UFC heavyweight contender Waldo Cortes-Acosta got into it with polarizing star Josh Hokit ahead of his fight at UFC 328.
Waldo Cortes-Acosta and Alexander Volkov will clash in a heavyweight title eliminator bout this weekend at UFC 328. Just weeks before Alex Pereira and Ciryl Gane clash for the interim UFC heavyweight title, Cortes-Acosta has the chance to make a strong case for a shot at the title with a win over a proven vet.
Cortes-Acosta is one of several intriguing heavyweight contenders moving up the rankings in the division. This includes Josh Hokit, who went from unranked to a Top 5 heavyweight overnight following a win over Curtis Blaydes at UFC 327.
Earlier this year, Hokit called out Cortes-Acosta in colorful fashion, calling him a ‘deadbeat father’ and taking personal shots at his heavyweight colleague. According to Cortes-Acosta, it didn’t take long for them to cross paths at the UFC Apex, and when they did, chaos nearly ensued.
Waldo Cortes-Acosta says Josh Hokit ‘apologized’ after UFC Apex confrontation
At UFC 328 media day, Cortes-Acosta revealed what happened at the UFC Apex after Hokit’s fiery callout at UFC 324.
“Not only did he speak about me, but he spoke about my family, my kids, and a bunch more sh*t came out of his mouth,” Cortes-Acosta said of Hokit.
“I don’t know what character he was on to speak that way. I ran into him at the (Meta) Apex, and I confronted him. I got on the ring, and I gave him a good look, and I told him, ‘You’re not worth anything. You better prepare yourself well because one day you and I are going to fight.’”
“I ran into him at the elevator later, and he said, ‘I’m sorry. Please forgive me. That was only to make headlines so you and I can make money in a fight down the line,” Cortes-Acosta continued. “‘You’re a f—— idiot. You’re a p—-,’ I told him.” (h/t MMA Junkie)
As of this writing, Hokit hasn’t confirmed nor denied Cortes-Acosta’s story. He’s set to return to the Octagon next month on the White House lawn against fan favorite Derrick Lewis.
Cortes-Acosta isn’t the only UFC fighter who isn’t a fan of Hokit’s antics outside of the cage. Former UFC middleweight champ Sean Strickland recently compared Hokit’s persona to a ‘WWE skit’ at a UFC 328 media scrum.
What is your prediction for Waldo Cortes-Acosta vs. Alexander Volkov? Let us know in the comments!