Waldo Cortes-Acosta Record: 17-3-0

Building a heavyweight reputation

Cortes-Acosta wasted no time establishing himself in the UFC. He opened with back-to-back unanimous-decision wins over Jared Vanderaa and Chase Sherman in late 2022, showing the boxing volume and durability that define him. After a unanimous-decision loss to Marcos Rogério de Lima in 2023, he answered emphatically with a first-round knockout of Łukasz Brzeski. He then outpointed former champion Andrei Arlovski and the previously unbeaten Robelis Despaigne by decision in 2024.

Into the rankings

The 2025 campaign pushed Cortes-Acosta into the heavyweight elite. He knocked out Ryan Spann in the second round, then ground out a unanimous decision over Serghei Spivac at UFC 316. A unanimous-decision loss to Sergei Pavlovich in August 2025 was a step up that did not go his way, but he rebounded with a vengeance: a first-round knockout of Ante Delija in November, followed weeks later by another first-round knockout, this time of the highly regarded Shamil Gaziev. He carried that momentum into 2026, stopping the dangerous Derrick Lewis by second-round TKO at UFC 324 before dropping a unanimous decision to former title challenger Alexander Volkov.

Fighting style

Cortes-Acosta is one of the most polished pure boxers in the heavyweight division, and his record reflects it. With 17 wins, nine by knockout, his offense runs through crisp, high-volume hands, sharp footwork unusual for a big man, and the chin to wade into exchanges. Tellingly, all three of his career losses have come by decision — he has never been finished, a testament to his durability and fight IQ. The questions at the top of the division have centered on output against elite power and the occasional fight that slips to the judges, but his late-career run of one-shot finishes has shown a heavyweight growing into his strength.

Career highlights

• Contender Series contract — a first-round TKO of Danilo Suzart in 2022 earned him his UFC deal and launched his heavyweight run.
• Knockout statement streak — back-to-back first-round knockouts of Ante Delija and Shamil Gaziev in late 2025 pushed him firmly into the division's top tier.
• Never finished — across 20 pro fights his only three losses have come by decision, underscoring the durability behind his boxing-first style.