Predicting UFC Fight Night WCA vs Walker
by Zak Drapeau and Matt Hylen
Sportz Nation - 11/5/2026
6Waldo Cortes-Acosta vs
Johnny Walker
(Cortes-Acosta -230)
Zak Drapeau -
This fight was only made a little over a week ago so truthfully, anything can happen. Walker's size advantage should be a big factor in this fight with 2" of height and 4" of reach on his side. Walker is 1-0 since moving to Heavyweight just over a month ago with a 1st round, nasty knee-knockout against Mick Parkin. WCA is 1-2 in 2026 with losses coming to Curtis Bladydes' wrestling and another lengthy striker, Alexander Volkov.
If Johnny Walker is going to in this fight, I believe it will be by decision since WCA has never been knocked out in an MMA fight. Bad news for Walker, he'll have to go to a 5-round decision after only a week of camp to do so. Meanwhile, WCA is a precise boxer and avid knockout artist facing a man who's only taken 2 strikes to the head by a Heavyweight in his career. I can't see this fight making it out of the 2nd.
Prediction: Cortes-Acosta by TKO
Matt Hylen -
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2Tatiana Suarez vs
3Virna Jandiroba
(Suarez -210)
Zak Drapeau -
At this point I don't know if this is a hot take or not, but I think the winner of this one gets the next shot at the Strawweight title, skipping Weili Zhang in the process. Tat Suarez is 9-1 in the UFC with her only loss coming to Weili Zhang in her title shot. Jandiroba's only loss in her last 7 fights was also in a championship fight, hers to Dern.
A slight size advantage will go to Tatiana Suarez this weekend as well as being overall a more precise striker. Both women are strong grapplers but Jandiroba should be the stronger woman of the two as well as has a slightly better defense. This fight may be so even that it hardly goes to the ground at all though and instead relies on timing and level changes. As I already said, Suarez has my vote as the better striker so I'll take her in a very close and maybe even split decision victory.
Prediction: Suarez by Decision
Matt Hylen -
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Davey Grant vs
Elijah Smith
(Smith-320)
Zak Drapeau -
Let's talk about this one... undefeated in the UFC 24-year old with outstanding wrestling takes on soon to be 41-year old, who's a smaller man and has a propensity ot be submitted in the Octagon.
I realize that "black and white" and "on paper" are two things that rarely make the difference in a UFC fight, but every once and a while we just have to call a spade a spade and for this fight in particular, I think Smith should be an even heavier favorite than -320.
Prediction: Smith by Submission
Matt Hylen -
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Billy Elekana vs
Lucas Fernando
(Fernando -330)
Zak Drapeau -
Fernando is pressure. He smothers fighters within his clinch where he is proficient in muay thai or uses his reach to batter opponents with his striking. He is however, being overvalued at -330 against a guy like Elekana who's grappling is becoming better and better and shouldn't be afraid to get scrappy with Fernando on the ground.
There lies the problem for Elekana, I see this fight (like Fernando's last) as him coming into the Octagon ready for a stand up war. I don't believe Fernando's striking is too much better than Elekana but I do think he will test it while attempting to stand up for all 3 rounds. I think this fight gets to a decision either way with neither man really above the other in my mind. I'll go with the oddsmakers for this one and also with the longer reach of Fernando in a highly-contested boxing match between the two.
Prediction: Fernando by Decision
Matt Hylen -
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Mitch Raposo vs
Marcos Degli
(Degli -240)
Zak Drapeau -
The thing about this fight is that it's impossible for me to be unbiased, I don't know Mitch personally but he's grown up in the same city as me, a year younger than me and I've been watching him ascend the UFC rankings as well as drastically improve every time he steps into the Octagon. Although I have to say, Marcos Degli looks like he could be a major problem in the future at 125.
Mitch is an all-around fighter with great balance and cardio and thus elite with his takedown defense. Degli is enterring his first UFC fight with a WEALTH of experience in bringing fighters to the ground either by takedowns or knockdowns, and using his wrestling to finish them when they get there. For Mitch, it is imperative for him to keep this fight standing where he holds a precision advantage but probably not the power. Still, I'm sticking with Fall River in this one in what should finally be the fight he gets a ranking. Also, my underdog pick of the week.
Prediction: Raposo by Decision
Matt Hylen -
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11Karine Silva vs
14Gabriella Fernandes
(Silva -230)
Zak Drapeau -
I enjoy a methodical and well-game planned fight as much as the next hardcore fan and semi-amateur kickboxer but this fight is probably going to be the, go to the bathroom and get a snack portion of the prelims. Still, a Top-15 fight with big implications in the Flyweight division.
Silva has lost her last 3 fights against ranked opponents with 1 close decision to Viviane Araujo stuck in the middle and Gabi Fernandes got exposed in her last fight to Casey O'Neil. Both fighters will look to use this fight to get back on track in claiming a spot among the Top-10 and should come down to a very close decision.
Prediction: Silva by Decision
Matt Hylen -
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