Hard-hitting heavyweights Waldo Cortes-Acosta and Johnny Walker will be out to seize the moment in a short-notice headliner at UFC Vegas 124 on Saturday night (Sunday morning SA time), writes Quintin van Jaarsveld.
Strawweight contenders Tatiana Suarez and Virna Jandiroba feature in the co-main event at the Meta APEX, while Davey Grant goes toe-to-toe with Elijah Smith in the featured bout.
Also on the main card, Billy Elekana and Lucas Fernando face off at light heavyweight, Priscila Cachoeira and Nina Milosevic do battle at bantamweight, and Mitch Raposo and Marcos Degli meet at flyweight.
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MAIN CARD:
Sunday, November 8, 3 AM SAST
Waldo Cortes-Acosta (1.43) vs Johnny Walker (2.85) (Heavyweight)
In the unpredictable world of mixed martial arts, promoters have to be able to roll with the punches while fighters have to stay ready rather than get ready, as things can change on a dime and opportunity can come at any moment.
Initially, this weekend’s card was to be headlined by elite welterweights Sean Brady and Gabriel Bonfim. However, Brady was forced to withdraw due to injury last Thursday.
The following day, it was announced that Cortes-Acosta (17-4), a fixture in the heavyweight top 10, and Walker (23-10 1 NC), the hottest new addition to the division, had jumped at the chance to step into the main event spotlight.
For former LFA champion Cortes-Acosta, it’s a chance to snap a two-fight skid, whereas for Walker, it’s an opportunity to break into the top 10 in just his second fight in the weight class.
Cortes-Acosta had been on an 8-1 run that included knockout wins over Derrick Lewis, Shamil Gaziev, and Ante Delija before suffering back-to-back decision losses to Curtis Blaydes and Alexander Volkov, leaving him at No. 8.
Walker, meanwhile, was a long-time light heavyweight contender. The explosive Brazilian went 8-7 with one no contest at 205 pounds, picking up notable wins over former title challengers Khalil Rountree Jr and Anthony Smith.
A split decision loss to another ex-title challenger, Dominick Reyes, in April prompted him to move up to heavyweight, and he made an eye-catching splash with a spectacular knockout of Michael Parkin in his divisional debut last month.
The Dominican Republic’s Cortes-Acosta is the heavier set of the two, but Walker – who stands 6’6″ with a massive 82-inch reach – is the taller man by two inches and will have a four-and-a-half-inch reach advantage.
A towering tornado of a striker, Walker’s explosiveness and unpredictability make him a tall order, especially at heavyweight, where his dynamism is amplified.
He’s the far more dangerous man with 21 finishes (18 knockouts and three submissions) compared to Cortes-Acosta’s 10 (nine knockouts and one submission), and with his explosiveness, I fancy him stopping “Salsa Boy.”
Prediction: Walker by knockout.
Best Bet: Walker by KO/TKO/DQ at 4.75.
Alternative Bet: Walker at 2.85.
Tatiana Suarez (1.47) vs Virna Jandiroba (2.70) (Strawweight)
Recent strawweight title challengers salivating for a second bite at the cherry battle it out in the co-main event.
If not for incredibly bad luck with injuries and having to overcome cancer, Suarez (12-1) might have already been a UFC champion.
An alpha female with powerful wrestling, she’s beaten all comers bar one – the great Zhang Weili when she challenged her for the title last February.
The former Olympic hopeful has mowed through Amanda Lemos and Loopy Godinez since then, and enters this bout at No. 2 in the rankings.
Third-ranked Jandiroba (23-4) was never as highly touted as Suarez, but chipped away and earned herself a championship opportunity last October.
The Brazilian came up short against Mackenzie Dern in their clash for the vacant title but rebounded with a decision victory over Tabatha Ricci, putting herself back in the win column while remaining in the thick of the title chase.
Jandiroba is a crafty veteran with solid grappling, but Suarez is younger, bigger and stronger, and should get the job done.
Prediction: Suarez by decision.
Best Bet: Suarez by decision at 1.77.
Alternative Bet: Suarez by submission at 7.55.
Davey Grant (3.40) vs Elijah Smith (1.32) (Bantamweight)
A veteran gunslinger and a young gun toe the line for a bantamweight shootout in the featured bout.
Not many 40-year-olds do it like Grant (16-8). “Dangerous” has won three of his last four fights after outdueling Adrian Luna Martinetti in April and has no intention of slowing down.
That said, the game Brit has bitten off more than he can chew in this matchup.
Smith (10-1) is a super explosive athlete who just turned 24 and is on an eight-fight win streak, including nearly powerbombing Toshiomi Kazama through the canvas for a rare slam knockout.
“Swift” is simply too much for Grant to handle at this stage of the vet’s career.
Prediction: Smith by knockout.
Best Bet: Smith by KO/TKO/DQ at 3.00.
Alternative Bet: Smith by decision at 2.70.
Billy Elekana (3.45) vs Lucas Fernando (1.31) (Light Heavyweight)
Streaking light heavyweights will collide head-on in what should be a humdinger.
Elekana (10-2) has put together a three-fight win streak, most recently submitting Junior Tafa in February, while Fernando (14-3) has rattled off five straight victories, with three consecutive stoppages.
Fernando is ferocious and with a three-inch reach advantage, he should add “Son of Suzie” to his list of casualties.
Prediction: Fernando by knockout.
Best Bet: Fernando by KO/TKO/DQ at 2.49.
Priscila Cachoeira (4.40) vs Nina Milosevic (1.21) (Bantamweight)
These two bantamweights have a lot more going for them than just epic nicknames.
Milosevic (9-1) made a statement in her promotional debut in August, cutting down Hailey Cowan with body shots to score her ninth straight win and sixth finish.
The dominance she showed and diversity in her attacks really stood out and make “Queen Beast” someone to pay close attention to in the 135-pound ranks. This matchup with divisional holdover Cachoeira (13-9) serves as a good second assignment for the Serb.
“Zombie Girl” has struggled to find consistent success in the UFC but remains an aggressive, offence-first fighter with established power for the division. Four of her five UFC wins have come by TKO, so Milosevic will have to give her the respect she deserves.
Milosevic is smart enough to do just that and collect another eye-catching win.
Prediction: Milosevic by knockout.
Best Bet: Milosevic by KO/TKO/DQ at 2.70.
Mitch Raposo (2.95) vs Marcos Degli (1.41) (Flyweight)
It might take two to tangle, but sometimes the spotlight falls on a particular fighter, and that’s the case in the main card opener.
All eyes will be on Degli (15-3), a former LFA titleholder, as he makes his UFC debut. “Tailandes” earned a contract with a submission victory over Paris Moran on Dana White’s Contender Series in September and seeks to add to his 13-fight win streak this weekend.
Following a pair of split-decision setbacks to start his UFC adventure, Raposo (11-3) has responded with consecutive wins on the cards, outworking Azat Maksum last October before edging out the late Allan Nascimento in June.
Degli is a natural finisher with all but one of his wins coming by stoppage, so picking him to score his 10th career knockout is too juicy to pass up.
Prediction: Degli by knockout.
Best Bet: Degli by KO/TKO/DQ at 3.70.
Note: Odds are subject to change.
Quintin van Jaarsveld is a former MDDA-Sanlam SA Local Sports Journalist of the Year and a former three-time Vodacom KwaZulu-Natal Sports Journalist of the Year. Formerly the sports editor and Outstanding Journalist of the Year award winner at The Fever Media Group, deputy editor at eHowzit, editor at SARugby.com and senior staff writer at Rugby365.com, he boasts over 20 years of experience.
