UFC heavyweight contender Waldo Cortes-Acosta will face one of the division’s most dangerous combatants in a reported UFC 328 bout.
Fresh off a brutal finish over the UFC’s knockout king, heavyweight contender Waldo Cortes-Acosta is on the cusp of a potential title shot. Cortes-Acosta has won three fights in a row since a lopsided defeat to Sergei Pavlovich at UFC Shanghai last year.
UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall’s ongoing recovery from eye injuries has put the division in a peculiar place. Cortes-Acosta and other top contenders are looking to make a statement to secure a showdown with Aspinall for the reigning champion’s expected return to the Octagon.
Ciryl Gane is expected to fight Aspinall in an immediate rematch of their UFC 321 no-contest when Aspinall is medically cleared to return. But this isn’t a sure thing – especially as Cortes-Acosta continues to rise the rankings.
In the meantime, Cortes-Acosta has earned a potential No. 1 contender fight against one of Aspinall’s former foes.
Waldo Cortes-Acosta reportedly booked to fight Alexander Volkov on May 9th
As first reported by MMA journalist Leo Guimaraes, the UFC is targeting a matchup between Cortes-Acosta and Alexander Volkov (39-11-0) for UFC 328, reportedly set for Newark, New Jersey. As of this writing, the UFC hasn’t formally confirmed the bout.
If the fight comes to fruition, Cortes-Acosta will face arguably the toughest test of his career against Volkov, one of the heavyweight division’s mainstays. Volkov most recently defeated Jailton Almeida by split decision and holds wins over Tai Tuivasa, Jairzinho Rozenstruik, and Pavlovich.
Volkov has won five of his last six fights and, like Cortes-Acosta, is on the verge of a heavyweight title shot. The former M-1 Global heavyweight champion made his UFC debut in November 2016.
The full UFC 328 fight lineup is expected to be finalized in the coming weeks, including the card’s main event. UFC CEO Dana White will also announce the lineup for the promotion’s upcoming event at the White House this weekend.
What is your early prediction for Alexander Volkov vs. Waldo Cortes-Acosta? Let us know in the comments!