// Roster Index›Heavyweight›Dossier · Waldo Cortes Acosta
UFC FIGHTER PROFILE_
UFC · UNKNOWNRANKED #8STOCK -4HEAVYWEIGHT

Waldo Cortes
Acosta

NICKNAME"Salsa Boy"·DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
PROFESSIONAL RECORD
17-3-0
CURRENT FORM
2L STREAK
NEXT FIGHT
NO BOUT ANNOUNCED
Waldo Cortes Acosta
FIGHTER 008
DOM
PROFILE PHOTO
PROFILE
PROFILE DATA! LIVE
HEIGHT
6'4"
REACH
6'6"
AGE
35
STANCE
ORTHODOX
WEIGHT
Heavyweight
PROFESSIONAL RECORD_
20 BOUTS
WIN
17
LOSS
3
DRAW
0
WIN RATE
85%
17/20 bouts
FINISH RATE
59%
of professional wins
LAST 5 FIGHTS2L STREAK · 3-2
WWWLL
Form trend -4 over the last 90 days.
STYLE SUMMARY_
DATA: LIVE
FIGHTING STYLE
WELL ROUNDED

Well rounded fighter with no dominant single weapon — 53% of wins are by ko/tko.

KEY STRENGTHS

Closes distance and trades — most wins come from heavy hands inside the first two rounds.

KEY RISKS

Volume strikers have outpointed across full fights — output drops after R2.

// PERFORMANCE_METRICS · 02_

STRIKE / GRAPPLE
VITALS

Observed profile rates compared with stored weight-class medians where coverage exists. Any fallback uses a labeled UFC reference average; no fallback is presented as a division median.

// SLPM▲ ABOVE
5.34
Strikes Landed/Min
Reference value 2.60
// STR. ACC▲ ABOVE
48%
Striking Accuracy
Reference value 45%
// SAPM▼ BELOW
3.63
Strikes Absorbed/Min
Reference value 2.70
// STR. DEF▲ ABOVE
54%
Striking Defense
Reference value 50%
// TD AVG▼ BELOW
0.40
Takedowns/15 min
Reference value 0.72
// TD ACC▲ ABOVE
50%
Takedown Accuracy
Reference value 30%
// TD DEF▲ ABOVE
73%
Takedown Defense
Reference value 50%
// SUB AVG▲ ABOVE
0.10
Submissions/15 min
Reference value 0.00
// QUALITY_OF_COMPETITION · 02B_

WHO THEY
ACTUALLY FOUGHT

A record says how often a fighter won, not against whom. These ratings weigh every result by the opponent's strength at the time, then compare this fighter with the 63 other rated fighters on the UFC heavyweight roster (anyone with a UFC bout in the last two years or one booked).

// RATING
#15
of 64 on the UFC heavyweight roster · Elo 1612
// STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE
87th
percentile · average opponent rated 1608 at fight time (recent fights count most)
// RESULTS VS EXPECTATION
62nd
percentile · beat what opponents' ratings predicted (+0.14 per fight)

15 rated fights · opponents rated in 71% of recorded fights · last rated fight SEP 12, 2026

// CAREER_BREAKDOWN · 03_

WIN CONDITION MAP

Where the wins come from, and where the losses came from. Method splits by knockout, submission, and decision.

// WINS (17)
n = 17
KO/TKO · 9
SUB · 1
DEC · 7
9
KO/TKO
53%
1
SUB
6%
7
DEC
41%
// LOSSES (3)
n = 3
DEC · 4
0
KO/TKO
0%
0
SUB
0%
4
DEC
133%
// PATH_TO_VICTORY_
59% FINISH
KO/TKOEARLY ROUNDS · 9 fights
53%
SUBANY ROUND · 1 fights
6%
DECFULL FIGHT · 7 fights
41%
Top win condition: ko/tko · early rounds.
// DNA_PROFILE · 04_

ATTRIBUTE FINGERPRINT

Evidence-backed 0-100 scores built only from observed profile stats and disclosed bout-history proxies. This is a fixed Blueprint scoring model, not a division percentile; missing axes remain unknown.

