Back-to-back APEX cards for the UFC as the promotion stays in Las Vegas.
The UFC keeps coming at us with weekends of fight cards, and while this Saturday’s fight card isn’t exactly a barn-burner, it’s some fights to bet on.
It’s going to be a long night on Saturday, with 14 fights on the docket at the APEX and an obscene 11 expected to end inside the distance as the promotion continues to hunt finishes.
Many fights feature newcomers, so we’ll do our best to parse through this mixed-level MMA card, which begins at 2 p.m. ET.
UFC Fight Night Vegas 124 predictions
Waldo Cortes Acosta vs. Johnny Walker
A fun heavyweight matchup this weekend as Johnny Walker steps in against Waldo Cortes Acosta.
Walker has typically fought at light heavyweight, but he’s moving up to heavyweight for this fight after winning by knockout in his division debut against Mick Parkin.
Both of these fighters are taking this bout on short notice as Walker fought on Oct. 3 and Cortes-Acosta fought on Sep. 12.
I hate this matchup for Walker as he’s had so many issues with taking strikes and durability in his UFC career at a lower weight class.
Walker hits hard, but he’s been knocked out by four fighters in the UFC at lower weight classes.
Cortes-Acosta has never been knocked out in his UFC career, and Walker is highly unlikely to win a five-round decision.
There’s no way I’m backing Walker at an underdog price, and I’m all in on Cortes-Acosta to win by knockout.
PREDICTION: Waldo Cortes Acosta wins by KO/TKO (-105, Fanatics Sportsbook)
Tatiana Suarez vs. Virna Jandiroba
This is a very high-level fight for strawweight as both of these fighters have had title aspirations in their careers.
Tatiana Suarez, 13-1, comes in as a solid favorite, while Virna Jandiroba, 23-4, has only lost to elite-level competition, with a recent loss to champion Mackenzie Dern.
I’m a little surprised that Suarez is this big of a favorite (-220), as Jandiroba is a very solid striker while Suarez is an elite wrestler and grappler.
I just have no idea what Suarez would even do if this fight plays out on the feet; we’ve seen her really struggle on the feet previously.
She will obviously try to grapple in this fight, but Jandiroba defends takedowns at a 72 percent rate and hasn’t been taken down in a fight multiple times since 2019.
If anyone can do it in theory, it’s Suarez, but I’m not confident in that.
I think Jandiroba thwarts Suarez’s grappling ability and wins the stand-up for an upset decision win.
PREDICTION: Jandiroba by decision (+270, FanDuel)
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UFC Vegas 124 full card picks
Davey Grant vs. Elijah Smith: Live bet Grant if he survives round 1
Billy Elekana vs. Lucas Fernando: Fernando wins and the fight starts round two (-130, DraftKings)
Priscila Cachoeira vs. Nina Milosevic: Fight goes the distance (+300, FanDuel)
Mitch Raposo vs. Marcos Degli: Raposo live if he survives round one
Keiichiro Nakamura vs. Ollie Schmid: Pass
Gabriel Lorenco vs. Thomas Petersen: Lorenco wins by KO/TKO in round 1 (+700, Fanatics) | by KO/TKO in round 2 (10/1, Hard Rock)
Karine Silva vs. Gabriella Fernandes: Fight goes the distance (-148, FanDuel)
Jose Delano vs. Murtazali Magomedov: Delano by decision (+270, FanDuel)
Austin Bashi vs. Lucas Brennan: Bashi by submission when lines come out
Mantas Kondratavicius vs. Andre Petroski: Kondratavicius wins by KO/TKO in round 2 (+750, Hard Rock)
Seokhyeon Ko vs. Wellington Turman: Turman by decision (+940, Kalshi)
Jonny Parsons vs. Jose Souza: Fight ends by knockout (-130, FanDuel)
Why Trust New York Post Betting
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