Derrick Lewis vs. Waldo Cortes-Acosta prediction, odds, pick for UFC 324

We’re back with one other betting prediction and pick for the UFC 324 Major Card as we take a have a look at this upcoming bout within the Heavyweight Division. No. 8-ranked Derrick Lewis will tackle the rising No. 5 Waldo Cortes-Acosta in what must be a can’t-miss banger! Check our UFC odds series for the Lewis-Cortes Acosta prediction and pick.

Derrick Lewis (29-12) has gone 20-10 since his legendary UFC run began in 2014. He’s added two more knockout wins over Tallison Teixeira and Rodrigo Nascimento in back-to-back bouts heading into this one, hoping to take out one among the more hyped prospects currently within the division. Lewis stands 6-foot-3 with a 79-inch reach.

Waldo Cortes-Acosta (16-2) has gone 9-2 since entering the UFC in 2022. He’s riding back-to-back performance bonuses with wins over Ante Delija and Shamil Gaziev, but he can have his hardest opponent to-date as he faces the UFC’s knockout king. Cortes-Acrosta stands 6-foot-4 with a 78-inch reach.

Listed here are the UFC 324 Odds, courtesy of DraftKings. 

UFC 324 Odds: Derrick Lewis-Waldo Cortes-Acosta Odds

Derrick Lewis: +260

Waldo Cortes-Acosta: -325

Over 1.5 rounds: -160

Under 1.5 rounds: +124

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Why Derrick Lewis Will Win

• Last Fight: (W) Tallison Teixeira – TKO (left hook, R1)
• Last 5: 3-2
• Finishes: 21 KO/TKO, 1 SUB

Derrick Lewis turned back the clock once more with an electrical first-round knockout in his last fight against a rising prospect in Tallison Teixeira. Lewis has felt slighted at the shortage of competition and continues to take out up-and-coming fighters in knockout fashion. It has been the case together with his last couple of camps, but Derrick Lewis claims he’s in the very best shape of his profession ahead of this fight because of the changes made to his food plan and training.

Known for his knockouts, Lewis is a master at gauging striking distance when lunging forward. His long reach allows him to swing excessive of opponents, often landing sooner slightly than later. Waldo Cortes-Acosta is a really defensively sound boxer and can make it difficult to land clean punches. Lewis may have to be each patient and measured, otherwise risking to get hit on the counter attack.

Lewis has also shown a recent willingness to threaten level changes and he’s always working on his jiu jitsu behind the scenes. It’ll be interesting to see what shape he comes into this fight with the updates to his training camp, but we should always see and much more improved version of Lewis as a striker.

Why Waldo Cortes-Acosta Will Win

• Last Fight: (W) Shamiel Gaziev – KO (right hook, R1)
• Last 5: 4-1
• Finishes: 8 KO/TKO, 1 SUB

It didn’t take long before Waldo Cortes-Acosta landed a clean right hook to drop Gaziev in his last fight, proving once more why he can have the very best boxing hands within the Heavyweight Division. Not only is he crisp and defensively-sound together with his striking, but his footwork and movement have greatly improved since seeing different looks from different types of opponents. He’ll should cope with essentially the most dangerous knockout artist in the game, so the defensive efforts may have to be near perfect with little room for error.

Cortes-Acosta has face similar knockout punches similar to Robelis Despaigne and Ryan Spann over his previous few fights, offering solid counter boxing and increasing each opponents past the primary round. If he’s in a position to avoid any significant damage and extend this fight into the later rounds, he may very well be met with a fatigued Lewis that he can expose together with his boxing.

Ultimately, Waldo Cortes-Acosta may have to play things secure through the opening stages of this fight and pick his shots fastidiously when closing the gap against Lewis. His chin has been durable up to now, but this is not a situation where he takes a probability against one other durable fighter in Lewis.

Final Derrick Lewis-Waldo Cortes-Acosta Prediction & Pick

This fight has all of the makings of a classic as each fighters are feel to be at the highest of their game. Derrick Lewis, riding back-to-back wins, had all the arrogance following an improved training camp against a slightly inexperience fighter in comparison with himself.

Cortes-Acosta, however, may have to pass this test in an effort to enter the title conversation, likely serving because the hardest fight of his profession. He’s handled similar styles up to now, but his technique may have to be perfect against Lewis.

While Cortes-Acosta is the rightful favorite, this line must be a bit closer and given the unpredictable nature of a heavyweight fight, Lewis appears to be too big of an underdog to not take a probability on him. Moreover, we’ll roll with the over as he finds the knockout late on this one.

Final Derrick Lewis-Waldo Cortes-Acosta Prediction & Pick: Derrick Lewis (+260); OVER 1.5 Rounds (-160)