Delija Disputes Eye Poke Loss Ahead of Spivac Bout

Heavyweight Ante Delija is preparing for his comeback fight against Serghei Spivac at UFC Houston on February 21, 2026, following a controversial loss to Waldo Cortes-Acosta. Delija disputes the outcome, claiming the fight should have been ruled a no contest after an eye poke led to a restart that he believes was unfair. The former PFL champion was knocked out shortly after the fight was restarted and remains frustrated with the referee's decision. Delija has been training at Team Kaobon in Manchester with UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall, though Aspinall was absent from this camp due to his ongoing eye injury recovery. Delija is focused on moving forward with his fight against Spivac rather than pursuing a rematch.