Latest news with #WaldoCortes-Acosta
USA Today
4 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
UFC's Waldo Cortes-Acosta calls for top contender bout vs. Curtis Blaydes next
UFC's Waldo Cortes-Acosta calls for top contender bout vs. Curtis Blaydes next Waldo Cortes-Acosta is looking for a step-up in his next UFC fight. Waldo Cortes-Acosta wants to prove he's worthy of a UFC title shot, and he knows to do that he'll have to take difficult fights. The rising heavyweight contender called for one of the tougher challenges in the UFC heavyweight division following his unanimous decision win over Serghei Spivac this past Saturday at UFC 316. Cortes-Acosta (13-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) wants to throw down with former UFC interim title challenger and long-time contender Curtis Blaydes. "Like I told you before the fight, God willing, if UFC allows it, I'd like to fight against Curtis Blaydes," Cortes-Acosta told Hablemos MMA in Spanish. "I want to prepare 100 percent and give it my all, and see what happens. I can prepare myself physically better, and work hard like I always do. I do know that I need to work hard now that I'm facing these guys because they're more advanced, more experience." Cortes-Acosta, who's on a five-fight winning streak, thinks doesn't see himself too far from title contention, and thinks a win over Blaydes could close him that gap. The Dominican fighter sees a showdown against Blaydes very much like his fight on Saturday – a striking affair that will eventually get his opponent to start wrestling. "I think that's a fight that will mainly lay out in the feet, but the moment things get complicated for him, he's going to look for the takedowns," Cortes-Acosta said. "That's what happened in this fight When Spivac started having difficulty striking, he looked to take the fight to the ground because I started catching him. The moment I began connecting my jab, I thought, 'I found him. I got this.'" As far as his win over Spivac, some people online scored the fight for the Russian fighter despite Cortes-Acosta out landing Spivac in significant and total strikes in every round of the fight. He disagrees with the "robbery claims" and thought he clearly won the fight. "The first round, I had a tough time figuring him out," Cortes-Acosta explained. "I was a little confused, and I couldn't find him with my jab. Then after, towards the end of Round 1, I began to find my jab. I do give him the first round. He looked better. However, in the second, my accumulation of strikes was too much. Then in the third, my coach said I connected more than 100 strikes. So yeah."
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
UFC 316's Waldo Cortes-Acosta plans Serghei Spivac KO, enter heavyweight title contention
Waldo Cortes-Acosta feels he's on the cusp of title contention, and it's hard to disagree. The Dominican heavyweight has quietly put together an impressive run in the UFC, picking up six wins in the seven fights he's had since joining the promotion. These victories include two knockouts, and several notable names such as Ryan Spann, Robelis Despaigne, Chase Sherman and former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski. Advertisement This Saturday at UFC 316, Cortes-Acosta (13-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) looks to continue to bolster that resume and go on a five-fight winning streak when he takes on top-10 ranked heavyweight Serghei Spivac. He thinks a win over Spivac (17-5 MMA, 8-5 UFC) will open up big opportunities for him in the division. "Yeah, I do feel the attention and the importance of the event," Cortes-Acosta told Hablemos MMA in Spanish. "This fight can push me, can catapult me to the top, and put me in the title conversation. Maybe I win this one, one more after that, and I'm ready for a title shot, God willing." Cortes-Acosta has his path to victory mapped out for Spivac. Avoid the ground game and keep the fight in his realm. "I see it as a striker vs. wrestler," Cortes-Acosta said. "I don't think he has the hands to match me in the octagon. Like I've said, every fight I'm evolving. I never stop evolving. I feel stronger and I'm heavier now." Advertisement There are high expectations for Cortes-Acosta in this matchup. He sees himself finishing the "Polar Bear" "I expect the knockout," Waldo-Acosta said. "Come Saturday, I'll be knocking on the door, and it will be opened." This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC 316's Waldo Cortes-Acosta plans to KO Serghei Spivac
USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
UFC 316's Waldo Cortes-Acosta plans Serghei Spivac KO, enter heavyweight title contention
UFC 316's Waldo Cortes-Acosta plans Serghei Spivac KO, enter heavyweight title contention Waldo Cortes-Acosta sees a big opportunity at UFC 316. Waldo Cortes-Acosta feels he's on the cusp of title contention, and it's hard to disagree. The Dominican heavyweight has quietly put together an impressive run in the UFC, picking up six wins in the seven fights he's had since joining the promotion. These victories include two knockouts, and several notable names such as Ryan Spann, Robelis Despaigne, Chase Sherman and former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski. This Saturday at UFC 316, Cortes-Acosta (13-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) looks to continue to bolster that resume and go on a five-fight winning streak when he takes on top-10 ranked heavyweight Serghei Spivac. He thinks a win over Spivac (17-5 MMA, 8-5 UFC) will open up big opportunities for him in the division. "Yeah, I do feel the attention and the importance of the event," Cortes-Acosta told Hablemos MMA in Spanish. "This fight can push me, can catapult me to the top, and put me in the title conversation. Maybe I win this one, one more after that, and I'm ready for a title shot, God willing." Cortes-Acosta has his path to victory mapped out for Spivac. Avoid the ground game and keep the fight in his realm. "I see it as a striker vs. wrestler," Cortes-Acosta said. "I don't think he has the hands to match me in the octagon. Like I've said, every fight I'm evolving. I never stop evolving. I feel stronger and I'm heavier now." There are high expectations for Cortes-Acosta in this matchup. He sees himself finishing the "Polar Bear" "I expect the knockout," Waldo-Acosta said. "Come Saturday, I'll be knocking on the door, and it will be opened."
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Serghei Spivac vs. Waldo Cortes-Acosta prediction, odds, pick for UFC 316
The post Serghei Spivac vs. Waldo Cortes-Acosta prediction, odds, pick for UFC 316 appeared first on ClutchPoints. We're back for another betting prediction and pick for UFC 316: Dvalishvili vs. O'Malley 2 as we head to the Heavyweight Division for this next bout. Ranked contenders will get their shot at each other as No. 7 Serghei Spivac of Moldova will take on No. 11 Waldo Cortes-Acosta of the Dominican Republic. Check the UFC odds series for our Spivac-Cortes-Acosta prediction and pick. Advertisement Serghei Spivac (17-5) has gone 8-5 since joining the UFC in 2019. Following a three-fight winning streak that saw him notch three finishes, he's gone 1-2 over his three most recent bouts. After two cancellations against would-be opponent Shamil Gaziev, he'll look to put away another contender waiting in the wings. Spivac stands 6-foot-3 with a 78-inch reach. Waldo Cortes-Acosta (13-1) has gone 6-1 inside the UFC since 2022. After dropping the only bout of his UFC tenure, he's notched four consecutive victories ahead of this one, with his latest win coming against Ryan Spann in impressive fashion. He'll hope to jump the rankings as he searches for five straight. Cortes-Acosta stands 6-foot-4 with a 70-inch reach. Here are the UFC 316 Odds, courtesy of DraftKings. UFC 316 Odds: Serghei Spivac-Waldo Cortes-Acosta Odds Serghei Spivac: -142 Advertisement Waldo Cortes-Acosta: +120 Over 2.5 rounds: +120 Under 2.5 rounds: -154 *Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)* Why Serghei Spivac Will Win Last Fight: (L) Jailton Almeida – TKO (punches, R1) Last 5: 3-2 Finishes: 7 KO/TKO, 8 SUB Serghei Spivac comes into this bout following a loss to a motivated Jailton Almeida, and it certainly wasn't his best showing, but the gap in athleticism and grappling could be to blame for the defeat. During this bout, he'll be much more in control when it comes to the grappling, as his opponent has shown signs of weakness when being taken down. From top position, Spivac can make himself very heavy and is likely to steal some rounds if he's able to land his takedowns effectively. Advertisement Spivac will also be working with a significant eight-inch reach advantage, and although his opponent is a much stronger boxer, Spivac has shown improvements with his stand-up game over the last few fights. Still, he hasn't been