TLDR
- Ante Delija is the betting favorite across all major sportsbooks
- Both fighters are coming off losses to Waldo Cortes-Acosta
- Spivac’s path to victory runs through his grappling; Delija wants it standing
- Four of Spivac’s six losses have come by knockout
- Delija’s last loss was controversial, involving a disputed stoppage
Full Main Card Odds
Fight Time – UFC Fight Night: Strickland vs. Hernandez
| Time Zone | Time |
|---|---|
| Eastern (ET) | 8:00 PM Saturday |
| Central (CT) | 7:00 PM Saturday |
| Mountain (MT) | 6:00 PM Saturday |
| Pacific (PT) | 5:00 PM Saturday |
| GMT (UK) | 1:00 AM Sunday |
| AEST (Australia) | 12:00 PM Sunday |
Venue: Toyota Center, Houston, Texas Stream: Paramount+
Serghei Spivac vs. Ante Delija prediction for #UFCHouston (via @DanTomMMA) https://t.co/o6YiQQTPjV
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) February 21, 2026
Serghei Spivac and Ante Delija meet at UFC Fight Night 267 on Saturday, February 21 at Toyota Center in Houston. Both heavyweights are coming off losses and need a win to stay relevant in the division.
Spivac (17-6 MMA, 8-6 UFC) is on a two-fight losing streak. He was stopped in the first round by Jailton Almeida in January 2025, then lost a decision to Waldo Cortes-Acosta in June 2025.
Delija (26-7 MMA, 1-1 UFC) also lost to Cortes-Acosta, but under different circumstances. His fight in November 2025 featured a controversial stop-and-restart that many felt cost him the win.
Before that loss, Delija had knocked out Marcin Tybura in the first round on his UFC debut. Spivac’s last win was also over Tybura, a first-round armbar submission in August 2024.
Delija is listed as the favorite at -135 on DraftKings and -142 on FanDuel. Spivac sits at +114 and +116 respectively.
The Keys for Spivac
Spivac is one of the more active grapplers in the heavyweight division, averaging over four takedowns per 15 minutes. His judo and sambo background gives him multiple ways to bring opponents down from the clinch.
If Spivac can get Delija to the mat early, he has a real chance. Four of his six losses have come by knockout, so staying out of striking exchanges is important for him.
The Keys for Delija
Delija has 19 career finishes, 12 by KO or TKO. He uses his footwork and combinations to set up finishing shots, and has shown he can defend takedowns.
Spivac has been knocked out by top-level strikers before, including Tom Aspinall and Jailton Almeida. Delija has the power to exploit that same vulnerability.
Analysts are split, but the lean from most is toward Delija by knockout. One MMA Junkie analyst picked Delija by KO in round one.
The under 1.5 rounds is priced at -140, suggesting oddsmakers expect a quick finish. The fight streams live on Paramount+ with an expected walk-out time of around 9:10 PM ET.
