Las Vegas, NV — Heavyweight Waldo Cortes-Acosta is now a UFC fighter, as of the latest episode of Dana White’s Contender Series.
He may even have his debut date set — and if it pans out, it will be in just a few weeks at UFC San Diego.
Following Tuesday’s first-round TKO of Danilo Suzart, Cortes-Acosta (7-0) revealed that “they were already talking [in] the back about San Diego on the 13th. I guess you’re going to see me out there, just going, pushing forward and hitting people.”
That would be a very quick turnaround time if it does pan out. Even quicker than Joe Pyfer, who fought last week on the Contender Series and now has a fight lined up for September.
On his performance Tuesday, something of a sloppy brawl, Cortes-Acosta told media outlets including Cageside Press that “I’m the type of person that, I don’t think it’s enough. And I always want to do more and learn from what happened to come back strong.”
The heavyweight feels ready for what comes next, however. “In my career, I just want to keep going. Every opponent they put in front of me, I just want to destroy them, until I went to Francis Ngannou.”
With his win on Tuesday, Waldo Cortes-Acosta became the first fighter from the Dominican Republic to enter the UFC. He’s proud to represent Hispanic culture in the promotion, he said — and is looking forward to growing alongside a fighter he knows well, Mexico’s Brandon Moreno.
“Obviously I do feel very proud. You have Chito Vera, but especially Brandon Moreno. He came from the bottom just like me, and we actually fought in the same promotion in Arizona back in the day. And now we’re going to see each other, and we’re going all the way to the top together in the UFC.”
Watch the full Dana White’s Contender Series 48 post-fight press scrum with Waldo Cortes-Acosta above.
