Heavyweight Fireworks in Las Vegas
It is officially fight week in Las Vegas for UFC 324. While the card at T-Mobile Arena is stacked, one specific bout demands attention. The rising Dominican-American star Waldo “Salsa Boy” Cortes-Acosta (16-2-0) is set to collide with the legendary knockout artist Derrick “The Black Beast” Lewis (29-12-0).
This heavyweight clash is a rite of passage. If you are climbing the ranks, the thought inevitably crosses your mind: “Eventually, I have to face Derrick Lewis.” Lewis is the gatekeeper of chaos, known for devastating knockouts and hilarious microphone moments. However, Cortes-Acosta is ready. He plowed through five rivals last year alone, taking his final bout on just three days’ notice.
The Ultimate Dad Strength
Whatever happens in the cage, Waldo Cortes-Acosta has already survived the hardest challenge known to man: he is a father of nine children. As a Latino father of four, I can barely keep my sanity. Growing up in a family of seven in San Francisco, I watched my parents struggle just to yell the right name when they were mad. I was called my sister Cynthia’s name more times than I care to admit.
Managing nine kids requires the kind of patience that makes a cage fight look relaxing. Honestly, if you can coordinate dinner for eleven people, standing across from Derrick Lewis probably feels like a quiet vacation. The steady face Waldo maintains during fight week? That isn’t fearlessness; it is the look of a man enjoying the silence away from a house full of chaos.
From The Diamond to The Octagon
Salsa Boy is a unique athlete. Before fighting, he pitched professionally for the Cincinnati Reds. His baseball career ended after a locker room altercation where he refused to back down from a teammate. As he told Luchando Al Exito, he simply switched gears.
He transitioned to boxing under Top Rank, the same promoters behind Muhammad Ali, before finding his home in MMA. It was a grind. Moving to Arizona, he often got lost and faced significant challenges finding a local gym due to a language barrier; speaking only Spanish made it difficult for him to communicate with staff in Arizona. This stands in stark contrast to my upbringing in San Francisco, where my parents owned ‘La Estrella Bakery‘ near Mission Dolores.
While working the register, my brothers and I interacted with a diverse Latino population from Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. Our parents encouraged us to master various Spanish dialects and regional slang to better distinguish the specific items customers requested. Consequently, when he expressed his frustration, I immediately recognized the linguistic gap he was facing.
A Historic Night for Latino MMA
Now, Cortes-Acosta stands as the only Latino competing in the heavyweight division since Cain Velasquez. He is the “Phoenix in Phoenix,” a symbol of hope and hard work for all latinos world wide!
Don’t miss this historic clash. Waldo “Salsa Boy” Cortes-Acosta fights this Saturday, January 24, on the main card of UFC 324: Gaethje vs. Pimblett live on Paramount+. The fun starts at 05:00 PM ET.