// DNA_PROFILE_
3 OBSERVED7 DERIVED0 UNKNOWN
// BENCHMARK
FIXED SCORE SCALE
// LINKED SAMPLE
21 BOUTS
// PROFILE UPDATED
OCT 27, 2026
// RECORDED SOURCE
ufcstats
Fighter attribute fingerprint10 of 10 attributes have evidence-backed scores on the Blueprint fixed scale. Unknown axes are not plotted and no score represents a division percentile.KO POWER76TD DEFENSE73GRAPPLING45CHIN88STRIKING69CARDIO74AGGRESSION50SUB THREAT20STR DEFENSE53RECOVERY67
// BANDS
90+ELITE
70-89STRONG
45-69AVERAGE
30-44BELOW
<30LOW
N/AUNKNOWN
Highest scored axis: Chin. Lowest scored axis: Sub Threat.
// EVIDENCE REGISTER
10 SCORED · 0 OPEN
KO Power76
DERIVED PROXY

KO wins divided by total career wins

N=17 wins
TD Defense73
OBSERVED INPUT

Observed takedown defense rate (73%)

Grappling45
DERIVED PROXY

Composite of observed takedown volume, accuracy, and submission rate

Chin88
DERIVED PROXY

KO-loss durability proxy from career record

N=20 bouts
Striking69
DERIVED PROXY

Composite of observed striking volume and accuracy

Cardio74
DERIVED PROXY

Long-fight exposure proxy from bout duration and decision-win share

Aggression50
DERIVED PROXY

Activity proxy from observed strike and takedown volume

Sub Threat20
OBSERVED INPUT

Observed submission rate (0.1 per 15 min)

Str Defense53
OBSERVED INPUT

Observed striking defense rate (54%)

Recovery67
DERIVED PROXY

Share of recorded losses followed by a win in the next recorded bout.

N=4 losses
Fighter attribute fingerprint accessible data summary
AttributeScoreProvenanceEvidenceSample
KO Power76 out of 100DERIVED PROXYKO wins divided by total career wins17 wins
TD Defense73 out of 100OBSERVED INPUTObserved takedown defense rate (73%)Not recorded
Grappling45 out of 100DERIVED PROXYComposite of observed takedown volume, accuracy, and submission rateNot recorded
Chin88 out of 100DERIVED PROXYKO-loss durability proxy from career record20 bouts
Striking69 out of 100DERIVED PROXYComposite of observed striking volume and accuracyNot recorded
Cardio74 out of 100DERIVED PROXYLong-fight exposure proxy from bout duration and decision-win shareNot recorded
Aggression50 out of 100DERIVED PROXYActivity proxy from observed strike and takedown volumeNot recorded
Sub Threat20 out of 100OBSERVED INPUTObserved submission rate (0.1 per 15 min)Not recorded
Str Defense53 out of 100OBSERVED INPUTObserved striking defense rate (54%)Not recorded
Recovery67 out of 100DERIVED PROXYShare of recorded losses followed by a win in the next recorded bout.4 losses
// CAREER_MOMENTUM · 05_

THE ARC SO FAR

Rolling momentum score (0-100) recomputed after every bout. Weighted blend of result, opponent context, and method-of-finish, designed to show the shape, not the destination.

// MOMENTUM_TIMELINE_
SCOREWINLOSS
0255075100MAY 2018WMAY 2018WJUL 2021WAUG 2021WNOV 2021WFEB 2022WAPR 2022WAUG 2022WOCT 2022WNOV 2022LAPR 2023WAUG 2023WJAN 2024WMAY 2024WMAR 2025WJUN 2025LAUG 2025WNOV 2025WNOV 2025WJAN 2026LMAY 2026LSEP 2026// SCORE

  1. Start, MAY 2018, momentum score 45.
  2. Start, MAY 2018, momentum score 54, KO/TKO R2.
  3. Start, JUL 2021, momentum score 64, SUB R1.
  4. Start, AUG 2021, momentum score 71, DEC R3.
  5. Start, NOV 2021, momentum score 78, DEC R3.
  6. Start, FEB 2022, momentum score 87, KO/TKO R2.
  7. Start, APR 2022, momentum score 96, KO/TKO R3.
  8. Start, AUG 2022, momentum score 100, KO/TKO R1.
  9. Start, OCT 2022, momentum score 100, DEC R3.
  10. Start, NOV 2022, momentum score 100, DEC R3.
  11. Start, APR 2023, momentum score 93, DEC R3.
  12. Start, AUG 2023, momentum score 100, KO/TKO R1.
  13. Start, JAN 2024, momentum score 100, DEC R3.
  14. Start, MAY 2024, momentum score 100, DEC R3.
  15. Start, MAR 2025, momentum score 100, KO/TKO R2.
  16. Start, JUN 2025, momentum score 100, DEC R3.
  17. Start, AUG 2025, momentum score 93, DEC R3.
  18. Start, NOV 2025, momentum score 100, KO/TKO R1.
  19. Start, NOV 2025, momentum score 100, KO/TKO R1.
  20. Start, JAN 2026, momentum score 100, KO/TKO R2.
  21. Start, MAY 2026, momentum score 93, DEC R3.
  22. Start, SEP 2026, momentum score 86, DEC R3.

