Sergei Pavlovich vs Waldo Cortes-Acosta Prediction: Waldo Cortes-Acosta to be a worthy money line for an upset

Sergei Pavlovich vs Waldo Cortes-Acosta: Prediction and odds on the Match on 23 August, 2025

This Saturday at UFC Fight Night, in the Heavyweight Division, Sergei Pavlovich and Waldo Cortes-Acosta will face off in the octagon, aiming to impress fans once again. Scheduled as the Main Card (fight 10 of 12) under the 265 lbs (120.2 kg) weight class, this match is expected to be highly exciting. It will take place at the Shanghai Indoor Stadium, Shanghai, China. Waldo Cortes-Acosta is coming into this match from a five-match winning streak, while Sergei Pavlovich has won three and lost two in the last five matches. Who will win this encounter? Here at Telecom Asia, we take a look at the match’s preview and offer free betting opportunities.

Sergei Pavlovich's recent form

Sergei Pavlovich boasts a professional record of 19 wins and 3 losses. He is currently coming from a win. He is affiliated with Eagles MMA Academy with a foundation style in Greco-Roman Wrestling. He is fighting out of Moscow, Russia. His last fight was on February 01, 2025, in UFC against Jairzinho Rozenstruik by unanimous decision. Before this match, he faced Alexander Volkov, losing via unanimous decision. Across his nineteen victories, fifteen were by way of knockout, and four by decision. In 2014, Sergei Pavlovich signed for Fight Night Global (FNG) promotion and spent three years there. During that spell, He fought eleven bouts and won all; eight by technical knockout and three by decision. By 2018, His performance got him signed under Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), and he has fought ten times in the promotion. So far, of the number of bouts in the UFC, He has won seven and lost three. He lost his chance in 2023 for the vacant UFC Interim Heavyweight Championship when he faced Tom Aspinall. Sergei Pavlovich lost in the first round by a Right Hook and Hammerfists technical knockout. That same year, He won against Curtis Blaydes in the first round via Punches to Ground & Pound technical knockout. This fight won the UFC Fight Night Performance of the Night. The same happened the year before when he was faced against Tai Tuivasa, winning by punches knockout. Other victories in that Sergei Pavlovich has recorded in his career were against Derrick Lewis (via punches knockout in the first round), Shamil Abdurakhimov (via Punch to Ground and Pound in the first round), Maurice Greene (via punches knockout in the first round), Marcelo Golm (via punches knockout in the first round), Kirill Sidelnikov (via punches knockout in the first round), and Mikhail Mokhnatkin (via unanimous decision).

Sergei Pavlovich`s Strength

Sergei Pavlovich hits very hard. He has power in both hands with knockout strength.

Waldo Cortes-Acosta's recent form

Waldo Cortes-Acosta boasts a professional record of 14 wins and one loss. He is coming from five consecutive wins in his last five fights. He has a foundation in boxing. He was born in the Fundación, Barahona, Dominican Republic, and his fighting out of Phoenix, Arizona, United States. His last fight was on June 07, 2025, in UFC against Serghei Spivac, winning by unanimous decision. Before this match, he faced Ryan Spann, winning via Left Hook to Ground Punches in the second round. Across his 14 victories, six were by way of knockout, one by submission, and seven by decision. In 2021, He signed for the Bellator MMA promotion, but only had one fight there, which ended in a victory. The following year, He went to the Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA) and fought twice. He took his chance at the Dana White Contender Series (DWCS) in 2022 and won. This got him signed under the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) promotion that same year. So far in the UFC, he has won seven and has lost one. In 2022, He won the LFA Vacant Heavyweight Championship against Thomas Petersen via punches knockout in the third round. Other victories Waldo Cortes-Acosta has recorded in his career were against Robelis Despaigne (via unanimous decision), Andrei Arlovski (via unanimous decision), Łukasz Brzeski (via Hook technical knockout), Chase Sherman (via unanimous decision), Jared Vanderaa (via unanimous decision), Danilo Suzart (via punches knockout in the first round), Derrick Weaver (via punches knockout in the second round), Mo DeReese (via unanimous decision), and Jordan Powell (via unanimous decision).

Waldo Cortes-Acosta`s Strength

Waldo Cortes-Acosta boxes out of an orthodox stance with okay cardio.

Sergei Pavlovich vs Waldo Cortes-Acosta Betting Insights, Tips & Odds

• Three of the last five Sergei Pavlovich fights were decided by technical knockout. He went on to win one of them in the first round. The bookies have Sergei Pavlovich to win in the first round at 3.85 odds in the 1xbet bookmaker.
• Waldo Cortes-Acosta has won three of his last five matches by decision. The bookies have Waldo Cortes-Acosta to win by decision at 3.60 odds in the 1xbet bookmaker.

Sergei Pavlovich vs Waldo Cortes-Acosta Expert Betting Tip

Sergei Pavlovich seeks to add another finish to his record against Waldo Cortes-Acosta at UFC Shanghai. Waldo Cortes Acosta has a 14-1 MMA record and is a solid UFC fighter. He had a 7-4 boxing career with 3 KO losses. I think it’s fair to say that MMA is the easier combat sport out of the two. On March 15, 2025, at the UFC APEX, Waldo Cortes Acosta put his ranking on the line against Ryan Spann. In the final seconds of Round 2, Cortes Acosta landed heavy ground-and-pound. Spann made it back to his feet, but Cortes Acosta smelled blood and hunted him down, securing an exciting second-round KO. Waldo is hittable and has been knocked out cold with 12-oz gloves. He will need to jab and move for 15 without getting caught while giving up 6in reach. Think Pav KO, but grappling path is there too, so laying the ML. Also, I think Pavlovich is the better fighter, but I like the matchup for Acosta at these odds. I rate his chin highly (despite the KO’s boxing), and if Sergei doesn’t KO him in 1, I trust WCA more as the fight extends.

Our First prediction is W2 to win at 3.00 odds on 1xbet

Our Second Prediction is a W2 to win by decision with odds at 6.00 odds on bet365

Our third prediction is +3.5 Spread for Waldo Cortes-Acosta at 2.37 odds on Betway