UFC Fight Night predictions -- Waldo Cortes Acosta vs. Johnny Walker: Fight card, odds and expert picks

LAS VEGAS -- Waldo Cortes Acosta and Johnny Walker are taking a gamble. Cortes Acosta risks his standing in the UFC heavyweight rankings against an unranked opponent, while Walker looks to fast-track his heavyweight ambitions. The two knockout artists headline UFC Fight Night on Saturday at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas.

Cortes Acosta (17-4) built his reputation on activity, but his busy schedule might be catching up to him. The UFC's sixth-ranked heavyweight has lost consecutive fights to Alexander Volkov and Curtis Blaydes, putting a damper on his rapid rise through the division. Now, Cortes Acosta fights for the fourth time in nine months, accepting a short-notice main event against Walker with nothing to gain in the rankings. Walker has been training with Volkov, but "Salsa Boy" doesn't think Walker will learn anything valuable from him.

"I heard he told somebody, 'Oh, I know I can knock out Waldo Cortes right now because I train with Alexander Volkov.' But my question is, 'Did Alexander Volkov knock me out?' No. What is he learning from Alexander Volkov? Kicking and running away for his life," Cortes Acosta told CBS Sports. "If this is what you're learning, I'll chase you anywhere. I prepare for people like you or him. I'm well prepared, and I'll go for your head."

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Walker (23-10) is moving faster than anticipated. The former light heavyweight contender made a successful heavyweight debut last month, knocking out Mick Parkin and closing the door on a frustrating chapter of his UFC career. Walker had planned to take his time in the new weight class, even calling out unranked veteran Marcin Tybura as a sensible next step. Instead, he's jumping straight into a main event against a top-10 heavyweight on nine days' notice. Walker didn't hesitate when the UFC called.

"My plan is not God's plan," Walker told CBS Sports. "So God has better plans than I do. I just accept."

"I'm a carnivore, and the meal fell on the [plate of the] most carnivore guy," Walker said of the short-notice opportunity to fight. "Do you think I'm going to let it go? No, I'm going to eat it."

In the co-main event, former UFC women's strawweight title challengers Tatiana Suarez and Virna Jandiroba meet with another championship opportunity potentially on the line, especially for Suarez. The division's pecking order remains unclear amid former champion Zhang Weili's mysterious absence. However, Suarez could very well punch her ticket to a title fight against reigning champion Mackenzie Dern with a win on Saturday.

"I just want to go out there, put on a good performance, win and then go fight for a title after that if I can," Suarez told CBS Sports.

Let's take a look at the rest of the fight card with the latest odds from DraftKings before getting to a prediction and expert pick on the main event below.

UFC Fight Night card, odds

Waldo Cortes-Acosta -230

Johnny Walker +190

Heavyweight

Tatiana Suarez -205

Virna Jandiroba +170

Women's strawweight

Elijah Smith -310

Davey Grant +250

Bantamweight

UFC Fight Night viewing information

Date: Saturday, Nov. 7 | Start time: 8 p.m. ET (Main card), 5 p.m. ET (Prelims)
Location: Meta APEX -- Las Vegas
TV Channel: Paramount+ (subscribe now for as low as $8.99 per month)

Prediction

Waldo Cortes Acosta vs. Johnny Walker: Cortes Acosta is concerningly stubborn. He dismissed Volkov and Blaydes chances before losing to them and said little afterward about what he could've done better. The lesson to take from the Volkov loss was not "Volkov kicks and runs for his life." Maybe Cortes Acosta is playing his cards close to his chest, because Walker has the range and mobility to recreate Volkov's winning game plan. Cortes Acosta is the better boxer. He throws fast combinations and times counter right hooks well. However, he's far too complacent. He seemed content to flick out jabs while absorbing leg kicks from Volkov, and it cost him the fight.

Discipline is Walker's greatest enemy here. If he's not careful, particularly when entering and exiting clinches, Cortes Acosta can put him down, as numerous light heavyweights have done before. That said, Walker cut a considerable amount of weight to make 205 pounds. The dozens of pounds that he's no longer shedding should greatly benefit his durability, but we won't know for sure until his chin is tested against a real heavyweight. A Cortes Acosta knockout or Walker decision seems like the most likely outcomes. I'll side with the underdog. Pick: Walker via decision

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