Heavyweights
Waldo Cortes-Acosta (7-0, 0-0 UFC) vs. Jared Vanderaa (12-9, 1-5 UFC)Frankly, it is a bit surprising that Vanderaa is still on the roster. “The Mountain” earned a contract via Dana White’s Contender Series in 2020, beating Harry Hunsucker in a manner that suggested Vanderaa could lean on his size and durability to eventually overwhelm his opponents. That has not really come together for Vanderaa, whose lone UFC win in six fights was in a fun brawl against Justin Tafa in May 2021. Better wrestlers have been able to get Vanderaa to the mat and finish him, and a July knockout suffered against Chase Sherman was the latest affair in which he failed to get much done on the feet. Vanderaa gets what is assumed to be one last chance to turn things around against Cortes-Acosta, a UFC newcomer and fellow DWCS alum who earned his contract in August. A former minor league baseball player, Cortes-Acosta is a solid athlete and a bit atypical for a heavyweight prospect. Rather than the usual slugger the UFC tends to bring in, the Dominican tends to be quietly consistent and outlasts his opponents, though he did turn up the aggression in his contract-earning win. Vanderaa figures to land some offense, but he is plodding enough that Cortes-Acosta should be able to outmaneuver him and slowly wear down the UFC vet over time. The pick is Cortes-Acosta via second-round stoppage.
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The Prelims