nearly as aggressive in engaging opponents over the last few bouts, so it's certainly something he'll have to improve ahead of this fight. To be successful here, look for Spivac to engage and go to the clinch much more often, where he's most powerful. He has a knack for throwing opponents off their balance, and it ties into his ground game very well. From there, he has a chance to dominate with his strength while negating the pressure boxing style from Cortes-Acosta. Why Waldo Cortes-Acosta Will Win Last Fight: (W) Ryan Spann – KO (left hook, R2) Last 5: 4-1 Finishes: 6 KO/TKO, 1 SUB Waldo Cortes-Acosta comes into this bout following four-straight wins for the longest streak of his UFC tenure. He's often praised for his fluid boxing as a heavyweight and he certainly has the combinations to show for it. He does a great job of maintaining a safe distance while rifling combinations off, but he'll have to work at a reach disadvantage where he should be more focused on countering and being defensive than trying to knock Spivac out right away. Advertisement Two of his last four wins have come by way of unanimous decision, so Waldo Cortes-Acosta is slowly proving he's capable of winning the bout in a multitude of ways. His takedown defense is a solid 66% up to this point, but he'll certainly want to avoid mixing things up on the ground against someone like Spivac. In order to win this bout, Cortes-Acosta will have to remain diligent in staying on his feet while breaking away from the clinch of his opponent. If he's able to do so, it opens the door for another dominant striking performance as he'll certainly have the more fluid boxing throughout this fight. Final Serghei Spivac-Waldo Cortes-Acosta Prediction & Pick This should be another entertaining clash between talented heavyweights as they boast differing styles heading into this fight. Waldo Cortes-Acosta has made a name for himself as one of the more fluid boxers in the division, while Spivac will be looking to maul his opponent on the ground and create a significant discrepancy in the grappling department. Advertisement Still, Waldo Cortes-Acosta has shown great ability to force wrestlers to stand and strike with him due to his sheer size, so I don't expect Spivac to have his way throughout much of this fight. Either way, we should see most of this fight take place on the feet, where Cortes-Acosta will sport a significant advantage. For our final prediction, we'll roll with Waldo Cortes-Acosta to get the win as he picks-and-pops his way to a close decision. Final Serghei Spivac-Waldo Cortes-Acosta Prediction & Pick: Waldo Cortes-Acosta (+120) Related: Azamat Murzakanov vs. Brendson Ribeiro prediction, odds, pick for UFC 316 Related: Khaos Williams vs. Andreas Gustafsson prediction, odds, pick for UFC 316
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
UFC Fight Night 254 video: Waldo Cortes-Acosta pounds out Ryan Spann with punches
Waldo Cortes-Acosta welcomed Ryan Spann to the UFC heavyweight division in rude fashion Saturday. In the UFC Fight Night 254 featured prelim at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Cortes-Acosta (13-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) finished Spann (22-11 MMA, 8-6 UFC) with punches at 4:48 of Round 2 The power from Waldo Cortes-Acosta 🔥👊 #UFCVegas104 — ESPN MMA (@espnmma) March 15, 2025 Cortes-Acosta extends his winning streak to four. Other notable UFC wins include Andrei Arlovski and Robelis Despaigne. Spann falls to 1-4 in his most recent five. Saturday's bout was his first in the UFC heavyweight division. Up-to-the-minute UFC Fight Night 254 results include: Waldo Cortes-Acosta def. Ryan Spann via TKO (strikes) – Round 2, 4:48 SuYoung You def. AJ Cunningham via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) Carlos Vera def. Josias Musasa via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 3:16 Sam Hughes def. Stephanie Luciano via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-27) Andre Lima def. Daniel Barez via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 3, 3:05 Priscila Cachoeira def. Josiane Nunes via knockout (punch) – Round 1, 2:46 Carli Judice def. Yuneisy Duben via TKO (head kick, punches) – Round 1, 1:40 For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie's event hub for UFC Fight Night 254. This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC Fight Night 254 video: Waldo Cortes-Acosta pounds out Ryan Spann with punches
