he wants to trade as early as possible to land his powerful punch.

But “Salsa Boy” doesn’t engage in chaotic exchanges; instead, he patiently waits for a counter or uses his jab to set up his right overhand punch. Once he lands this, he immediately swarms his opponents until the referee steps in and stops the fight. 

Waldo Cortes Acosta’s Recent Fight Results

Acosta is a product of Dana White’s Contender Series in August 2022, where he only needed one round to secure a UFC contract. In his last five fights, he defeated Ryan Spann, Serghei Spivac, Ante Delija, and Shamil Gaziev. His lone loss during this stretch was to Serghei Pavlovich.

Derrick Lewis’ Recent Fight Results

Lewis is a UFC veteran who has been with the promotion since 2014. He won three of his last five bouts, scoring victories against Marcos Rogerio de Lima, Rodrigo Nascimento, and Tallison Teixeira. Spivac and Jailton Almeida handed him losses during this period.

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About the Author Read More @AnatolyPimentel

Anatoly Pimentel is an NBA and MMA writer previously featured in ASEAN Sports, Asian Persuasion MMA, and Overtime Heroics MMA. He graduated from Adamson University with a B.A in Communication and is a Web Content Writer for BetMGM.

Anatoly Pimentel is an NBA and MMA writer previously featured in ASEAN Sports, Asian Persuasion MMA, and Overtime Heroics MMA. He graduated from Adamson University with a B.A in Communication and is a Web Content Writer for BetMGM.