A Sudden Shake-Up in Qatar
UFC Qatar just got a major storyline boost. Waldo “Salsa Boy” Cortes-Acosta has stepped up in dramatic fashion, accepting a heavyweight clash against Shamil Gaziev on only three days’ notice. The short-notice move marks Cortes-Acosta’s second UFC appearance this month, proving he’s one of the busiest contenders in the division. With Serghei Spivac forced out for undisclosed reasons, Cortes-Acosta answers the call—again.
A Rivalry Interrupted and Repaired
This matchup comes after months of scheduling chaos involving Gaziev and Spivac. Their matchup was targeted for May. Then it shifted to UFC 316 in June. That version fell apart when Gaziev suffered a broken finger. Cortes-Acosta replaced him then—and beat Spivac by unanimous decision.
Now, once again, it’s Cortes-Acosta to the rescue. ESPN Deportes first reported the news that he’s flying into Qatar to keep the heavyweight bout alive.
Cortes-Acosta’s Controversial Climb
This quick turnaround is happening just three weeks removed from Cortes-Acosta’s dramatic TKO victory at UFC Vegas 110. The fight against Ante Delija was initially halted after what appeared to be a knockout. But replay showed Delija had poked Cortes-Acosta in the eye, forcing a chaotic restart. Seconds later, Cortes-Acosta landed the clean finishing shot and left zero doubt.
That victory has fueled momentum—and sparked debate—as he now enters his fifth fight of 2025, a remarkable workload for any UFC heavyweight.
“Pirate of the Caribbean” Sets Sail for Qatar
Earlier today, Friday, November 21, UFC Español dropped a short video invite featuring Waldo “Salsa Boy” Cortes-Acosta — a clip he quickly re-shared on Instagram (@waldocortesmma) — where he appears wearing an eye patch and boldly declares, “I’m the pirate of the Caribbean, I’ll be here this Saturday in Qatar, don’t miss it.” The playful nod instantly brought fans back to the chaos of UFC Vegas 110 earlier this month, when an eye poke from Ante Delija sparked a wild, confusing brawl and led to a controversial restart before Cortes-Acosta scored the dramatic knockout.
Gaziev’s Home-Turf Advantage?
Shamil Gaziev, who is based in Bahrain, expects the Persian Gulf atmosphere to favor him. On social media, he declared the region “my territory.” He has won two straight since his lone setback against Jairzinho Rozenstruik, and unlike Cortes-Acosta, his camp has had time to properly prepare.
Cortes-Acosta enters ranked No. 6 in the division. Gaziev sits at No. 11. The stakes are clear: a win in Qatar could propel the survivor of this high-pressure matchup closer to UFC heavyweight title contention.
