UFC is kicking off the Paramount Era with a bang.
Heavyweight freight trains collide Saturday night as No. 5 Waldo Cortes-Acosta takes on No. 8 Derrick Lewis at UFC 324 in Las Vegas.
Cortes-Acosta (16–2, 8 KOs) is coming off a scorching 2025, going 4–1 and finishing the year with back-to-back first-round knockouts of Ante Delija and Shamil Gaziev. The fan-favorite Lewis (29–12, 24 KOs) makes his first trip to the Octagon since July 2025 — when he flattened Tallison Teixeira in just 35 seconds.
Cortes-Acosta enters as a -325 moneyline favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook, while Lewis sits as a +260 underdog. The total is set at 1.5 rounds.
Cortes-Acosta vs. Lewis Preview
Waldo Cortes-Acosta
Cortes-Acosta, 34, was just a few weeks removed from a first-round knockout of Ante Delija when he stepped in on three days’ notice to face Shamil Gaziev on Nov. 22. “Salsa Boy” sparked his opponent in just over a minute, punctuating a torrid 2025 that vaulted him into the division’s top five.
A former semi-pro pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds organization, the Dominican heavyweight now unleashes knockout blows as if they were 90 mph fastballs. Cortes-Acosta lands an impressive 5.55 significant strikes per minute — second to only Tom Aspinall among heavyweights — with 48% accuracy.
He’s won 9 of 11 fights since his UFC debut in Oct. 2022, and a victory on Saturday would put him in a prime position to challenge for the heavyweight crown before year’s end.
Derrick Lewis
Lewis, 40, may not fight as often as he used to, but every one of his bouts remains must-see TV. The “Black Beast” boasts an 86% finish rate and stands alone as the UFC’s all-time knockouts leader with 16. After a lengthy hiatus, Lewis returns to the Octagon riding momentum from back-to-back KOs over Rodrigo Nascimento and the previously undefeated Tallison Teixeira.
Still, the human highlight reel — for whom the rules of wrestling don’t apply — has tapered in the twilight of his career. Since getting stopped by defending champion Ciryl Gane in Aug. 2021, Lewis has gone just 4–4, with just one win over a currently ranked opponent (Teixeira, 15th).
Cortes-Acosta vs. Lewis Pick, Best Bet
Saturday night’s heavyweight showdown features two fighters on opposite paths. Cortes-Acosta is chasing gold, while Lewis seems to be nearing the end of his career. Expect “Salsa Boy” to cement his trajectory with his third consecutive knockout victory against the longtime fan favorite.