Peaked at 100 (W vs Suzart), bottomed at 45 (Debut). Current reading: 86.

// KILL_SHOT_MATRIX · 06_

WHEN THE FINISHES COME

Cross-tab of fight outcome by method and round. Reads top-down for method, left-right for round. Cyan intensity scales with frequency.

// METHOD × ROUND_
21/21 fights mapped
METHOD ↓ / ROUND →R1R2R3R4R5FREQ
KO/TKO
4
19%
4
19%
1
5%
-
-
9
total
SUB
1
5%
-
-
-
-
1
total
DEC
-
-
11
52%
-
-
11
total
// PRIMARY KILL ZONE
R1-R2 KO/TKO · 8 of 21 mapped
// LATE-FIGHT GAP
No R5 finishes either way
// DECISION RATE
52%, fights often go the distance
// FIGHT_HISTORY · 08_

BOUT LOG
21 FIGHTS

Detailed bout records for the indexed tenure. Sorted most recent first.

L
VS Curtis BlaydesSep 12, 2026
DecisionR3 · 5:00
Noche UFC: Silva vs. Delgado
SECONDARY DETAILS
METHOD
DETAIL
Unanimous
L
VS Alexander VolkovMay 9, 2026
DecisionR3 · 5:00
UFC 328 - Chimaev vs. Strickland
SECONDARY DETAILS
METHOD
DETAIL
Decision (Unanimous)
W
VS Derrick LewisJan 24, 2026
KO/TKOR2 · 3:14
UFC 324 - Gaethje vs. Pimblett
SECONDARY DETAILS
METHOD
DETAIL
TKO (Punches)
W
VS Shamil GazievNov 22, 2025
KO/TKOR1 · 1:22
UFC Fight Night 265 - Tsarukyan vs. Hooker
SECONDARY DETAILS
METHOD
DETAIL
KO (Punch)
W
VS Ante DelijaNov 1, 2025
KO/TKOR1 · 3:59
UFC Fight Night 263 - Garcia vs. Onama
SECONDARY DETAILS
METHOD
DETAIL
KO (Punches)
L
VS Sergei PavlovichAug 23, 2025
DecisionR3 · 5:00
UFC Fight Night 257 - Walker vs. Zhang
SECONDARY DETAILS
METHOD
DETAIL
Decision (Unanimous)
W
VS Serghei SpivacJun 7, 2025
DecisionR3 · 5:00
UFC 316 - Dvalishvili vs. O'Malley 2
SECONDARY DETAILS
METHOD
DETAIL
Decision (Unanimous)
W
VS Ryan SpannMar 15, 2025
KO/TKOR2 · 4:48
UFC Fight Night 254 - Vettori vs. Dolidze 2
SECONDARY DETAILS
METHOD
DETAIL
TKO (Punches)
W
VS Robelis DespaigneMay 11, 2024
DecisionR3 · 5:00
UFC on ESPN 56 - Lewis vs. Nascimento
SECONDARY DETAILS
METHOD
DETAIL
Decision (Unanimous)
W
VS Andrei ArlovskiJan 13, 2024
DecisionR3 · 5:00
UFC Fight Night 234 - Ankalaev vs. Walker 2
SECONDARY DETAILS
METHOD
DETAIL
Decision (Unanimous)
W
VS Lukasz BrzeskiAug 26, 2023
KO/TKOR1 · 3:01
UFC Fight Night 225 - Holloway vs. Korean Zombie
SECONDARY DETAILS
METHOD
DETAIL
KO (Punches)
L
VS Marcos Rogerio de LimaApr 29, 2023
DecisionR3 · 5:00
UFC on ESPN 45 - Song vs. Simon
SECONDARY DETAILS
METHOD
DETAIL
Decision (Unanimous)
// FAQ · 09_

CITATION-READY ANSWERS

Quick answers based on the public fighter profile and fight history shown on this page.

Heavyweight. Professional record 17-3. Ranked #8 by the UFC.

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// LAST INDEX SYNC · 2026-10-27