A heavyweight showdown between Waldo Cortes-Acosta (9-0, 2-0 UFC) and Marcos Rogeria de Lima (20-8-1, 9-6 UFC) kicks off the main card of UFC Vegas 72 on April 29.
The UFC Fight Night event is headlined by Ricky Simon and Song Yadong, with Caio Borralho and Michal Oleksiejczuk as the co-main. Prelim fights begin at 4 p.m. ET and the main card starts at 8 p.m.
UFC Fight Night: Cortes-Acosta vs Lima Betting Odds
| Fighter | Odds |
|---|---|
| Waldo Cortes-Acosta | +150 |
| Marcos Rogerio de Lima | -175 |
Odds as of April 28
Lima's -150 odds give him an implied victory percentage of 63.64, and a $10 bet on the Brazilian pays out $15.71. Cortes-Acosta's odds award him a 40 percent chance to win, meaning a $10 bet pays out $25.
Cortes-Acosta vs Lima Preview: Who Will Win?
Things could get ugly with these two big boys locked in the smaller Apex cage.
How Cortes-Acosta Wins
"Salsa Boy" has disappointed in early UFC action. After a clean first-round knockout on the Dana White Contender Series, Cortes-Acosta has yet to pop off for another big moment. We've seen flurries, though, like during the Dominican's decision win over Chase Sherman, where he let his hands go with furious combos to the head.
As a technical boxer, Cortes-Acosta can trade with the best. Lima's experience could give him issues, especially in the grappling department. I have concerns Cortes-Acosta is a one-trick pony, happily ready to punch anyone to death but incapable of expanding his game beyond that.
To win Saturday, the 31-year-old needs to attack early and gun for a KO before this tussle devolves into a scrappy wrestling match.
How Lima Wins
The Brazilian wins first by surviving Cortes-Acosta's onslaught, then making mid-fight adjustments as the bout goes on. Lima's 16 UFC fights will come in handy, as he's fought all types of heavyweights, from submission specialists to pure stand-up martial artists.
At 37 years old, Lima is vulnerable, but not necessarily to punches. "Pezao" has lost five times via submission but never by KO. Since there's no chance Cortes-Acosta secures a SUB, Lima can attack without fear on the ground. Watch for him to test his opponent's ground game early as he methodically ramps up some ground-and-pound offense.
Cortes-Acosta vs Lima Pick
Lima is favored for a reason. Cortes-Acosta hasn't had an answer for grappling exchanges, and the Brazilian won his last fight (over heavyweight legend Andre Arlovski) via ground-and-pound TKO.
I'll take Lima to win this fight inside the distance. Cortes-Acosta is a better fighter but his vulnerabilities align perfectly with Lima's strengths.
