UFC Fight Night: Cortes Acosta vs. Walker Picks & Predictions (2026)
There is a 14-fight card in the UFC this Saturday at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas, with only one ranked matchup. No. 6 heavyweight, Waldo Cortes Acosta, is taking on Johnny Walker in the main event. Two former title challengers, Tatiana Suarez and Virna Jandiroba, are battling in the co-main event. I have a pick for the co-main event bout, along with another pick on the prelims. The prelims start at 5 p.m. EDT, and the main card starts at 8 p.m. EDT, all on Paramount+.
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UFC Fight Night: Cortes Acosta vs. Walker Picks & Bets (2026)
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
Jose Delano (-118) vs. Murtazali Magomedov (-102)
The most competitive fight on the card is on the prelims between Jose Delano and Murtazali Magomedov in the featherweight division. Both fighters earned a contract on Season 9 of Dana White's Contender Series and are coming off victories in their UFC debuts.
Delano is a 17-3 fighter, with a unanimous decision victory over Robert Ruchala in his UFC debut. Prior to the UFC, he went 6-1 in LFA with two knockouts and one submission victory.
Magomedov is 11-0 as a professional, and pulled off a twister submission in his UFC debut over Melsik Baghdasaryan. He is an up-and-coming prospect who continues to not get much respect from oddsmakers.
Delano is a solid striker with not a lot of power. He landed 146 significant strikes in his DWCS fight on his way to a decision victory. He landed 107 in his debut fight and did not show much power.
Magomedov has an awesome ground game and is a quick starter. He throws hard punches with a lot of power. Magomedov has multiple paths to victory, while Delano typically has to win by putting together voluminous strikes over three rounds.
Magomedov can get this fight to the mat and win there. He can also end this fight on the feet with power punches. Delano absorbs 3.50 significant strikes per minute, and the reach is even in this bout. Magomedov has more ways to win and offers great value in a pick 'em fight.
Bet: Murtazali Magomedov Moneyline (-102)
Tatiana Suarez (-205) vs. Virna Jandiroba (+170)
This matchup is extremely interesting in the women's strawweight division. Tatiana Suarez is the second-ranked fighter in the division with elite wrestling. Virna Jandiroba is the third-ranked fighter in the division, so this fight likely decides the next title challenger.
Suarez is 13-1 as a professional, with her only loss against Zhang Weili at UFC 312 in February 2025. She lost via unanimous decision over five rounds. She recently submitted Loopy Godinez in the second round in April.
Jandiroba is 23-4 as a professional and is 9-4 in the UFC. She recently beat Tabatha Ricci via unanimous decision in April and lost to Mackenzie Dern in October 2025 in a title fight.
The value in this matchup is clearly with Jandiroba. This is a much closer fight than the odds make it seem. Both women excel on the ground. Suarez averages 4.52 takedowns landed per 15 minutes, while Jandiroba averages 3.13. Jandiroba hunts submissions far more frequently. She averages 1.4 submissions attempted per 15 minutes, to Suarez's 0.7.
Both women excel on the mat, so it comes down to which style wins. Suarez wrestles and controls position on the mat until she finds a dominant position. Jandiroba is constantly hunting submissions, even from bottom position. She cannot stay under Suarez in this matchup, though.
This is a high-level grappling matchup that should be closer. It is much more of a toss-up, and Jandiroba offers too much value to pass in this spot. Godinez landed two takedowns against Suarez in Suarez's most recent fight, so Jandiroba should threaten takedowns. Jandiroba is a solid bet, and she could surprise some people on Saturday.
Bet: Virna Jandiroba Moneyline (+170)