Someone’s hitting the canvas when Sergei Pavlovich and Waldo Cortes-Acosta collide at UFC Shanghai, but who will it be?
Sergei Pavlovich and Waldo Cortes-Acosta meet on the main card of UFC Fight Night 257 at Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom.
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Sergei Pavlovich vs. Waldo Cortes-Acosta UFC Shanghai preview
Pavlovich was on an absolute tear, having won six consecutive fights by first-round knockout before he was finished in the first round by Tom Aspinall in an interim heavyweight title fight at UFC 295. Since then, Pavlovich lost his follow-up fight to Alexander Volkov but most recently got off the schneid by defeat Jairzinho Rozenstruik in February. Cortes-Acosta will enter UFC Shanghai on a five-fight winning streak. He most recently beat Serghei Spivac by unanimous decision in June at UFC 316.
Sergei Pavlovich vs. Waldo Cortes-Acosta UFC Shanghai expert pick, prediction
Filling out the main card is a heavyweight showdown between Sergei Pavlovich and Waldo Cortes-Acosta.
I’m sorry, but even as an analyst who tries to stay professional, I can’t say that there’s much about Cortes-Acosta’s game that I like.
From the petulant postering that somehow sways the judges to the pauses he shows in his game despite his clear potential, Cortes-Acosta can be a frustrating watch from the perspective of both a casual and hardcore fan.
Whereas Pavlovich, who is basically a 1950s refrigerator with gigantic arms attached, can change the complexion of a fight with a single punch.
Pavlovich is also prone to participating in extended affairs, but his superior wrestling should be a solid edge for him in this matchup (if he chooses to go to it).
Although part of me sees Cortes-Acosta sucking Pavlovich into a staring contest, I suspect that the Russian can find a finish by the final frame.
The official pick is Pavlovich by knockout in Round 2.
Sergei Pavlovich vs. Waldo Cortes-Acosta UFC Shanghai odds
The oddsmakers and the public favor the Russian fighter, listing Pavlovich (-260) and Cortes-Acosta (+215) via FanDuel.
Sergei Pavlovich vs. Waldo Cortes-Acosta UFC Shanghai start time, how to watch
Pavlovich and Cortes-Acosta are expected to walk to the cage at approximately 7:15 a.m. ET. The fight streams live on ESPN+.
