Waldo Cortes-Acosta and Curtis Blaydes are scheduled to meet at UFC 331 on September 19th. The heavyweight matchup adds a high-profile collision to the card.
Curtis Blaydes and Waldo Cortes-Acosta have been booked for a heavyweight showdown at UFC 331, scheduled for September 19, 2026, adding a compelling top-ten matchup to what is shaping up to be a significant card.
Blaydes, known as "Razor," enters the bout ranked fourth in the heavyweight division with a record of 19-6-0. The 35-year-old American, who trains out of Elevation Fight Team, stands six-foot-four with an 80-inch reach and has built his reputation as one of the most relentless wrestlers in the division. He averages 5.38 takedowns per 15 minutes — an elite figure at any weight class — while also landing 3.56 significant strikes per minute at 50 percent accuracy.
Cortes-Acosta, nicknamed "Salsa Boy," holds a record of 17-3-0 and checks in at number ten in the heavyweight rankings. Also 34 years old and six-foot-four, the Ultimate Kombat Fitness product carries a 78-inch reach and has made his name as a high-output striker, averaging 5.54 significant strikes per minute at 49 percent accuracy. His takedown rate of 0.44 per 15 minutes signals a clear preference for keeping the fight standing.
Why it matters
- Blaydes sits fourth in the division, making a win potentially vital for any title-contention conversation, while a victory would vault Cortes-Acosta dramatically up the rankings from tenth.
- The stylistic contrast is sharp: Blaydes is among the UFC's most prolific takedown artists, while Cortes-Acosta's high striking volume and limited grappling output suggest he will look to keep it on the feet.
- Both men are the same height with nearly identical reaches, meaning neither fighter holds a significant physical edge, putting the bout's outcome squarely on execution and game-planning.
Saturday, September 19, 2026
