Waldo Cortes-Acosta and Curtis Blaydes are set to clash at Noche UFC on September 12th. The heavyweight matchup will take place on the September 12th card rather than the previously reported September 19th date.
Curtis Blaydes and Waldo Cortes-Acosta have been booked to meet at Noche UFC on September 12th, a date adjustment from the September 19th slot that had previously been reported for the heavyweight bout.
Blaydes, known as "Razor," enters the fight ranked fourth in the UFC heavyweight division. The 35-year-old orthodox striker out of Elevation Fight Team carries a 19-6-0 record and stands six-foot-four with an 80-inch reach. He is one of the most prolific wrestlers in the division, averaging 5.38 takedowns per 15 minutes, and lands 3.56 significant strikes per minute at 50 percent accuracy.
Cortes-Acosta, nicknamed "Salsa Boy," is ranked 10th in the heavyweight division and holds a 17-3-0 record. The 34-year-old, also six-foot-four, trains out of Ultimate Kombat Fitness and carries a 78-inch reach. He is a high-volume striker, averaging 5.54 significant strikes per minute at 49 percent accuracy, and relies primarily on his hands rather than the grappling game.
Why it matters
- Blaydes sits four spots above Cortes-Acosta in the rankings, meaning a win for "Salsa Boy" would represent a significant leap toward the upper tier of the division.
- The contrasting styles set up a classic striker-versus-wrestler dynamic, with Blaydes' elite takedown output squaring off against Cortes-Acosta's volume striking.
- A victory for Blaydes would keep him firmly in contention among the top heavyweights and reinforce his position as a gatekeeper to title contention.
