Cortes Acosta vs Walker: #6 Heavyweight Faces an 18-Time First-Round Finisher

The Nov. 7 card at Meta APEX in Las Vegas has a new headliner. Waldo Cortes Acosta, #6 at heavyweight, faces Brazil's Johnny Walker in the main event of UFC Fight Night: Cortes Acosta vs Walker. Cortes Acosta is 17-4 and won a unanimous decision over Curtis Blaydes on Sept. 12. Walker is 23-10 and knocked out Parkin in the first round on Oct. 3 in his UFC heavyweight debut.

Cortes Acosta, 35, nicknamed "Salsa Boy," was born in Fundacion, Barahona, in the Dominican Republic and pitched in the Cincinnati Reds organization before he turned to fighting. He made his UFC debut in October 2022 and has won eight of his last 10 fights. Nine of his 17 wins came by knockout and seven by decision. He lands 5.03 significant strikes per minute at 48% accuracy and stuffs 70% of takedown attempts. His fights average 11 minutes.

Walker, 34, was born in Belford Roxo and trains at SBG Ireland. Eighteen of his 23 wins are knockouts and three are submissions. He has finished 18 fights in the first round, and his fights average just 7:03. At 6-foot-6 with an 82-inch reach, he has two inches of height and four of reach on Cortes Acosta. Before the Parkin knockout, he lost a split decision to Dominick Reyes in April.

• Significant strikes landed per minute: Cortes Acosta 5.03, Walker 3.98.
• Striking accuracy: Cortes Acosta 48%, Walker 56%.
• Significant strikes absorbed per minute: Cortes Acosta 3.44, Walker 2.99.
• Knockdowns per 15 minutes: Cortes Acosta 0.64, Walker 0.71.
• Takedown defense: Cortes Acosta 70%, Walker 57%.

The question: can Cortes Acosta take Walker into deep waters, or will Walker end it early, as he has 18 times?

Prelims start at 2 p.m. PT, with the main card at 5 p.m. Get your seat: Cortes Acosta vs Walker tickets.