At UFC 328 media day in June 2026, Waldo Cortes Acosta delivered pointed criticism of upcoming opponent Josh Hokit while speaking with reporters. He questioned aspects of Hokit's character and used the platform to send a message about how seriously he takes the matchup. The verbal jabs added spice to their heavyweight pairing on the UFC 328 card. This exchange highlights Cortes Acosta’s growing confidence and willingness to engage in trash talk as he climbs the division.
Waldo "Salsa Boy" Cortes Acosta turned a UFC 328 media day appearance in June 2026 into an opportunity to take direct aim at his upcoming opponent Josh Hokit, questioning Hokit's character and making clear that he is treating the heavyweight matchup with the utmost seriousness.
Cortes Acosta enters the fight ranked tenth in the heavyweight division with a record of 17 wins and 3 losses. The 34-year-old American, who trains out of Ultimate Kombat Fitness, stands six-foot-four with a 78-inch reach and fights out of an orthodox stance. His offensive output is a standout feature of his game — he lands 5.54 significant strikes per minute at a 49 percent accuracy rate, numbers that paint the picture of a high-volume puncher who finds a home for his shots consistently. His wrestling and grappling contributions are minimal by comparison, with 0.44 takedowns per 15 minutes and just 0.1 submission attempts over the same window, suggesting he intends to keep the fight standing.
No verified statistics for Hokit were available to draw from at the time of this report.
Why it matters
- Cortes Acosta sits at number ten in the heavyweight rankings, meaning a strong performance could push him deeper into title contention.
- His willingness to engage in public trash talk signals a confidence shift as he establishes himself further up the division.
- The stylistic picture that emerges from his numbers is a striker who pressures with volume, which should set up an intriguing dynamic once the two heavyweights share the canvas at UFC 328.
