Curtis Blaydes Defeats Waldo Cortes-Acosta by Unanimous Decision at Noche UFC

Curtis Blaydes earned a unanimous decision win over Waldo Cortes-Acosta at Noche UFC on September 12, 2026, improving his professional record to 20-6-1NC in a heavyweight bout that carried real divisional weight.

Blaydes, nicknamed "Razor," came in ranked sixth in the heavyweight division. The 35-year-old American, who trains out of Elevation Fight Team, stands six-foot-four with an 80-inch reach and brings one of the most consistent wrestling-based game plans in the division. He averages 5.38 takedowns per 15 minutes and lands significant strikes at a rate of 3.56 per minute with 50 percent accuracy. The victory continues a pattern that has defined his recent career — over his last seven fights, Blaydes has alternated wins and losses without exception, making each outing feel like a correction in one direction or the other.

Cortes-Acosta, also known as "Salsa Boy," entered the fight ranked fifth at heavyweight, one spot above his opponent. The 34-year-old, also fighting out of the United States under the Ultimate Kombat Fitness banner, is six-foot-four with a 78-inch reach and had built a reputation as one of the more active strikers in the division, averaging 5.54 significant strikes per minute at 49 percent accuracy. The loss drops him to 17-4 and marks his second consecutive defeat, having previously suffered a loss to Alexander Volkov.

Why it matters

• Blaydes' win over a top-five heavyweight strengthens his case for a higher ranking and a more prominent position in title contention discussions
• Cortes-Acosta's back-to-back losses raise questions about his standing near the top of the division after two straight setbacks against ranked opponents
• The contrasting styles — Blaydes' elite wrestling volume versus Cortes-Acosta's striking output — made this a meaningful stylistic test for both men