The co-main event at UFC Vegas delivered one of the most chaotic finishes of the year, as Waldo Cortes-Acosta pulled off a stunning comeback to stop Ante Delija after a bizarre sequence that left fans, officials, and even the fighters momentarily confused.
Delija looked to be in full control early, backing Cortes-Acosta against the cage and unloading a barrage of punches that had the referee stepping in. Believing the fight was over, Delija began to celebrate what seemed like a TKO victory, but a quick review revealed that an unintentional eye poke had occurred just before the flurry. Because the referee never officially waved off the contest, Cortes-Acosta was given five minutes to recover…all while Delija continued to celebrate with his team in the belief that he had just notched his second win inside the Octagon.
The reality of the situation slowly began to sink in for Delija, who must surely have had the mother of all adrenaline dumps, and the bout was restarted once Cortes-Acosta confirmed he could continue.
What happened next was pure drama. Within seconds of the restart, Cortes-Acosta marched forward and unleashed a furious combination that sent Delija crashing to the canvas. This time, the stoppage was decisive, and the celebration belonged to the Dominican heavyweight.
The incredible turnaround marked Cortes-Acosta’s most memorable UFC win to date and earned him his first post-fight bonus from the promotion. For Delija, who was seconds away from victory before the reversal, it was a heartbreaking twist in his still-young UFC career.
After the dust settled, the result stood as a TKO win for Cortes-Acosta and a reminder that in MMA, momentum can swing in an instant. What began in confusion ended in emphatic fashion, with “Salsa Boy” dancing his way to a well-deserved victory.
