Waldo Cortes Acosta vs Derrick Lewis Prediction & Picks - UFC #324

Prediction published on 1/24/26, 5:06 PM  by Bill Christy | Modified on 1/25/26 at 12:55 AM in UFC Picks

The big boys will get a featured fight on the main card of UFC 324. Heavyweights Waldo Cortes-Acosta and Derrick Lewis, who rank 5th and 8th, respectively, in the division, will battle in a fight that could be determined by who connects first. Both fighters possess extreme knockout power, as 32 of their combined 45 wins have come via KO/TKO.

Acosta has won 4 of his last 5 fights, including his last two back-to-back. His lone loss came against Sergei Pavlovich, where he lost via unanimous decision. Three of those last four wins have come via KO/TKO. Acosta has yet to be finished in his career and is 6 years younger than his opponent, Lewis.

Derrick Lewis may be older, but his body has looked younger over the recent stretch of fights. He has dropped weight and looks like a younger and healthier version of his previous self. The change has served him well in the octagon as well. Lewis has picked KO/TKO wins over both Rodrigo Nascimento and Tallison Texeria in his last two fights. Both of those opponents are younger than Acosta, so Lewis has proven that age is just a number.

While both men possess knock-out power, this fight could be determined by who can land the 1st solid strike. Acosta holds the advantage if the fight goes into the later rounds, but Lewis likes to avoid that by turning off his opponents’ lights early.