Prepare for an upcoming thrilling clash between Andrei Arlovski and Waldo Cortes-Acosta, set to be the concluding bout on the preliminary card of UFC Fight Night 234. Witness this showdown, along with other matches, on Saturday, January 13, at 4:00 PM ET at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada. Cortes-Acosta enters as a formidable -650 moneyline favorite.

Arlovski has lost his last two battles and is needing to get back on track soon. His previous defeat was a second round TKO courtesy of Don’Tale Mays at UFC on ESPN 46 in June of last year.

Out of his impressive 34 wins in his fighting career, 17 have come by knockout, three by submission, and 14 have been decisions. 13 of these victories have resulted in first round finishes. In addition, 12 of his 22 defeats have come by knockout.

He is producing 45 percent of his strikes successfully and landing 37 percent of his takedowns. He averages 3.78 significant strikes each minute and takes on 3.20. This is a solid significant strike ratio, but could look to be more aggressive.

Arlovski lands 0.39 takedowns and 0.21 submissions per 15 minutes of action. He also defends against significant strikes at 57 percent and 77 percent against takedowns.

Cortes-Acosta was able to get back on the winning side after a previous defeat. His most recent battle was a first round knockout over Lukasz Brzeski at UFC Fight Night 225 in August of last year.

He has recorded 10 wins so far in his career, with five knockouts, a submission, and four decisions making up the bulk of it. Three of his 10 wins have ended in the opening round of action. Two fights back, he earned his first defeat which was a decision.

“Salsa Boy” lands 50 percent of his strikes and nothing yet for takedowns. He has an aggressive significant strike ratio with 6.97 significant strikes landed and 4.06 absorbed. If he can defend well and still give the same output, he should have a good opportunity to win.

He is not active on the ground, at least has not been in the UFC. He also defends against significant strikes at 52 percent and 60 percent against takedowns. 

MyBookie offers the odds for this battle, with Waldo Cortes-Acosta as a heavy favorite (-650) to win. Bettors should consider adding him to a parlay with other fights on the card or choose a prop bet closer to fight time to see if the payout can be worth the risk. 

Overall, Cortes-Acosta has better striking and is considerably younger (32 compared to 44). Look for him to finish this battle early.